Song of Solomon 1
1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
This is [King] Solomon’s most beautiful song.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your love is better than wine.
Kiss me [on my lips], because your love [for me] is more delightful than wine.
3 Because of the smell of your good ointments your name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love you.
The fragrance of the cologne on your [skin] is [very] sweet/pleasing [CHI]. And your reputation is [very] good and spreads, [like] [SIM] the fragrance of the special oil spread on your skin. That is why the [other] young women are attracted to you.
4 Draw me, we will run after you: the king has brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in you, we will remember your love more than wine: the upright love you.
Take me quickly; take me to your home. [It is as though] you are my king; take me into your room. We are very happy [DOU] about you; we say that your love [for each other] is better than wine. It is not surprising that the other young women adore you.
5 I am black, but comely, O you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
You women of Jerusalem, I am dark but beautiful; my dark skin is like [SIM] the tents in Kedar, [or] like the beautiful curtains in Solomon’s palace.
6 Look not on me, because I am black, because the sun has looked on 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.
[But] do not stare at me because of the sun having caused my skin to become dark; my brothers were angry with me, [so] they forced me to work [out in the sunshine] in the vineyards, so I was not able to take good care of my body/skin [CHI, MET].
7 Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of your companions?
You whom I [SYN] love, where will you take your flock of sheep today? Where will you allow them to rest at noontime? I want to know because it is not right [RHQ] for me to wander around like a prostitute looking for you among the flocks that belong to your friends.
8 If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed your kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
You who are the most beautiful of all the women, if you [search for me and] do not know [where I will take my sheep], follow the tracks/footprints of the sheep. [Then] allow your young goats to (graze/eat grass) near the shepherds’ tents.
9 I have compared you, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.
You [are beautiful], my darling, like the young female horse that pulls the chariot of the king of Egypt.
10 Your cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, your neck with chains of gold.
Your cheeks are decorated with jewelry, and there are strings of beads/pearls around your neck.
11 We will make you borders of gold with studs of silver.
We will make for you [some] gold earrings that are decorated/inlaid with silver.
12 While the king sits at his table, my spikenard sends forth the smell thereof.
While the king was on his couch, the smell of my perfume spread [around the room].
13 A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved to me; he shall lie all night between my breasts.
The man who loves me is [as delightful as [MET]] a (sachet/small cloth bag) of myrrh between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.
He is like [MET] a bunch of flowers from the vineyards at En-Gedi.
15 Behold, you are fair, my love; behold, you are fair; you have doves’ eyes.
You whom I love, you are beautiful; you are very beautiful! Your eyes are [as delightful/charming as] doves.
16 Behold, you are fair, my beloved, yes, pleasant: also our bed is green.
You who love me, you are very delightful/handsome, you are wonderful! This green grass will be [like] a couch [where we lie down].
17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
[Branches of] cedar [trees] will shade us; [it is as though branches of] juniper/pine [trees] will be like [MET] a roof [over our heads].
