1
The song of songs, which
is of Solomon.
2
Oh! if he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! for thy love
is better than wine.
3
Because of the savour of thy good ointments (ointment poured forth
is thy name), therefore have the virgins loved thee.
4
Draw me after thee, we will run. The king has brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will remember thy love more than the wine; the upright love thee.
5
I
am dark, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, more desirable as the booths of Kedar, as the tents of Solomon.
6
Do not look upon me because I
am dark because the sun has looked upon me; my mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards,
but I have not kept my own vineyard.
7
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou dost feed, where thou dost make
thy flock to rest at noon; for why did I have to be as a wanderer after the flocks of thy companions?
8
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go forth, following the footprints of the flock and feed thy little female goats beside the booths of the shepherds.
9
I have compared thee, O my love, to a mare of the chariots of Pharaoh.
10
Thy cheeks are beautiful between the earrings, thy neck between the necklaces.
11
We will make thee earrings of gold with studs of silver.
12
While the king
was on his couch, my spikenard gave forth its fragrance.
13
A bundle of myrrh
is my wellbeloved unto me
that rests between my breasts.
14
My beloved
is unto me
as a cluster of camphire {Heb. ransom} in the vineyards of Engedi.
15
Behold, thou
art fair, my love; behold, thou
art fair; thou
hast doves’ eyes.
16
Behold, thou
art fair, O my beloved, and pleasant; also our bed
has flowers.
17
The beams of our house
are cedar,
and our rafters of fir.