SONG OF SOLOMON
The Young Shulammite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters
1
The 1Song of ASongs, which is Solomon’s.
1May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your Alove is better than wine.
“Your Aoils have a pleasing fragrance,
Your Bname is like 1purified oil;
Therefore the 2Cmaidens love you.
Draw me after you and let us run together!
The Aking has brought me into his chambers.”
1We will rejoice in you and be glad;
We will 2extol your Blove more than wine.
Rightly do they love you.”
1I am black but Alovely,
O Bdaughters of Jerusalem,
Like the Ctents of DKedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
“Do not stare at me because I am 1swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
My Amother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me Bcaretaker of the vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.
Tell me, O you Awhom my soul loves,
Where do you Bpasture your flock,
Where do you make it Clie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who 1veils herself
Beside the flocks of your Dcompanions?”
Solomon, the Lover, Speaks
1If you yourself do not know,
AMost beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.
1To me, Amy darling, you are like
My Bmare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 “Your Acheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of Bbeads.”
11 1We will make for you ornaments of gold
With beads of silver.”
12 1While the king was at his 2table,
My 3Aperfume gave forth its fragrance.
13 “My beloved is to me a pouch of Amyrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
14 “My beloved is to me a cluster of Ahenna blossoms
In the vineyards of BEngedi.”
15 12AHow beautiful you are, my darling,
2How beautiful you are!
Your Beyes are like doves.”
16 12How handsome you are, Amy beloved,
And so pleasant!
Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!
17 “The beams of our houses are Acedars,
Our rafters, 1Bcypresses.
1 1:1 Or Best of the Songs A 1:1 1 Kin 4:32 1 1:2 BRIDE A 1:2 Song 1:4; 4:10 A 1:3 Song 4:10; John 12:3 B 1:3 Eccl 7:1 1 1:3 Lit oil which is emptied (from one vessel to another) 2 1:3 Or virgins C 1:3 Ps 45:14 A 1:4 Ps 45:14, 15 1 1:4 CHORUS 2 1:4 Lit mention with praise B 1:4 Song 1:4; 4:10 1 1:5 BRIDE A 1:5 Song 2:14; 4:3; 6:4 B 1:5 Song 2:7; 3:5, 10; 5:8, 16; 8:4 C 1:5 Ps 120:5 D 1:5 Is 60:7 1 1:6 Or black A 1:6 Ps 69:8 B 1:6 Song 8:11 A 1:7 Song 3:1-4 B 1:7 Song 2:16; 6:3 C 1:7 Is 13:20; Jer 33:12 1 1:7 Some versions read wanders D 1:7 Song 8:13 1 1:8 BRIDEGROOM A 1:8 Song 5:9; 6:1 1 1:9 Lit I have compared you to A 1:9 Song 1:15; 2:2, 10, 13 B 1:9 2 Chr 1:16, 17 A 1:10 Song 5:13 B 1:10 Gen 24:53; Is 61:10 1 1:11 CHORUS 1 1:12 BRIDE 2 1:12 Or couch 3 1:12 Lit nard A 1:12 Song 4:14; Mark 14:3; John 12:3 A 1:13 Ps 45:8; John 19:39 A 1:14 Song 4:13 B 1:14 1 Sam 23:29 1 1:15 BRIDEGROOM 2 1:15 Lit Behold A 1:15 Song 1:16; 2:10, 13; 4:1, 7; 6:4, 10 2 1:15 Lit Behold B 1:15 Song 4:1; 5:12 1 1:16 BRIDE 2 1:16 Lit Behold A 1:16 Song 2:3, 9, 17; 5:2, 5, 6, 8 A 1:17 1 Kin 6:9, 10; Jer 22:14 1 1:17 Or junipers B 1:17 2 Chr 3:5