Song of Songs 1
1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your breasts are better than wine.
Bride: May he kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. Groom to Bride: So much better than wine are your breasts,
3 And the smell of your ointments is better than all spices: your name is ointment poured forth; therefore do the young maidens love you.
fragranced with the finest perfumes. Bride to Groom: Your name is oil that has been poured out; therefore, the maidens have loved you.
4 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.
Draw me forward. Chorus to Bride: We will run after you in the odor of your perfumes. Bride to Chorus: The king has led me into his storerooms. Chorus to Bride: We will exult and rejoice in you, remembering your breasts above wine. Groom to Bride: The righteous love you.
5 I am black, but beautiful, you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Bride to Chorus: O daughters of Jerusalem: I am black, but shapely, like the tabernacles of Kedar, like the tents of Solomon.
6 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.
Do not be concerned that I am dark, for the sun has changed my color. The sons of my mother have fought against me. They have made me the keeper of the vineyards. My own vineyard I have not kept.
7 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.
Bride to Groom: Reveal to me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you recline at midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions.
8 If you know not yourself, you fair one among women, go you forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed your kids by the shepherd's tents.
Groom to Bride: If you yourself do not know, O most beautiful among women, then go out and follow after the steps of the flocks, and pasture your young goats beside the tabernacles of the shepherds.
9 I have likened you, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao.
O my love, I have compared you to my company of horsemen against the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 How are your cheeks beautiful as [those] of a dove, your neck as chains!
Your cheeks are beautiful, like those of a turtledove. Your neck is like a bejeweled collar.
11 We will make you figures of gold with studs of silver.
Chorus to Bride: We will fashion for you chains of gold, accented with reddened silver.
12 So long as the king was at table, my spikenard gave forth its smell.
Bride to Chorus: While the king was taking his rest, my aromatic ointment sent forth its odor.
13 My kinsman is to me a bundle of myrrh; he shall lie between my breasts.
My beloved is a bundle of myrrh to me. He shall abide between my breasts.
14 My kinsman is to me a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of Engaddi.
My beloved is a cluster of Cyprus grapes to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.
15 Behold, you are fair, my companion; behold, you are fair; your eyes are doves.
Groom to Bride: Behold, you are beautiful, O my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are those of a dove.
16 Behold, you are fair, my kinsman, yes, beautiful, overshadowing our bed.
Bride to Groom: Behold, you are handsome, O my beloved, and graceful. Our bed is flourishing.
17 The beams of our house are cedars, our ceilings are of cypress.
Groom to Bride: The timbers of our houses are of cedar; our ceilings are of cypress.
