< Song of Solomon 1 >

1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
The Song of Songs, which is by Solomon.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.
[[M.]] O that he would kiss me with one of the kisses of his mouth! For thy love is better than wine.
3 Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, therefore the virgins love you.
Because of the savor of thy precious perfumes, (Thy name is like fragrant oil poured forth, ) Therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine. They are right to love you.
Draw me after thee; let us run! The king hath led me to his chambers! We will be glad and rejoice in thee; We will praise thy love more than wine. Justly do they love thee!
5 I am dark, but lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar's tents, like Solomon's curtains.
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven't kept my own vineyard.
Gaze not upon me because I am black, Because the sun hath looked upon me! My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me keeper of the vineyards; My vineyard, my own, have I not kept.
7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; For why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions?
Tell me, thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest thy flock, Where thou leadest it to rest at noon; For why should I be like a veiled one by the flocks of thy companions?
8 If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
[[Lad.]] If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Trace thou thy way by the tracks of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents!
9 I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
[[Lov.]] To the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh Do I compare thee, my love!
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.
Comely are thy cheeks with rows of jewels, Thy neck with strings of pearls.
11 We will make you earrings of gold, with studs of silver.
Golden chains will we make for thee, With studs of silver.
12 While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
[[M.]] While the king reclineth at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts.
A bunch of myrrh is my beloved to me; He shall abide between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna-flowers From the gardens of Engedi.
15 Look, you are beautiful, my love. Look, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves.
[[Lov.]] Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair! Thine eyes are doves.
16 Look, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant.
[[M.]] Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, lovely; And green is our bed.
17 The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs.
The cedars are the beams of our house, And its roof the cypresses.

< Song of Solomon 1 >