Song of Solomon 1
The Song of Songs, which is by Solomon.
2 Bride: May he kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. Groom to Bride: So much better than wine are your breasts,
[[M.]] O that he would kiss me with one of the kisses of his mouth! For thy love is better than wine.
3 fragranced with the finest perfumes. Bride to Groom: Your name is oil that has been poured out; therefore, the maidens have loved you.
Because of the savor of thy precious perfumes, (Thy name is like fragrant oil poured forth, ) Therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Draw me forward. Chorus to Bride: We will run after you in the odor of your perfumes. Bride to Chorus: The king has led me into his storerooms. Chorus to Bride: We will exult and rejoice in you, remembering your breasts above wine. Groom to Bride: The righteous love you.
Draw me after thee; let us run! The king hath led me to his chambers! We will be glad and rejoice in thee; We will praise thy love more than wine. Justly do they love thee!
5 Bride to Chorus: O daughters of Jerusalem: I am black, but shapely, like the tabernacles of Kedar, like the tents of Solomon.
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not be concerned that I am dark, for the sun has changed my color. The sons of my mother have fought against me. They have made me the keeper of the vineyards. My own vineyard I have not kept.
Gaze not upon me because I am black, Because the sun hath looked upon me! My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me keeper of the vineyards; My vineyard, my own, have I not kept.
7 Bride to Groom: Reveal to me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you recline at midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions.
Tell me, thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest thy flock, Where thou leadest it to rest at noon; For why should I be like a veiled one by the flocks of thy companions?
8 Groom to Bride: If you yourself do not know, O most beautiful among women, then go out and follow after the steps of the flocks, and pasture your young goats beside the tabernacles of the shepherds.
[[Lad.]] If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Trace thou thy way by the tracks of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents!
9 O my love, I have compared you to my company of horsemen against the chariots of Pharaoh.
[[Lov.]] To the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh Do I compare thee, my love!
10 Your cheeks are beautiful, like those of a turtledove. Your neck is like a bejeweled collar.
Comely are thy cheeks with rows of jewels, Thy neck with strings of pearls.
11 Chorus to Bride: We will fashion for you chains of gold, accented with reddened silver.
Golden chains will we make for thee, With studs of silver.
12 Bride to Chorus: While the king was taking his rest, my aromatic ointment sent forth its odor.
[[M.]] While the king reclineth at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance.
13 My beloved is a bundle of myrrh to me. He shall abide between my breasts.
A bunch of myrrh is my beloved to me; He shall abide between my breasts.
14 My beloved is a cluster of Cyprus grapes to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna-flowers From the gardens of Engedi.
15 Groom to Bride: Behold, you are beautiful, O my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are those of a dove.
[[Lov.]] Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair! Thine eyes are doves.
16 Bride to Groom: Behold, you are handsome, O my beloved, and graceful. Our bed is flourishing.
[[M.]] Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, lovely; And green is our bed.
17 Groom to Bride: The timbers of our houses are of cedar; our ceilings are of cypress.
The cedars are the beams of our house, And its roof the cypresses.
