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

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

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

“ May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your 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.

“Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, Your name is like purified oil; Therefore the maidens love you.

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.

“Draw me after you and let us run together! The king has brought me into his chambers.” “ We will rejoice in you and be glad; We will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.”

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

“ I am black but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains 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.

“Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, For the sun has burned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; They made me caretaker of the vineyards, But I have not taken care of 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?

“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, Where do you pasture your flock, Where do you make it lie down at noon? For why should I be like one who veils herself Beside the flocks of your companions?” Solomon, the Lover, Speaks

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.

“ If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women, Go forth on the trail of the flock And pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds.

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

“ To me, my darling, you are like My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.

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

“Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with strings of beads.”

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

“ We will make for you ornaments of gold With beads of silver.”

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

“ While the king was at his table, My perfume gave forth its fragrance.

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

“My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh Which lies all night between my breasts.

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

“My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms In the vineyards of Engedi.”

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

“ How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves.”

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

“ How handsome you are, my beloved, And so pleasant! Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!

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

“The beams of our houses are cedars, Our rafters, cypresses.