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Title

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

Anticipation—Take Me Away

The Woman

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

Your perfumes are fragrant.
Your name is perfume poured out.[a]
That is why the virgins love you!
Carry me away with you—let us run.
Let the king bring me into his chambers.

Best Wishes to the Man

The Friends

We rejoice and are happy because of you.
We celebrate your expressions of love
more than we celebrate wine.
How right the virgins[b] are to love you!

My Own Vineyard

The Woman

Dark am I, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem,
dark like the tents of Kedar,
like the tent curtains of Solomon.
Do not stare at me because I am dark
    because the sun gazed at me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me.
They made me take care of the vineyards.
I could not take care of my own vineyard.

Escape to the Country

The Woman

You whom my soul loves, tell me
where you pasture your flock,
where you rest your sheep at noon.

Why should I be like a veiled woman
beside the flocks of your companions?

A Reply to the Woman

If you do not know, most beautiful of women,
go out and follow the tracks of the flock
and graze your young goats
    by the dwellings of the shepherds.

Most Beautiful of Women

The Man

My darling, I compare you
to a mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 Your cheeks are adorned with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make for you gold earrings decorated with silver.

The Woman

12 While the king was at his couch,
my nard[c] gave off its fragrance.
13 My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh,
    spending the night between my breasts.
14 My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En Gedi.

Our House

The Man

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

The Woman

16 How beautiful you are, my lover.
How delightful!
Yes, our bed is fresh.
17 The beams of our house are cedar.
Our rafters are fir.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 1:3 The meaning of the Hebrew term oil of Turuq is uncertain. The ancient versions support the meaning oil which is poured out.
  2. Song of Songs 1:4 The noun virgins is supplied from verse 3 to make it clear that the man is being addressed.
  3. Song of Songs 1:12 Nard, myrrh, and henna are expensive fragrances and cosmetics.

Solomon’s Song of Songs.(A)

She[a]

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
    for your love(B) is more delightful than wine.(C)
Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;(D)
    your name(E) is like perfume poured out.
    No wonder the young women(F) love you!
Take me away with you—let us hurry!
    Let the king bring me into his chambers.(G)

Friends

We rejoice and delight(H) in you[b];
    we will praise your love(I) more than wine.

She

How right they are to adore you!

Dark am I, yet lovely,(J)
    daughters of Jerusalem,(K)
dark like the tents of Kedar,(L)
    like the tent curtains of Solomon.[c]
Do not stare at me because I am dark,
    because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
    and made me take care of the vineyards;(M)
    my own vineyard I had to neglect.
Tell me, you whom I love,
    where you graze your flock
    and where you rest your sheep(N) at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled(O) woman
    beside the flocks of your friends?

Friends

If you do not know, most beautiful of women,(P)
    follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
    by the tents of the shepherds.

He

I liken you, my darling, to a mare
    among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.(Q)
10 Your cheeks(R) are beautiful with earrings,
    your neck with strings of jewels.(S)
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
    studded with silver.

She

12 While the king was at his table,
    my perfume spread its fragrance.(T)
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh(U)
    resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved(V) is to me a cluster of henna(W) blossoms
    from the vineyards of En Gedi.(X)

He

15 How beautiful(Y) you are, my darling!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes are doves.(Z)

She

16 How handsome you are, my beloved!(AA)
    Oh, how charming!
    And our bed is verdant.

He

17 The beams of our house are cedars;(AB)
    our rafters are firs.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 1:2 The main male and female speakers (identified primarily on the basis of the gender of the relevant Hebrew forms) are indicated by the captions He and She respectively. The words of others are marked Friends. In some instances the divisions and their captions are debatable.
  2. Song of Songs 1:4 The Hebrew is masculine singular.
  3. Song of Songs 1:5 Or Salma