Song of Solomon 1
1 This is [King] Solomon’s most beautiful song.
The Song of Songs, which is by Solomon.
2 Kiss me [on my lips], because your love [for me] is more delightful 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 [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].
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 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.
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 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.
[[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 You [are beautiful], my darling, like the young female horse that pulls the chariot of the king of Egypt.
[[Lov.]] To the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh Do I compare thee, my love!
10 Your cheeks are decorated with jewelry, and there are strings of beads/pearls around your neck.
Comely are thy cheeks with rows of jewels, Thy neck with strings of pearls.
11 We will make for you [some] gold earrings that are decorated/inlaid with silver.
Golden chains will we make for thee, With studs of silver.
12 While the king was on his couch, the smell of my perfume spread [around the room].
[[M.]] While the king reclineth at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance.
13 The man who loves me is [as delightful as [MET]] a (sachet/small cloth bag) of myrrh between my breasts.
A bunch of myrrh is my beloved to me; He shall abide between my breasts.
14 He is like [MET] a bunch of flowers from the vineyards at En-Gedi.
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna-flowers From the gardens of Engedi.
15 You whom I love, you are beautiful; you are very beautiful! Your eyes are [as delightful/charming as] doves.
[[Lov.]] Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair! Thine eyes are doves.
16 You who love me, you are very delightful/handsome, you are wonderful! This green grass will be [like] a couch [where we lie down].
[[M.]] Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, lovely; And green is our bed.
17 [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].
The cedars are the beams of our house, And its roof the cypresses.
