Song of Songs 1:1-5

New International Version

1 Solomon’s Song of Songs.^(A)

She^[a]

²Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
    for your love^(B) is more delightful than wine.^(C)
³Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;^(D)
    your name^(E) is like perfume poured out.
    No wonder the young women^(F) love you!
⁴Take me away with you—let us hurry!
    Let the king bring me into his chambers.^(G)

Friends

We rejoice and delight^(H) in you^[b];
we will praise your love^(I) more than wine.

She

How right they are to adore you!

⁵Dark am I, yet lovely,^(J)
daughters of Jerusalem,^(K)
dark like the tents of Kedar,^(L)
like the tent curtains of Solomon.^[c]

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Footnotes

Song of Songs 1:2 The main male and female speakers (identified primarily on the basis of the gender of the relevant Hebrew forms) are indicated by the captions He and She respectively. The words of others are marked Friends. In some instances the divisions and their captions are debatable.
Song of Songs 1:4 The Hebrew is masculine singular.
Song of Songs 1:5 Or Salma

Psalm 41

New International Version

Psalm 41^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹Blessed^(A) are those who have regard for the weak;^(B)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.^(C)
²The Lord protects^(D) and preserves them—^(E)
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—^(F)
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.^(G)
³The Lord sustains them on their sickbed^(H)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.^(I)

⁴I said, “Have mercy^(J) on me, Lord;
    heal^(K) me, for I have sinned^(L) against you.”
⁵My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?^(M)”
⁶When one of them comes to see me,
    he speaks falsely,^(N) while his heart gathers slander;^(O)
    then he goes out and spreads^(P) it around.

⁷All my enemies whisper together^(Q) against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
⁸“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up^(R) from the place where he lies.”
⁹Even my close friend,^(S)
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned^[b] against me.^(T)

¹⁰But may you have mercy^(U) on me, Lord;
    raise me up,^(V) that I may repay^(W) them.
¹¹I know that you are pleased with me,^(X)
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.^(Y)
¹²Because of my integrity^(Z) you uphold me^(AA)
    and set me in your presence forever.^(AB)