Song of Solomon 1
1 Solomon's song of songs.
The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Kiss me, kiss me with your mouth again and again, for your love is sweeter than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your breasts are better than wine.
3 I love the way you smell from the perfumed oils you use. You have quite a reputation—it spreads like spilled perfumed oil. It's not surprising that all the young women adore you!
And the smell of your ointments is better than all spices: your name is ointment poured forth; therefore do the young maidens love you.
4 Take me by the hand—let's run! (The king has brought me to his bedroom.) Let's be happy together and find pleasure in your love. Your love is far better than wine! Women are right to adore you so!
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.
5 I'm black, but I'm beautiful, women of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
I am black, but beautiful, you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Don't look down on me because I'm black, because the sun has burned me. My brothers were angry with me and made me look after the vineyards, so I couldn't look after my own vineyard.
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.
7 My love, please tell me where you're taking your flock. Where will you rest them at noon? For why should I have to wear a veil while looking for you among the flocks of your companions?
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.
8 If you really don't know, you who are more beautiful than any other woman, then follow the tracks of my flock, and let your goats graze near the shepherd's tents.
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.
9 My darling, to me you're like a mare among Pharaoh's horses that pull his chariots,
I have likened you, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao.
10 Your beautiful cheeks adorned with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
How are your cheeks beautiful as [those] of a dove, your neck as chains!
11 Let's make you some gold ornaments inlaid with silver.
We will make you figures of gold with studs of silver.
12 As the king lay on his couch, my nard perfume gave off its fragrance.
So long as the king was at table, my spikenard gave forth its smell.
13 My love is like a pouch of myrrh, lying all night between my breasts.
My kinsman is to me a bundle of myrrh; he shall lie between my breasts.
14 My love is like a bunch of fragrant henna flowers in the vineyards of Engedi.
My kinsman is to me a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of Engaddi.
15 Look at how very beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful! Your eyes are as gentle as doves.
Behold, you are fair, my companion; behold, you are fair; your eyes are doves.
16 And you, my love, are so handsome—how charming you are! The green grass is our bed,
Behold, you are fair, my kinsman, yes, beautiful, overshadowing our bed.
17 with cedar trees as beams for our “house,” and pine trees for the rafters.
The beams of our house are cedars, our ceilings are of cypress.
