< Song of Solomon 1 >
1 The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
The Song of Songs, that [is] Solomon's.
2 Oh that he might kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for thy caresses are more pleasant than wine.
Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth, For better [are] thy loves than wine.
3 To the smell are thy fragrant oils pleasant, [like] precious oil poured forth is thy name [famous afar]: therefore do maidens love thee.
For fragrance [are] thy perfumes good. Perfume emptied out — thy name, Therefore have virgins loved thee!
4 Oh draw me, after thee will we run: the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will recall thy caresses, more [pleasant] than wine; without deceit [all] love thee.—
Draw me: after thee we run, The king hath brought me into his inner chambers, We do joy and rejoice in thee, We mention thy loves more than wine, Uprightly they have loved thee!
5 Black am I, yet comely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
Dark [am] I, and comely, daughters of Jerusalem, As tents of Kedar, as curtains of Solomon.
6 Look not so at me, because I am somewhat black, because the sun hath looked fiercely at me: my mother's children were angry with me; they appointed me to be keeper of the vineyards; but my vineyard, which is my own, have I not kept.—
Fear me not, because I [am] very dark, Because the sun hath scorched me, The sons of my mother were angry with me, They made me keeper of the vineyards, My vineyard — my own — I have not kept.
7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest? where lettest thou thy flock rest at noon? for why should I appear like a veiled mourner by the flocks of thy companions?—
Declare to me, thou whom my soul hath loved, Where thou delightest, Where thou liest down at noon, For why am I as one veiled, By the ranks of thy companions?
8 If thou knowest this not, O thou fairest of women, go but forth in the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids around the shepherds' dwellings.—
If thou knowest not, O fair among women, Get thee forth by the traces of the flock, And feed thy kids by the shepherds' dwellings!
9 Unto the horse in Pharaoh's chariot do I compare thee, my beloved.
To my joyous one in chariots of Pharaoh, I have compared thee, my friend,
10 Comely are thy cheeks between strings [of pearls], thy neck with rows [of jewels].
Comely have been thy cheeks with garlands, Thy neck with chains.
11 Chains of gold will we make for thee with studs of silver.—
Garlands of gold we do make for thee, With studs of silver!
12 While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth its [pleasant] smell.
While the king [is] in his circle, My spikenard hath given its fragrance.
13 A bundle of myrrh is my friend unto me, that resteth on my bosom.
A bundle of myrrh [is] my beloved to me, Between my breasts it lodgeth.
14 A copher-cluster is my friend unto me in the vineyards of 'En-gedi.—
A cluster of cypress [is] my beloved to me, In the vineyards of En-Gedi!
15 Lo, thou art beautiful, my beloved: lo, thou art beautiful: thy eyes are those of a dove.—
Lo, thou [art] fair, my friend, Lo, thou [art] fair, thine eyes [are] doves!
16 Lo, thou art beautiful, my friend, also pleasant: also our couch is [made in the] green [wood].
Lo, thou [art] fair, my love, yea, pleasant, Yea, our couch [is] green,
17 The beams of our houses are cedars and our wainscoting of cypress-trees.
The beams of our houses [are] cedars, Our rafters [are] firs, I [am] a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys!