Mutual Delight in Each Other

The Chorus

(A)Where has your beloved gone,
O (B)most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned,
That we may seek him with you?”

The Bride

“My beloved has gone down to his (C)garden,
To the (D)beds of balsam,
To (E)pasture his flock in the gardens
And gather (F)lilies.
(G)I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,
He who (H)pastures his flock among the lilies.”

The Groom

(I)You are as beautiful as (J)Tirzah, my darling,
As (K)lovely as (L)Jerusalem,
As (M)awesome as an army with banners.
Turn your eyes away from me,
For they have confused me;
(N)Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Gilead.
(O)Your teeth are like a flock of ewes
That have come up from their watering place,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has lost her young.
(P)Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
There are sixty (Q)queens and eighty concubines,
And [a](R)young women without number;
But (S)my dove, my perfect one, is [b]unique:
She is her mother’s [c]only daughter;
She is the pure child of the one who gave birth to her.
The [d](T)young women saw her and called her [e]blessed,
The (U)queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

10 ‘Who is this who looks down like the dawn,
As beautiful as the full (V)moon,
As pure (W)as the sun,
As (X)awesome as an army with banners?’
11 I went down to the orchard of nut trees
To see the plants of the valley,
To see whether (Y)the vine had grown
Or the (Z)pomegranates had bloomed.
12 [f]Before I was aware, my soul set me
Over the chariots of [g]my noble people.”

The Chorus

13 [h]Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
Come back, come back, so that we may look at you!”

The Groom

“Why should you look at the Shulammite,
As at the (AA)dance of [i](AB)the two armies?

Admiration by the Groom

[j]How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
[k](AC)Prince’s daughter!
The curves of your hips are like jewels,
The work of the hands of an artist.
Your navel is like a round goblet
That never lacks mixed wine;
Your belly is like a heap of wheat,
[l]Surrounded with lilies.
Your (AD)two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle.
Your (AE)neck is like a tower of ivory,
Your eyes like the pools in (AF)Heshbon
By the gate of Bath-rabbim;
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,
Which looks toward Damascus.
Your head [m]crowns you like (AG)Carmel,
And the flowing hair of your head is like purple threads;
The king is captivated by your tresses.
How (AH)beautiful and how delightful you are,
[n]My love, with all your delights!
[o]Your stature is like a palm tree,
And your breasts are like its clusters.
I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree,
I will grasp its fruit stalks.’
Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of your [p]breath like (AI)apples,
And your [q](AJ)mouth like the best wine!”

The Bride

“It (AK)goes down smoothly for my beloved,
Flowing gently through the lips of those who are asleep.

The Union of Love

10 (AL)I am my beloved’s,
And his (AM)desire is for me.
11 Come, my beloved, let’s go out to the [r]country,
Let’s spend the night in the villages.
12 Let’s rise early and go to the vineyards;
Let’s (AN)see whether the vine has grown
And its buds have opened,
And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I will give you my love.
13 The (AO)mandrakes have given forth fragrance;
And over our doors are all (AP)delicious fruits,
New as well as old,
Which I have saved for you, my beloved.

The Lovers Speak

“Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.
I would lead you and (AQ)bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.
Let (AR)his left hand be under my head,
And his right hand embrace me.”

The Groom

(AS)Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem:
[s]Do not disturb or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

The Chorus

(AT)Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
Leaning on her beloved?”

The Bride

“Beneath the (AU)apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother went into labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave birth to you.
Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a (AV)seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
[t](AW)Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flames are flames of fire,
[u]The flame of the Lord.
Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers flood over it;
(AX)If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”

The Chorus

“We have a little sister,
And she (AY)has no breasts;
What shall we do for our sister
On the day when she is spoken for?
If she is a wall,
We will build on her a battlement of silver;
But if she is a door,
We will barricade her with (AZ)planks of cedar.”

The Bride

10 “I was a wall, and (BA)my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.
11 Solomon had a (BB)vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He (BC)entrusted the vineyard to (BD)caretakers.
Each one was to bring a (BE)thousand shekels of silver for its (BF)fruit.
12 My very own vineyard is [v]at my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”

The Groom

13 “You who sit in the gardens:
My (BG)companions are listening for your voice—
(BH)Let me hear it!”

The Bride

14 [w]Hurry, my beloved,
And be (BI)like a gazelle or a young [x]stag
On the (BJ)mountains of balsam trees!”

