| Revised Standard Version (RSV) | New International Version (NIV) |
| 1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. | 1 Solomon's Song of Songs. |
| 2 O that you would kiss me with the kisses of your mouth! For your love is better than wine, | 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth-- for your love is more delightful than wine. |
| 3 your anointing oils are fragrant, your name is oil poured out; therefore the maidens love you. | 3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love you! |
| 4 Draw me after you, let us make haste. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you. | 4 Take me away with you--let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. How right they are to adore you! |
| 5 I am very dark, but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. | 5 Dark am I, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon. |
| 6 Do not gaze at me because I am swarthy, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were angry with me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; but, my own vineyard I have not kept! | 6 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; my own vineyard I have neglected. |
| 7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who wanders beside the flocks of your companions? | 7 Tell me, you whom I love, where you graze your flock and where you rest your sheep at midday. Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your friends? |
| 8 If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your kids beside the shepherds' tents. | 8 If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the sheep and graze your young goats by the tents of the shepherds. |
| 9 I compare you, my love, to a mare of Pharaoh's chariots. | 9 I liken you, my darling, to a mare harnessed to one of the chariots of Pharaoh. |
| 10 Your cheeks are comely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels. | 10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels. |
| 11 We will make you ornaments of gold, studded with silver. | 11 We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver. |
| 12 While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance. | 12 While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. |
| 13 My beloved is to me a bag of myrrh, that lies between my breasts. | 13 My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts. |
| 14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Enge'di. | 14 My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. |
| 15 Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. | 15 How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves. |
| 16 Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly lovely. Our couch is green; | 16 How handsome you are, my lover! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant. |
| 17 the beams of our house are cedar, our rafters are pine. | 17 The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs. |
| Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Revised Standard Version - Holy Bible) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |