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Solomon’s Praise of His Dancing Maiden

How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
    O royal princess![a]
The curves of your thighs[b] are like jewels,[c]
    the work of the hands of a craftsman.
Your navel is a round wine-mixing bowl[d]
    that does not lack mixed[e] wine!
Your belly is a heap of wheat
    encircled with lilies.
Your two breasts are like two fawns,
    twins of a gazelle.
Your neck is like a tower of ivory;
    your eyes are pools in Heshbon at the gate of Beth Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon
    looking out over Damascus.[f]
Your head crowns you like Carmel;[g][h]
    the flowing locks of your head are like purple tapestry;[i]
        a king is held captive in the tresses!
How beautiful you are and how pleasant,
    O loved one in the delights!
Your stature[j] is like the palm tree,
    and your breasts are like clusters.
I say, “I will climb up the palm tree;
    I will lay hold of its fruit clusters.”
Let your breasts be pleasing like clusters of the vine
    and the scent of your breath like the apples.
Your palate is like the best wine that goes down for my beloved,
    smoothly gliding over my lips and teeth.[k]

Mutual Possession Refrain

10 I belong to my beloved,[l]
    and he desires me![m]

Rendezvous in the Countryside

11 Come, my beloved, let us go out to the countryside;[n]
    let us spend the night[o] in the villages.
12 Let us rise early to go[p] to the vineyards;
    let us see whether the vine has budded,[q]
whether the grape blossom has opened,
    and whether the pomegranates are in bloom;[r]
there I will give my love to you.
13 The mandrakes give off their fragrance,
    and over our doorway is every kind of delicious fruit;[s]
both fresh and dried fruit I have stored up[t] for you, O my beloved.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 7:1 Or “O daughter of leader”
  2. Song of Solomon 7:1 Literally “thigh”
  3. Song of Solomon 7:1 Literally “ornaments”
  4. Song of Solomon 7:2 Literally “a bowl of the roundness”
  5. Song of Solomon 7:2 Or “blended”
  6. Song of Solomon 7:4 Literally “looking out over the face of Damascus”
  7. Song of Solomon 7:5 Literally “Your head is on you like the Carmel”
  8. Song of Solomon 7:5 Because of its height and fertility, Mount Carmel is often associated with royalty
  9. Song of Solomon 7:5 Literally “the purple”
  10. Song of Solomon 7:7 Literally “this your height”
  11. Song of Solomon 7:9 Or “over lips of sleepers.” One Hebrew textual tradition preserves the reading “lips of those who sleep” (MT). Another Hebrew tradition reads “my lips and my teeth,” as reflected by the ancient versions (LXX, Latin Vulgate, Aramaic Targum, Syriac Peshitta). The latter is adopted here since it makes the most sense poetically
  12. Song of Solomon 7:10 Literally “I am for my beloved”
  13. Song of Solomon 7:10 Literally “and his desire is for me.” Or “and his desire belongs to me”
  14. Song of Solomon 7:11 Literally “go forth into the field”
  15. Song of Solomon 7:11 Or “lodge”
  16. Song of Solomon 7:12 Or “let us go”
  17. Song of Solomon 7:12 Or “sprouted”
  18. Song of Solomon 7:12 Literally “have bloomed”
  19. Song of Solomon 7:13 Or “over our doorways all choice things
  20. Song of Solomon 7:13 Literally “new also old I have laid up”

How graceful are your sandaled feet,
        willing woman!
The smooth curves of your thighs—like fine jewelry,
        the work of an artist’s hands!
Your navel, cupped like the full moon—
        may it never lack spiced wine!
Your belly is a mound of winnowed wheat
        edged with lilies.
Your two breasts are like two fawns,
        twins of a gazelle doe;
    your neck, like a tower of ivory;
        your eyes, pools in Heshbon,
            by the gate of that lordly city.[a]
Your profile is like the tower of Lebanon,
        looking out toward Damascus.
Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel,
        and your hair, braided in royal purple—
            a king is bound by the tresses!
You are so beautiful, so lovely—
        my love, delightful one![b]
Your stately form resembles a date palm,
        and your breasts are like clustered fruit.
I say, “I will climb the palm tree;
        I will hold its fruit!”

May your breasts be now
        like grape clusters,
and the scent of your breath like apples!
        Your palate is like excellent wine . . .

[Woman]

        . . . flowing smoothly for my love,
            gliding through the lips and teeth.[c]
10 I belong to my lover,
        and his longing is only for me.

The ripeness of love

[Woman]

11 Come, my love:
        Let’s go out to the field
        and rest all night among the flowering henna.
12 Let’s set out early for the vineyards.
We will see if the vines have budded
        and the blossoms opened,
    see if the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I’ll give my loving to you.

13 The mandrakes give off their scent,
        and at our doorways is every delicacy—
            fresh or ripened—
        my love, I have kept them hidden for you.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 7:4 Or by the gate of Bath-rabbim
  2. Song of Solomon 7:6 With Syr and Aquila daughter of delights; MT love in delights or love with every charm
  3. Song of Solomon 7:9 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT through the lips of those who sleep; Heb uncertain