Song of Solomon 1

1Solomon’s Finest Song. ^ab

W^c2Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For your ^dlove is ^emore delightful than wine. ^f

³The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating; ^g

your name is perfume poured out. ^h

No wonder young women ⁱadore you.

⁴Take me with you ^j—let us hurry.

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

YWe will rejoice and be glad for you;

we will praise your love more than wine.

WIt is only right that they adore you.

⁵Daughters of Jerusalem, ^l

I am dark like the tents of Kedar, ^m

yet lovely ⁿlike 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; ^o

they made me a keeper of the vineyards. ^p

I have not kept my own vineyard. ^q

⁷Tell me, you, the one I love: ^r

Where do you pasture your sheep? ^s

Where do you let them rest at noon? ^t

Why should I be like one who veils herself ^uv

beside the flocks of your companions? ^w

M^x8If you do not know,

most beautiful of women, ^y

follow ^zthe tracks of the flock,

and pasture your young goats

near the shepherds’ tents.

⁹I compare you, my darling, ^a

to a ^bmare among Pharaoh’s chariots. ^cd

¹⁰Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry, ^e

your neck with its necklace.

¹¹We will make gold jewelry for you,

accented with silver.

W¹²While the king is on his couch, ^f

my perfume ^greleases its fragrance. ^h

¹³My love is a sachet of myrrh to me, ⁱ

spending the night between my breasts.

¹⁴My love is a cluster of henna blossoms to me, ^j

in the vineyards of En-gedi. ^kl

M¹⁵How beautiful you are, my darling.

How very beautiful!

Your eyes are doves. ^m

W¹⁶How handsome you are, my love. ⁿ

How delightful!

Our bed is lush with foliage;

¹⁷the beams of our house are cedars,

and our rafters are cypresses. ^o