1 ¶ The song of songs, which is of Solomon.

2 ¶ Oh! if he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! for thy love is better than wine.

3 B ecause of the savour of thy good ointments (ointment poured forth is thy name), therefore have the virgins loved thee.

4 D raw me after thee, we will run. The king has brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will remember thy love more than the wine; the upright love thee.

5 I am dark, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, more desirable as the booths of Kedar, as the tents of Solomon.

6 D o not look upon me because I am dark because the sun has looked upon me; my mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but I have not kept my own vineyard.

7 ¶ Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou dost feed, where thou dost make thy flock to rest at noon; for why did I have to be as a wanderer after the flocks of thy companions?

8 I f thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go forth, following the footprints of the flock and feed thy little female goats beside the booths of the shepherds.

9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a mare of the chariots of Pharaoh.

10 T hy cheeks are beautiful between the earrings, thy neck between the necklaces.

11 W e will make thee earrings of gold with studs of silver.

12 ¶ While the king was on his couch, my spikenard gave forth its fragrance.

13 A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me that rests between my breasts.

14 M y beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

15 B ehold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.

16 B ehold, thou art fair, O my beloved, and pleasant; also our bed has flowers.

17 T he beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.