The Darby Translation DBY
New International Version NIV
1 The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
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Solomon’s Song of Songs.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; For thy love is better 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 Thine ointments savour sweetly; Thy name is an ointment poured forth: Therefore do the virgins love thee.
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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 Draw me, we will run after thee! -- The king hath brought me into his chambers -- We will be glad and rejoice in thee, We will remember thy love more than wine. They love thee uprightly.
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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 I am black, but comely, daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon.
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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 Look not upon me, because I am black; Because the sun hath looked upon me. My mother's children were angry with me: They made me keeper of the vineyards; Mine own vineyard have I not kept.
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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, thou whom my soul loveth, Where thou feedest [thy flock], Where thou makest it to rest at noon; For why should I be as one veiled Beside the flocks of thy 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 If thou know not, thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' booths.
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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 compare thee, my love, To a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
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I liken you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
10 Thy cheeks are comely with bead-rows, Thy neck with ornamental chains.
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Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make thee bead-rows of gold With studs of silver.
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We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver.
12 While the king is at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance.
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While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me; He shall pass the night between my breasts.
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My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved is unto me a cluster of henna-flowers In the vineyards of Engedi.
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My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; Behold, thou art fair: thine eyes are doves.
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How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves.
16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; Also our bed is green.
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How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant.
17 The beams of our houses are cedars, Our rafters are cypresses.
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The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.
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.