Song of Songs 1

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

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. Your love is more delightful than wine;

³ delicate is the fragrance of your perfume, your name is an oil poured out, and that is why the maidens love you.

⁴ Draw me in your footsteps, let us run. The King has brought me into his rooms; you will be our joy and our gladness. We shall praise your love above wine; how right it is to love you.

⁵ I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the pavilions of Salmah,

⁶ Take no notice of my swarthiness, it is the sun that has burnt me. My mother’s sons turned their anger on me, they made me look after the vineyards. Had I only looked after my own!

⁷ Tell me then, you whom my heart loves: Where will you lead your flock to graze, where will you rest it at noon? That I may no more wander like a vagabond beside the flocks of your companions.

⁸ If you do not know this, O loveliest of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and take your kids to graze close by the shepherds’ tents.

⁹ To my mare harnessed to Pharaoh’s chariot I compare you, my love.

¹⁰ Your cheeks show fair between their pendants and your neck within its necklaces.

¹¹ We shall make you golden earrings and beads of silver.

¹² – While the King rests in his own room my nard yields its perfume.

¹³ My Beloved is a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts.

¹⁴ My Beloved is a cluster of henna flowers among the vines of Engedi.

¹⁵ – How beautiful you are, my love, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves.

¹⁶ – How beautiful you are, my Beloved, and how delightful! All green is our bed.

¹⁷ – The beams of our house are of cedar, the panelling of cypress.