1 T he Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

The song of songs which is Solomon’s.

2 “ May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine!

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

The odor of your ointments is fragrant; your name is like perfume poured out. Therefore do the maidens love you.

4 “ 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.”

Draw me! We will run after you! The king brings me into his apartments! We will be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall your love, more fragrant than wine. The upright love you.

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

I am so black; but lovely and pleasant. O you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon!

6 “ 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.

do not look at me, I am swarthy. in the sun and it has left its mark upon me. My stepbrothers were angry with me, and they made me keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard I have not kept.

7 “ 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

Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon. For why should I be as a veiled one straying beside the flocks of your companions?

8 “ 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.

If you do not know, O you fairest among women, run along, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasturing your kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

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

O my love, you remind me of my mare in the chariot spans of Pharaoh.

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

Your cheeks are comely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.

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

We will make for you chains and ornaments of gold, studded with silver.

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

While the king sits at his table, my spikenard sends forth fragrance.

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

My beloved is to me like a bag of myrrh that lies in my bosom.

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

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi.

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

Behold, you are beautiful, my love! Behold, you are beautiful! You have doves’ eyes.

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

Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, delightful! Our arbor and couch are green and leafy.

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

The beams of our house are cedars, and our rafters and panels are cypresses or pines.