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 6:8 Or virgins
  2. Song of Solomon 6:9 Lit one
  3. Song of Solomon 6:9 Lit one
  4. Song of Solomon 6:9 Lit daughters
  5. Song of Solomon 6:9 Or happy
  6. Song of Solomon 6:12 Lit I was not aware, my soul
  7. Song of Solomon 6:12 Or Ammi-nadib
  8. Song of Solomon 6:13 Ch 7:1 in Heb
  9. Song of Solomon 6:13 Or Mahanaim
  10. Song of Solomon 7:1 Ch 7:2 in Heb
  11. Song of Solomon 7:1 Or Nobleman’s
  12. Song of Solomon 7:2 Lit Fenced around
  13. Song of Solomon 7:5 Lit is upon
  14. Song of Solomon 7:6 Or With love among your charms
  15. Song of Solomon 7:7 Lit This stature of yours
  16. Song of Solomon 7:8 Lit nose
  17. Song of Solomon 7:9 Lit palate
  18. Song of Solomon 7:11 Lit field
  19. Song of Solomon 8:4 Lit Why should you disturb or
  20. Song of Solomon 8:6 Or Its passion is as inflexible
  21. Song of Solomon 8:6 Another reading is A vehement flame
  22. Song of Solomon 8:12 Lit before me
  23. Song of Solomon 8:14 Lit Flee
  24. Song of Solomon 8:14 Lit of the stags

Friends

Where has your beloved(A) gone,
    most beautiful of women?(B)
Which way did your beloved turn,
    that we may look for him with you?

She

My beloved has gone(C) down to his garden,(D)
    to the beds of spices,(E)
to browse in the gardens
    and to gather lilies.
I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;(F)
    he browses among the lilies.(G)

He

You are as beautiful as Tirzah,(H) my darling,
    as lovely as Jerusalem,(I)
    as majestic as troops with banners.(J)
Turn your eyes from me;
    they overwhelm me.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from Gilead.(K)
Your teeth are like a flock of sheep
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin,
    not one of them is missing.(L)
Your temples behind your veil(M)
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.(N)
Sixty queens(O) there may be,
    and eighty concubines,(P)
    and virgins beyond number;
but my dove,(Q) my perfect one,(R) is unique,
    the only daughter of her mother,
    the favorite of the one who bore her.(S)
The young women saw her and called her blessed;
    the queens and concubines praised her.

Friends

10 Who is this that appears like the dawn,
    fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
    majestic as the stars in procession?

He

11 I went down to the grove of nut trees
    to look at the new growth in the valley,
to see if the vines had budded
    or the pomegranates were in bloom.(T)
12 Before I realized it,
    my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.[a]

Friends

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
    come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!

He

Why would you gaze on the Shulammite
    as on the dance(U) of Mahanaim?[b]

[c]How beautiful your sandaled feet,
    O prince’s(V) daughter!
Your graceful legs are like jewels,
    the work of an artist’s hands.
Your navel is a rounded goblet
    that never lacks blended wine.
Your waist is a mound of wheat
    encircled by lilies.
Your breasts(W) are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle.
Your neck is like an ivory tower.(X)
Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon(Y)
    by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon(Z)
    looking toward Damascus.
Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.(AA)
    Your hair is like royal tapestry;
    the king is held captive by its tresses.
How beautiful(AB) you are and how pleasing,
    my love, with your delights!(AC)
Your stature is like that of the palm,
    and your breasts(AD) like clusters of fruit.
I said, “I will climb the palm tree;
    I will take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine,
    the fragrance of your breath like apples,(AE)
    and your mouth like the best wine.

She

May the wine go straight to my beloved,(AF)
    flowing gently over lips and teeth.[d]
10 I belong to my beloved,
    and his desire(AG) is for me.(AH)
11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
    let us spend the night in the villages.[e]
12 Let us go early to the vineyards(AI)
    to see if the vines have budded,(AJ)
if their blossoms(AK) have opened,
    and if the pomegranates(AL) are in bloom(AM)
    there I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes(AN) send out their fragrance,
    and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
    that I have stored up for you, my beloved.(AO)

If only you were to me like a brother,
    who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
    I would kiss you,
    and no one would despise me.
I would lead you
    and bring you to my mother’s house(AP)
    she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the nectar of my pomegranates.
His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.(AQ)
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(AR)

Friends

Who is this coming up from the wilderness(AS)
    leaning on her beloved?

She

Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived(AT) you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love(AU) is as strong as death,
    its jealousy[f](AV) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.[g]
Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it[h] would be utterly scorned.(AW)

Friends

We have a little sister,
    and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day she is spoken for?
If she is a wall,
    we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
    we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

She

10 I am a wall,
    and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
    like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard(AX) in Baal Hamon;
    he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
    a thousand shekels[i](AY) of silver.
12 But my own vineyard(AZ) is mine to give;
    the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred[j] are for those who tend its fruit.

He

13 You who dwell in the gardens
    with friends in attendance,
    let me hear your voice!

She

14 Come away, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle(BA)
or like a young stag(BB)
    on the spice-laden mountains.(BC)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 6:12 Or among the chariots of Amminadab; or among the chariots of the people of the prince
  2. Song of Songs 6:13 In Hebrew texts this verse (6:13) is numbered 7:1.
  3. Song of Songs 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-13 is numbered 7:2-14.
  4. Song of Songs 7:9 Septuagint, Aquila, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew lips of sleepers
  5. Song of Songs 7:11 Or the henna bushes
  6. Song of Songs 8:6 Or ardor
  7. Song of Songs 8:6 Or fire, / like the very flame of the Lord
  8. Song of Songs 8:7 Or he
  9. Song of Songs 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms; also in verse 12
  10. Song of Songs 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms