King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.
1
Whither has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Whither has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?
2 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
2
My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.
3
I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine; he pastures his flock among the lilies.
4 Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
4
You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
5 Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.
5
Turn away your eyes from me, for they disturb me--Your hair is like a flock of goats, moving down the slopes of Gilead.
6 Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
6
Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, that have come up from the washing, all of them bear twins, not one among them is bereaved.
7 As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.
7
Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil.
8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
8
There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number.
9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
9
My dove, my perfect one, is only one, the darling of her mother, flawless to her that bore her. The maidens saw her and called her happy; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.
10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
10
"Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?"
11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.
11
I went down to the nut orchard, to look at the blossoms of the valley, to see whether the vines had budded, whether the pomegranates were in bloom.
12 Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.
12
Before I was aware, my fancy set me in a chariot beside my prince.
13 Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
13
Return, return, O Shu'lammite, return, return, that we may look upon you. Why should you look upon the Shu'lammite, as upon a dance before two armies?
The King James Version is in the public domain.
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.