Solomon and His Bride Delight in Each Other

He

You are beautiful as (A)Tirzah, (B)my love,
    (C)lovely as (D)Jerusalem,
    (E)awesome as an army with banners.
Turn away your eyes from me,
    for they overwhelm me—
(F)Your hair is like a flock of goats
    leaping down the slopes of Gilead.
(G)Your teeth are like a flock of ewes
    that have come up from the washing;
all of them bear twins;
    not one among them has lost its young.
(H)Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate
    behind your veil.
There are (I)sixty (J)queens and eighty (K)concubines,
    and (L)virgins without number.
My (M)dove, my (N)perfect one, is the only one,
    the only one of her mother,
    pure to (O)her who bore her.
(P)The young women saw her and called her blessed;
    (Q)the queens and (R)concubines also, and they praised her.

10 (S)“Who is this who looks down like the dawn,
    beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun,
    (T)awesome as an army with banners?”

She

11 I went down to the nut orchard
    to look at (U)the blossoms of the valley,
(V)to see whether the vines had budded,
    whether the pomegranates were in bloom.
12 (W)Before I was aware, my desire set me
    among (X)the chariots of my kinsman, a prince.[a]

Others

13 [b] Return, return, O (Y)Shulammite,
    return, return, that we may look upon you.

He

Why should you look upon (Z)the Shulammite,
    as upon (AA)a dance before (AB)two armies?[c]

How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
    O (AC)noble daughter!
Your rounded thighs are like (AD)jewels,
    the work of (AE)a master hand.
Your navel is a rounded bowl
    that never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
    encircled with (AF)lilies.
(AG)Your two breasts are like two fawns,
    twins of a gazelle.
Your (AH)neck is like an ivory tower.
Your (AI)eyes are pools in (AJ)Heshbon,
    by the gate of Bath-rabbim.
Your nose is like a tower of (AK)Lebanon,
    which looks toward (AL)Damascus.
Your head crowns you like (AM)Carmel,
    and your (AN)flowing locks are like purple;
    a king is held captive in the tresses.

(AO)How beautiful and (AP)pleasant you are,
    O loved one, with all your delights![d]
Your stature is like a palm tree,
    and your breasts are like its clusters.
I say I will climb the palm tree
    and lay hold of its fruit.
Oh may your breasts be like (AQ)clusters of the vine,
    and the scent of your breath like apples,
and your (AR)mouth[e] like the best wine.

She

It goes down smoothly for my beloved,
    gliding over lips and teeth.[f]

10 (AS)I am my beloved's,
    (AT)and his desire is for me.

The Bride Gives Her Love

11 (AU)Come, my beloved,
    let us go out into the fields
    and lodge in the villages;[g]
12 let us go out early to the vineyards
    (AV)and see whether the vines have budded,
whether (AW)the grape blossoms have opened
    and the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give you my love.
13 (AX)The mandrakes give forth fragrance,
    and beside our doors are all choice fruits,
(AY)new as well as old,
    which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.

Longing for Her Beloved

Oh that you were like a brother to me
    who nursed at my mother's breasts!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you,
    and none would despise me.
I would lead you and (AZ)bring you
    into the house of my mother—
    she who used to teach me.
I would give you (BA)spiced wine to drink,
    the juice of my pomegranate.
(BB)His left hand is under my head,
    and his right hand embraces me!
I (BC)adjure you, O (BD)daughters of Jerusalem,
    (BE)that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 6:12 Or chariots of Ammi-Nadib
  2. Song of Solomon 6:13 Ch 7:1 in Hebrew
  3. Song of Solomon 6:13 Or dance of Mahanaim
  4. Song of Solomon 7:6 Or among delights
  5. Song of Solomon 7:9 Hebrew palate
  6. Song of Solomon 7:9 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew causing the lips of sleepers to speak, or gliding over the lips of those who sleep
  7. Song of Solomon 7:11 Or among the henna plants

Bible Gateway Recommends

ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible, Hardcover
ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible, Hardcover
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $17.99
Save: $22.00 (55%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Economy Bible, Softcover, Case of 40
ESV Economy Bible, Softcover, Case of 40
Retail: $199.60
Our Price: $106.49
Save: $93.11 (47%)
The ESV New Inductive Study Bible, Milano Softone, Green
The ESV New Inductive Study Bible, Milano Softone, Green
Retail: $74.99
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $26.00 (35%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars