< Song of Solomon 1 >
This is Solomon’s Song of Songs.
2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy loue is better then wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.
3 Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointment powred out: therefore the virgins loue thee.
The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you.
4 Drawe me: we will runne after thee: the King hath brought me into his chabers: we will reioyce and be glad in thee: we will remember thy loue more then wine: the righteous do loue thee.
Take me away with you—let us hurry! May the king bring me to his chambers. We will rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. It is only right that they adore you.
5 I am blacke, O daughters of Ierusalem, but comely, as the tentes of Kedar, and as the curtaines of Salomon.
I am dark, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Regard ye me not because I am blacke: for the sunne hath looked vpon mee. The sonnes of my mother were angry against mee: they made me the keeper of ye vines: but I kept not mine owne vine.
Do not stare because I am dark, for the sun has gazed upon me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have neglected.
7 Shewe me, O thou, whome my soule loueth, where thou feedest, where thou liest at noone: for why should I be as she that turneth aside to the flockes of thy companions?
Tell me, O one I love, where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you rest them at midday? Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your companions?
8 If thou knowe not, O thou the fairest among women, get thee foorth by the steps of the flocke, and feede thy kiddes by the tents of the shepheards.
If you do not know, O fairest of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds.
9 I haue compared thee, O my loue, to the troupe of horses in the charets of Pharaoh.
I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Thy cheekes are comely with rowes of stones, and thy necke with chaines.
Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make thee borders of golde with studdes of siluer.
We will make you ornaments of gold, studded with beads of silver.
12 Whiles the King was at his repast, my spikenard gaue the smelll thereof.
While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 My welbeloued is as a bundle of myrrhe vnto me: he shall lie betweene my breasts.
My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
14 My welbeloued is as a cluster of camphire vnto me in the vines of Engedi.
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 My loue, beholde, thou art faire: beholde, thou art faire: thine eyes are like the doues.
How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves.
16 My welbeloued, beholde, thou art faire and pleasant: also our bed is greene:
How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed.
17 The beames of our house are cedars, our rafters are of firre.
The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are fragrant firs.