Song of Solomon 1
The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine,
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
3 Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.
Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments. The king hath brought me into his storerooms: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine: the righteous love thee.
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 remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
5 I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, 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 Do not consider me that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour: the sons of my mother have fought against me, they have made me the keeper in the vineyards: my vineyard I have not kept.
Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard have I not kept.
7 Shew me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest in the midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy 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 turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
8 If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
If thou knowest not, O thou fairest among women, go forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
9 To my company of horsemen, in Pharao’s chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove’s, thy neck as jewels.
Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
11 We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.
We will make for thee borders of gold with studs of silver.
12 While the king was at his repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.
While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance.
13 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts.
A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved to me; he shall lie all night between my breasts.
14 A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.
My beloved is to me as a cluster of henna flowers in the vineyards of Engedi.
15 Behold thou art fair, O my love, behold thou art fair, thy eyes are as those of doves.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.
16 Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
17 The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.
The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
