< Song of Songs 1 >
1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
THE SONG of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your breasts are better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth — for thy love is better than wine.
3 And the smell of your ointments is better than all spices: your name is ointment poured forth; therefore do the young maidens love you.
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the maidens love thee.
4 They have drawn you: we will run after you, for the smell of your ointments: the king has brought me into closet: let us rejoice and be glad in you; we will love your breasts more than wine: righteousness loves you.
Draw me, we will run after thee; the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will find thy love more fragrant than wine! sincerely do they love thee.
5 I am black, but beautiful, you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
'I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Look not upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has looked unfavourably upon me: my mother's sons strove with me; they made me keeper in the vineyards; I have not kept my own vineyard.
Look not upon me, that I am swarthy, that the sun hath tanned me; my mother's sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.'
7 Tell me, [you] whom my soul loves, where you tend your flock, where you cause [them] to rest at noon, lest I become as one that is veiled by the flocks of your companions.
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that veileth herself beside the flocks of thy companions?
8 If you know not yourself, you fair one amongst women, go you forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed your kids by the shepherd's tents.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.
9 I have likened you, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
10 How are your cheeks beautiful as [those] of a dove, your neck as chains!
Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, thy neck with beads.
11 We will make you figures of gold with studs of silver.
We will make thee circlets of gold with studs of silver.
12 So long as the king was at table, my spikenard gave forth its smell.
While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13 My kinsman is to me a bundle of myrrh; he shall lie between my breasts.
My beloved is unto me as a bag of myrrh, that lieth betwixt my breasts.
14 My kinsman is to me a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of Engaddi.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 Behold, you are fair, my companion; behold, you are fair; your eyes are doves.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as doves.
16 Behold, you are fair, my kinsman, yes, beautiful, overshadowing our bed.
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; also our couch is leafy.
17 The beams of our house are cedars, our ceilings are of cypress.
The beams of our houses are cedars, and our panels are cypresses.