The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.(A)

Woman

Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your caresses[a] are more delightful than wine.(B)
The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating;(C)
your name is perfume poured out.(D)
No wonder young women[b] adore you.
Take me with you(E)—let’s hurry.
Oh, that the king would bring[c] me to his chambers.

Young Women

We will rejoice and be glad in you;
we will celebrate your caresses more than wine.

Woman

It is only right that they adore you.

Daughters of Jerusalem,(F)
I am dark like the tents of Kedar,(G)
yet lovely(H) like the curtains of Solomon.
Do not stare at me because I am dark,
for the sun has gazed on me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;(I)
they made me take care of the vineyards.(J)
I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

Tell me, you whom I love:(K)
Where do you pasture your sheep?(L)
Where do you let them rest at noon?(M)
Why should I be like one who veils herself[d]
beside the flocks of your companions?(N)

Man

[e]If you do not know,
most beautiful of women,(O)
follow[f] the tracks of the flock,
and pasture your young goats
near the shepherds’ tents.

I compare you, my darling,(P)
to a[g] mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.(Q)
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry,(R)
your neck with its necklace.
11 We will make gold jewelry for you,
accented with silver.

Woman

12 While the king is on his couch,[h]
my perfume[i] releases its fragrance.(S)
13 The one I love is a sachet of myrrh to me,(T)
spending the night between my breasts.
14 The one I love is a cluster of henna blossoms to me,(U)
in the vineyards of En-gedi.(V)

Man

15 How beautiful you are, my darling.
How very beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.(W)

Woman

16 How handsome you are, my love.(X)
How delightful!
Our bed is verdant;
17 the beams of our house are cedars,
and our rafters are cypresses.[j]

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 Or acts of love
  2. 1:3 Or wonder virgins
  3. 1:4 Or The king has brought
  4. 1:7 Or who wanders
  5. 1:8 Some understand the young women to be the speakers in this verse.
  6. 1:8 Lit go out for yourself into
  7. 1:9 Lit my
  8. 1:12 Or is at his table
  9. 1:12 Lit nard
  10. 1:17 Or firs, or pines

The Young Shulammite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters

The [a]Song of (A)Songs, which is Solomon’s.

[b]May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your (B)love is better than wine.
“Your (C)oils have a pleasing fragrance,
Your (D)name is like [c]purified oil;
Therefore the [d](E)maidens love you.
“Draw me after you and let us run together!
The (F)king has brought me into his chambers.”

[e]We will rejoice in you and be glad;
We will [f]extol your (G)love more than wine.
Rightly do they love you.”

[g]I am black but (H)lovely,
O (I)daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the (J)tents of (K)Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
“Do not stare at me because I am [h]swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
My (L)mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me (M)caretaker of the vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.
“Tell me, O you (N)whom my soul loves,
Where do you (O)pasture your flock,
Where do you make it (P)lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who [i]veils herself
Beside the flocks of your (Q)companions?”

Solomon, the Lover, Speaks

[j]If you yourself do not know,
(R)Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.

[k]To me, (S)my darling, you are like
My (T)mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 “Your (U)cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of (V)beads.”

11 [l]We will make for you ornaments of gold
With beads of silver.”

12 [m]While the king was at his [n]table,
My [o](W)perfume gave forth its fragrance.
13 “My beloved is to me a pouch of (X)myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
14 “My beloved is to me a cluster of (Y)henna blossoms
In the vineyards of (Z)Engedi.”

15 [p][q](AA)How beautiful you are, my darling,
[r]How beautiful you are!
Your (AB)eyes are like doves.”

16 [s][t]How handsome you are, (AC)my beloved,
And so pleasant!
Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!
17 “The beams of our houses are (AD)cedars,
Our rafters, [u](AE)cypresses.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 1:1 Or Best of the Songs
  2. Song of Solomon 1:2 BRIDE
  3. Song of Solomon 1:3 Lit oil which is emptied (from one vessel to another)
  4. Song of Solomon 1:3 Or virgins
  5. Song of Solomon 1:4 CHORUS
  6. Song of Solomon 1:4 Lit mention with praise
  7. Song of Solomon 1:5 BRIDE
  8. Song of Solomon 1:6 Or black
  9. Song of Solomon 1:7 Some versions read wanders
  10. Song of Solomon 1:8 BRIDEGROOM
  11. Song of Solomon 1:9 Lit I have compared you to
  12. Song of Solomon 1:11 CHORUS
  13. Song of Solomon 1:12 BRIDE
  14. Song of Solomon 1:12 Or couch
  15. Song of Solomon 1:12 Lit nard
  16. Song of Solomon 1:15 BRIDEGROOM
  17. Song of Solomon 1:15 Lit Behold
  18. Song of Solomon 1:15 Lit Behold
  19. Song of Solomon 1:16 BRIDE
  20. Song of Solomon 1:16 Lit Behold
  21. Song of Solomon 1:17 Or junipers