< Song of Solomon 1 >
1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your breasts are better than wine.
3 Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, therefore the virgins love you.
And the smell of your ointments is better than all spices: your name is ointment poured forth; therefore do the young maidens love you.
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.
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.
5 I am dark, but lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar's tents, like Solomon's curtains.
I am black, but beautiful, you 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.
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.
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, [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.
8 If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
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.
9 I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
I have likened you, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.
How are your cheeks beautiful as [those] of a dove, your neck as chains!
11 We will make you earrings of gold, with studs of silver.
We will make you figures of gold with studs of silver.
12 While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
So long as the king was at table, my spikenard gave forth its smell.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts.
My kinsman is to me a bundle of myrrh; he shall lie between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
My kinsman is to me a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of Engaddi.
15 Look, you are beautiful, my love. Look, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves.
Behold, you are fair, my companion; behold, you are fair; your eyes are doves.
16 Look, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant.
Behold, you are fair, my kinsman, yes, beautiful, overshadowing our bed.
17 The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs.
The beams of our house are cedars, our ceilings are of cypress.