The Young Shulammite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters
1 The [a]Song of (A)Songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 “[b]May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your (B)love is better than wine.
3 “Your (C)oils have a pleasing fragrance,
Your (D)name is like [c]purified oil;
Therefore the [d](E)maidens love you.
4 “Draw me after you and let us run together!
The (F)king has brought me into his chambers.”
“[e]We will rejoice in you and be glad;
We will [f]extol your (G)love more than wine.
Rightly do they love you.”
5 “[g]I am black but (H)lovely,
O (I)daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the (J)tents of (K)Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
6 “Do not stare at me because I am [h]swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
My (L)mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me (M)caretaker of the vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.
7 “Tell me, O you (N)whom my soul loves,
Where do you (O)pasture your flock,
Where do you make it (P)lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who [i]veils herself
Beside the flocks of your (Q)companions?”
Solomon, the Lover, Speaks
8 “[j]If you yourself do not know,
(R)Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.
9 “[k]To me, (S)my darling, you are like
My (T)mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 “Your (U)cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of (V)beads.”
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](W)perfume gave forth its fragrance.
13 “My beloved is to me a pouch of (X)myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
14 “My beloved is to me a cluster of (Y)henna blossoms
In the vineyards of (Z)Engedi.”
15 “[p][q](AA)How beautiful you are, my darling,
[r]How beautiful you are!
Your (AB)eyes are like doves.”
16 “[s][t]How handsome you are, (AC)my beloved,
And so pleasant!
Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!
17 “The beams of our houses are (AD)cedars,
Our rafters, [u](AE)cypresses.
Footnotes
- Song of Solomon 1:1 Or Best of the Songs
- Song of Solomon 1:2 BRIDE
- Song of Solomon 1:3 Lit oil which is emptied (from one vessel to another)
- Song of Solomon 1:3 Or virgins
- Song of Solomon 1:4 CHORUS
- Song of Solomon 1:4 Lit mention with praise
- Song of Solomon 1:5 BRIDE
- Song of Solomon 1:6 Or black
- Song of Solomon 1:7 Some versions read wanders
- Song of Solomon 1:8 BRIDEGROOM
- Song of Solomon 1:9 Lit I have compared you to
- Song of Solomon 1:11 CHORUS
- Song of Solomon 1:12 BRIDE
- Song of Solomon 1:12 Or couch
- Song of Solomon 1:12 Lit nard
- Song of Solomon 1:15 BRIDEGROOM
- Song of Solomon 1:15 Lit Behold
- Song of Solomon 1:15 Lit Behold
- Song of Solomon 1:16 BRIDE
- Song of Solomon 1:16 Lit Behold
- Song of Solomon 1:17 Or junipers
Cross references
- Song of Solomon 1:1 : 1 Kin 4:32
- Song of Solomon 1:2 : Song 1:4; 4:10
- Song of Solomon 1:3 : Song 4:10; John 12:3
- Song of Solomon 1:3 : Eccl 7:1
- Song of Solomon 1:3 : Ps 45:14
- Song of Solomon 1:4 : Ps 45:14, 15
- Song of Solomon 1:4 : Song 1:4; 4:10
- Song of Solomon 1:5 : Song 2:14; 4:3; 6:4
- Song of Solomon 1:5 : Song 2:7; 3:5, 10; 5:8, 16; 8:4
- Song of Solomon 1:5 : Ps 120:5
- Song of Solomon 1:5 : Is 60:7
- Song of Solomon 1:6 : Ps 69:8
- Song of Solomon 1:6 : Song 8:11
- Song of Solomon 1:7 : Song 3:1-4
- Song of Solomon 1:7 : Song 2:16; 6:3
- Song of Solomon 1:7 : Is 13:20; Jer 33:12
- Song of Solomon 1:7 : Song 8:13
- Song of Solomon 1:8 : Song 5:9; 6:1
- Song of Solomon 1:9 : Song 1:15; 2:2, 10, 13
- Song of Solomon 1:9 : 2 Chr 1:16, 17
- Song of Solomon 1:10 : Song 5:13
- Song of Solomon 1:10 : Gen 24:53; Is 61:10
- Song of Solomon 1:12 : Song 4:14; Mark 14:3; John 12:3
- Song of Solomon 1:13 : Ps 45:8; John 19:39
- Song of Solomon 1:14 : Song 4:13
- Song of Solomon 1:14 : 1 Sam 23:29
- Song of Solomon 1:15 : Song 1:16; 2:10, 13; 4:1, 7; 6:4, 10
- Song of Solomon 1:15 : Song 4:1; 5:12
- Song of Solomon 1:16 : Song 2:3, 9, 17; 5:2, 5, 6, 8
- Song of Solomon 1:17 : 1 Kin 6:9, 10; Jer 22:14
- Song of Solomon 1:17 : 2 Chr 3:5