The Song of Solomon, 1

¹ The song of songs,^*1 which is Solʹo·mon’s:

² “May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, For your expressions of affection are better than wine.

³ The fragrance of your oils is pleasant. Your name is like a fragrant oil poured out. That is why the young women love you.

⁴ Take me with you;^*1 let us run. The king has brought me into his interior rooms! Let us be joyful and rejoice in you. Let us praise^*2 your expressions of affection more than wine. Rightly they^*3 love you.

⁵ I am dark,^*1 but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Keʹdar, like the tent cloths of Solʹo·mon.

⁶ Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, Because the sun has gazed upon me. The sons of my mother were angry with me; They appointed me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I did not keep.

⁷ Tell me, you whom I love^*1 so much, Where you pasture your flock, Where you have them lie down at midday. Why should I be like a woman wrapped in a veil^*2 Among the flocks of your companions?”

⁸ “If you do not know, O most beautiful of women, Go follow the tracks of the flock And pasture your young goats next to the tents of the shepherds.”

⁹ “I liken you, my beloved, to a^*1 mare among the chariots of Pharʹaoh.

¹⁰ Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,^*1 Your neck with strings of beads.

¹¹ We will make for you gold ornaments^*1 Studded with silver.”

¹² “While the king sits at his round table, My perfume^*1 gives off its fragrance.

¹³ My dear one is to me like a fragrant bag of myrrh Spending the night between my breasts.

¹⁴ My dear one is to me like a cluster of henna Among the vineyards of En-gedʹi.”

¹⁵ “Look! You are beautiful, my beloved. Look! You are beautiful. Your eyes are those of doves.”

¹⁶ “Look! You are beautiful,^*1 my dear one, and delightful. Our bed is among the foliage.

¹⁷ The beams of our house^*1 are cedars, Our rafters are juniper trees.