< 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 thy love is 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!
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is [as] ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee.
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!
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 make mention of thy love more than of wine: rightly do they love thee.
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 comely, O ye 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 swarthy, because the sun hath scorched 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 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, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest [thy flock], where thou makest [it] to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that is veiled beside the flocks of thy 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 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 My darling, to me you're like a mare among Pharaoh's horses that pull his chariots,
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Your beautiful cheeks adorned with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
Thy cheeks are comely with plaits [of hair], thy neck with strings of jewels
11 Let's make you some gold ornaments inlaid with silver.
We will make thee plaits of gold with studs of silver.
12 As the king lay on his couch, my nard perfume gave off its fragrance.
While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13 My love is like a pouch of myrrh, lying all night between my breasts.
My beloved is unto me [as] a bundle of myrrh, that lieth betwixt my breasts.
14 My love is like a bunch of fragrant henna flowers in the vineyards of Engedi.
My beloved is unto me [as] a cluster of henna-flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 Look at how very beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful! Your eyes are as gentle as doves.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are [as] doves.
16 And you, my love, are so handsome—how charming you are! The green grass is our bed,
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our couch is green.
17 with cedar trees as beams for our “house,” and pine trees for the rafters.
The beams of our house are cedars, [and] our rafters are firs.