Take me away with you! Let’s run off together!
    An elopement with my King-Lover!
We’ll celebrate, we’ll sing,
    we’ll make great music.
Yes! For your love is better than vintage wine.
    Everyone loves you—of course! And why not?

5-6 I am weathered but still elegant,
    oh, dear sisters in Jerusalem,
Weather-darkened like Kedar desert tents,
    time-softened like Solomon’s Temple hangings.
Don’t look down on me because I’m dark,
    darkened by the sun’s harsh rays.
My brothers ridiculed me and sent me to work in the fields.
    They made me care for the face of the earth,
    but I had no time to care for my own face.

Read full chapter

Take me away with you—let us hurry!
    Let the king bring me into his chambers.(A)

Friends

We rejoice and delight(B) in you[a];
    we will praise your love(C) more than wine.

She

How right they are to adore you!

Dark am I, yet lovely,(D)
    daughters of Jerusalem,(E)
dark like the tents of Kedar,(F)
    like the tent curtains of Solomon.[b]
Do not stare at me because I am dark,
    because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
    and made me take care of the vineyards;(G)
    my own vineyard I had to neglect.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 1:4 The Hebrew is masculine singular.
  2. Song of Songs 1:5 Or Salma