2
"[b]May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your 2love is betterthanwine.
3
"Your 3oils have a pleasingfragrance, Your 4name is like [c]purifiedoil; Therefore* the [d]5maidenslove you.
4
"Draw me after you and let us run together! The 6king has brought me into his chambers." "[e]We will rejoice in you and be glad; We will [f]extol your 7lovemorethanwine. Rightly do they love you."
5
"[g]I am black but 8lovely, O 9daughters of Jerusalem, Like the 10tents of 11Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon.
6
"Do not stare at me because I am [h]swarthy, For the sun has burned me. My 12mother'ssons were angry with me; They made me 13caretaker of the vineyards, But I have not takencare of my own vineyard.
7
"Tell me, O you 14whom my soulloves, Where do you 15pasture your flock, Where do you make it 16liedown at noon? For why should I be like one who [i]veils herself Beside the flocks of your 17companions?"
Solomon, the Lover, Speaks
8 "[j]If you yourself do not know, 18Most beautiful among women, Goforth on the trail of the flock And pasture your younggoats By the tents of the shepherds.
9
"[k]To me, 19my darling, you are like My 20mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10
"Your 21cheeks are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with strings of 22beads."
11
"[l]We will make for you ornaments of gold With beads of silver."
12
"[m]While the king was at his [n]table, My [o]23perfumegave forth its fragrance.
13
"My beloved is to me a pouch of 24myrrh Which lies all nightbetween my breasts.
14
"My beloved is to me a cluster of 25henna blossoms In the vineyards of 26Engedi."
15
"[p][q]27Howbeautiful you are, my darling, [r]Howbeautiful you are! Your 28eyes are like doves."
16
"[s][t]Howhandsome you are, 29my beloved, And sopleasant! Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!
17
"The beams of our houses are 30cedars, Our rafters, [u]31cypresses.