New International Version NIV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Where has your beloved gone, most beautiful of women? Which way did your beloved turn, that we may look for him with you?
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 has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to browse 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 browses among the lilies.
3
I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine; he pastures his flock among the lilies.
4 You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.
4
You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
5 Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Gilead.
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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 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing. Each has its twin, not one of them is missing.
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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 Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.
7
Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil.
8 Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number;
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There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number.
9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her.
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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 this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession?
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"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 to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.
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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 Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.
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Before I was aware, my fancy set me in a chariot beside my prince.
13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, that we may gaze on you! Why would you gaze on the Shulammite as on the dance of Mahanaim?
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?
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.
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.