Song of Solomon 6:1-7:10
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
6 Whither has your beloved gone,
O fairest among women?
Whither has your beloved turned,
that we may seek him with you?
2 My beloved has gone down to his garden,
to the beds of spices,
to pasture his flock in the gardens,
and to gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
he pastures his flock among the lilies.
The Bride’s Matchless Beauty
4 You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love,
comely as Jerusalem,
terrible as an army with banners.
5 Turn away your eyes from me,
for they disturb me—
Your hair is like a flock of goats,
moving down the slopes of Gilead.
6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes,
that have come up from the washing,
all of them bear twins,
not one among them is bereaved.
7 Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate
behind your veil.
8 There are sixty queens and eighty concubines,
and maidens without number.
9 My dove, my perfect one, is only one,
the darling of her mother,
flawless to her that bore her.
The maidens saw her and called her happy;
the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.
10 “Who is this that looks forth like the dawn,
fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
terrible as an army with banners?”
11 I went down to the nut orchard,
to look at the blossoms of the valley,
to see whether the vines had budded,
whether the pomegranates were in bloom.
12 Before I was aware, my fancy set me
in a chariot beside my prince.[a]
13 [b] Return, return, O Shu′lammite,
return, return, that we may look upon you.
Why should you look upon the Shu′lammite,
as upon a dance before two armies?[c]
Expressions of Praise
7 How graceful are your feet in sandals,
O queenly maiden!
Your rounded thighs are like jewels,
the work of a master hand.
2 Your navel is a rounded bowl
that never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
encircled with lilies.
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are pools in Heshbon,
by the gate of Bath-rab′bim.
Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon,
overlooking Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Carmel,
and your flowing locks are like purple;
a king is held captive in the tresses.[d]
6 How fair and pleasant you are,
O loved one, delectable maiden![e]
7 You are stately[f] as a palm tree,
and your breasts are like its clusters.
8 I say I will climb the palm tree
and lay hold of its branches.
Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
and the scent of your breath like apples,
9 and your kisses[g] like the best wine
that goes down[h] smoothly,
gliding over lips and teeth.[i]
10 I am my beloved’s,
and his desire is for me.
Footnotes
- Song of Solomon 6:12 Cn: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Song of Solomon 6:13 Ch 7.1 in Heb
- Song of Solomon 6:13 Or dance of Mahanaim
- Song of Solomon 7:5 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Song of Solomon 7:6 Syr: Heb in delights
- Song of Solomon 7:7 Heb This your stature is
- Song of Solomon 7:9 Heb palate
- Song of Solomon 7:9 Heb down for my lover
- Song of Solomon 7:9 Gk Syr Vg: Heb lips of sleepers
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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