Song of Songs
1
1 Solomon’s Most Wonderful Song.
The Woman to the Man She Loves
2 Cover me with kisses,
for your love is better than wine.
3 Your perfume smells wonderful,
but your name* name In Hebrew this word sounds like the word “perfume.” is sweeter than the best perfume.
That is why the young women love you.
4 Take me with you.
Let’s run away.
The king took me into his room.
The Women of Jerusalem to the Man
We will rejoice and be happy for you.
Remember, your love is better than wine.
With good reason, the young women love you.
She Speaks to the Women
5 Daughters of Jerusalem,
I am dark and beautiful,
as black as the tents of Kedar and Salma.† Kedar and Salma Arabian tribes. For “Salma” the standard Hebrew text has “Solomon,” but compare “Salma, Salmon” in Ruth 4:20-21.
6 Don’t look at how dark I am,
at how dark the sun has made me.
My brothers were angry with me.
They forced me to take care of their vineyards,
so I could not take care of myself.‡ myself Literally, “my own vineyard.”
She Speaks to Him
7 I love you with all my soul!
Tell me, where do you feed your sheep?
Where do you lay them down at noon?
I should come to be with you
or I will be like a hired woman§ hired woman Or “a woman wearing a veil.” This might mean a prostitute. caring for the sheep of your friends.
He Speaks to Her
8 You are such a beautiful woman.
Surely you know what to do.
Go, follow the sheep.
Feed your young goats near the shepherds’ tents.
9 My darling, you are more exciting to me
than any mare among the stallions* mare … stallions Female and male horses. Only male horses were used to pull chariots. pulling Pharaoh’s chariots.† Literally, “To a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots I compare you, my darling.”
10 Your cheeks are so beautiful
with those ornaments hanging beside them.
Your neck is so lovely
under that beautiful string of jewels.
11 Let’s make you some more gold jewelry
and decorate it with silver.
She Speaks
12 The smell of my perfume reaches out
to the king lying on his couch.
13 My lover is like the small bag of myrrh around my neck,
lying all night between my breasts.
14 My lover is like a bunch of henna flowers
near the vineyards of En Gedi.
He Speaks
15 My darling, you are so beautiful!
Oh, you are beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves.
She Speaks
16 You are so handsome, my lover!
Yes, and so charming!
Our bed is so fresh and pleasant.‡ fresh and pleasant Or “lush and green” like a fresh field of grass.
17 The beams of our house are cedar.
The rafters are fir.
*1:3 name In Hebrew this word sounds like the word “perfume.”
†1:5 Kedar and Salma Arabian tribes. For “Salma” the standard Hebrew text has “Solomon,” but compare “Salma, Salmon” in Ruth 4:20-21.
‡1:6 myself Literally, “my own vineyard.”
§1:7 hired woman Or “a woman wearing a veil.” This might mean a prostitute.
*1:9 mare … stallions Female and male horses. Only male horses were used to pull chariots.
†1:9 Literally, “To a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots I compare you, my darling.”
‡1:16 fresh and pleasant Or “lush and green” like a fresh field of grass.