Song of Solomon 1

1The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.^a

Woman

²Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For your caresses^A are more delightful than wine.^b

³The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating;^c

your name is perfume poured out.^d

No wonder young women^B adore you.

⁴Take me with you^e—let’s hurry.

Oh, that the king would bring^C me to his chambers.

Young Women

We will rejoice and be glad in you;

we will celebrate your caresses more than wine.

Woman

It is only right that they adore you.

⁵Daughters of Jerusalem,^f

I am dark like the tents of Kedar,^g

yet lovely^h like the curtains of Solomon.

⁶Do not stare at me because I am dark,

for the sun has gazed on me.

My mother’s sons were angry with me;ⁱ

they made me take care of the vineyards.^j

I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

⁷Tell me, you whom I love:^k

Where do you pasture your sheep?^l

Where do you let them rest at noon?^m

Why should I be like one who veils herself^D

beside the flocks of your companions?ⁿ

Man^E

⁸If you do not know,

most beautiful of women,^o

follow^F the tracks of the flock,

and pasture your young goats

near the shepherds’ tents.

⁹I compare you, my darling,^p

to a^G mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.^q

¹⁰Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry,^r

your neck with its necklace.

¹¹We will make gold jewelry for you,

accented with silver.

Woman

¹²While the king is on his couch,^H

my perfume^A releases its fragrance.^s

¹³The one I love is a sachet of myrrh to me,^t

spending the night between my breasts.

¹⁴The one I love is a cluster of henna blossoms to me,^u

in the vineyards of En-gedi.^v

Man

¹⁵How beautiful you are, my darling.

How very beautiful!

Your eyes are doves.^w

Woman

¹⁶How handsome you are, my love.^x

How delightful!

Our bed is verdant;

¹⁷the beams of our house are cedars,

and our rafters are cypresses.^B