Common English Bible CEB
New International Version NIV
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Solomon’s Song of Songs.
2 [Woman]If only he would give me some of his kisses . . . Oh, your loving is sweeter than wine!
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Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine.
3 Your fragrance is sweet; your very name is perfume. That's why the young women love you.
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Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you!
4 Take me along with you; let's run! My king has brought me into his chambers, saying, "Let's exult and rejoice in you. Let's savor your loving more than wine. No wonder they all love you!"
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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 Dark am I, and lovely, daughters of Jerusalem— like the black tents of the Kedar nomads, like the curtains of Solomon's palace.
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Dark am I, yet lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon.
6 Don't stare at me because I'm darkened by the sun's gaze. My own brothers were angry with me. They made me a caretaker of the vineyards— but I couldn't care for my own vineyard.
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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 had to neglect.
7 Tell me, you whom I love with all my heart— where do you pasture your flock, where do you rest them at noon?— so I don't wander around with the flocks of your companions.
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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 [Man]If you don't know your way, most beautiful of women, then follow the tracks of the herds and graze your little goats by the tents of the shepherds.
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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 picture you, my dearest, as a mare among Pharaoh's chariots!
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I liken you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
10 Lovely are your cheeks, adorned with ear hoops; your neck, with beads.
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Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.
11 Let's make hoops of gold beaded with silver for you!
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We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver.
12 With my king close by, my perfume filled the air.
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While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 A sachet of myrrh is my love to me, lying all night between my breasts.
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My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
14 A cluster of henna flowers is my love to me in the desert gardens of En-gedi.
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My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
15 [Man]Look at you—so beautiful, my dearest! Look at you—so beautiful! Your eyes are doves!
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How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves.
16 [Woman]Look at you—so beautiful, my love! Yes, delightful! Yes, our bed is lush and green!
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How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant.
17 The ceilings of our chambers are cedars; our rafters, cypresses.
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The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.