The Bride Confesses Her Love
(Ephesians 5:22–33; 1 Peter 3:1–7)

1  שִׁ֥יר (The Song) הַשִּׁירִ֖ים (of Songs) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ (is of Solomon).

The Bride

2  יִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙ (Let him kiss me) מִנְּשִׁיק֣וֹת (with the kisses) פִּ֔יהוּ (of his mouth)!

כִּֽי־ (For) טוֹבִ֥ים (better is) דֹּדֶ֖יךָ (your love) מִיָּֽיִן׃ (than wine).

3  לְרֵ֙יחַ֙ (For fragrance) שְׁמָנֶ֣יךָ (your oils) טוֹבִ֔ים (are good);

שֶׁ֖מֶן (oil) תּוּרַ֣ק (poured out) שְׁמֶ֑ךָ (is your name);

עַל־ (for) כֵּ֖ן (thus) עֲלָמ֥וֹת (the maidens) אֲהֵבֽוּךָ׃ (love you).

4  מָשְׁכֵ֖נִי (Draw me) אַחֲרֶ֣יךָ (after you)— נָּר֑וּצָה (let us run)!

הֱבִיאַ֨נִי (Has brought me) הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (the king) חֲדָרָ֗יו (into his chambers).

The Friends

נָגִ֤ילָה (We will rejoice) וְנִשְׂמְחָה֙ (and will be glad) בָּ֔ךְ (in you);

נַזְכִּ֤ירָה (we will cause to be remembered) דֹדֶ֙יךָ֙ (your love) מִיַּ֔יִן (more than wine).

The Bride

מֵישָׁרִ֖ים (Rightly) אֲהֵבֽוּךָ׃ס (do they love you).

5  שְׁחוֹרָ֤ה (Black) אֲנִי֙ (I am), וְֽנָאוָ֔ה (and lovely), בְּנ֖וֹת (O daughters) יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (of Jerusalem),

כְּאָהֳלֵ֣י (like the tents) קֵדָ֔ר (of Kedar), כִּירִיע֖וֹת (like the curtains) שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ (of Solomon).

6  אַל־ (Not) תִּרְא֙וּנִי֙ (do look at me) שֶׁאֲנִ֣י (because I) שְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶת (am black);

שֶׁשֱּׁזָפַ֖תְנִי (for has gazed upon me) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun).

בְּנֵ֧י (The sons) אִמִּ֣י (of my mother) נִֽחֲרוּ־ (were hot) בִ֗י (with me);

שָׂמֻ֙נִי֙ (they set me) נֹטֵרָ֣ה (keeping) אֶת־ (-) הַכְּרָמִ֔ים (the vineyards);

כַּרְמִ֥י (my vineyard), שֶׁלִּ֖י (that is unto me), לֹ֥א (not) נָטָֽרְתִּי׃ (I have kept).

7  הַגִּ֣ידָה (Declare) לִּ֗י (to me) שֶׁ֤אָהֲבָה֙ (O one whom loves) נַפְשִׁ֔י (my soul),

אֵיכָ֣ה (where) תִרְעֶ֔ה (do you pasture),

אֵיכָ֖ה (where) תַּרְבִּ֣יץ (do you let them rest) בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם (at midday)?

שַׁלָּמָ֤ה (For why) אֶֽהְיֶה֙ (should I be) כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה (as one veiling herself)

עַ֖ל (to go alongside) עֶדְרֵ֥י (the flocks) חֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃ (of your companions)?

The Friends

8  אִם־ (If) לֹ֤א (not) תֵדְעִי֙ (you do know it) לָ֔ךְ (for yourself), הַיָּפָ֖ה (O fairest) בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים (among the women),

צְֽאִי־ (go forth) לָ֞ךְ (yourself) בְּעִקְבֵ֣י (in the tracks) הַצֹּ֗אן (of the flock)

וּרְעִי֙ (and pasture) אֶת־ (-) גְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְ (your young goats)

עַ֖ל (beside) מִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹת (the tents) הָרֹעִֽים׃ס (of the shepherds).

The Bridegroom

9  לְסֻסָתִי֙ (To a mare) בְּרִכְבֵ֣י (among the chariots) פַרְעֹ֔ה (of Pharaoh)

דִּמִּיתִ֖יךְ (I have likened you), רַעְיָתִֽי׃ (my darling).

10  נָאו֤וּ (Lovely are) לְחָיַ֙יִךְ֙ (your cheeks) בַּתֹּרִ֔ים (with ornaments),

צַוָּארֵ֖ךְ (your neck) בַּחֲרוּזִֽים׃ (with strings of jewels).

The Friends

11  תּוֹרֵ֤י (Ornaments) זָהָב֙ (of gold) נַעֲשֶׂה־ (we will make) לָּ֔ךְ (for you),

עִ֖ם (with) נְקֻדּ֥וֹת (studs) הַכָּֽסֶף׃ (of silver).

The Bride

12  עַד־ (While) שֶׁ֤הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (the king was) בִּמְסִבּ֔וֹ (at his table),

נִרְדִּ֖י (my spikenard) נָתַ֥ן (gave forth) רֵיחֽוֹ׃ (its fragrance).

13  צְר֨וֹר (A bundle) הַמֹּ֤ר׀ (of myrrh) דּוֹדִי֙ (is my beloved) לִ֔י (to me);

בֵּ֥ין (between) שָׁדַ֖י (my breasts) יָלִֽין׃ (it lodges).

14  אֶשְׁכֹּ֨ל (A cluster) הַכֹּ֤פֶר׀ (of henna blossoms) דּוֹדִי֙ (is my beloved) לִ֔י (to me)

בְּכַרְמֵ֖י (in the vineyards) עֵ֥ין (of En-) גֶּֽדִי׃ס (gedi).

The Bridegroom

15  הִנָּ֤ךְ (Behold, you are) יָפָה֙ (beautiful), רַעְיָתִ֔י (my darling);

הִנָּ֥ךְ (behold, you are) יָפָ֖ה (beautiful);

עֵינַ֥יִךְ (Your eyes) יוֹנִֽים׃ (are doves).

The Bride

16  הִנְּךָ֨ (Behold, you are) יָפֶ֤ה (beautiful), דוֹדִי֙ (my beloved),

אַ֣ף (truly), נָעִ֔ים (lovely) אַף־ (indeed)!

עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ (Our bed) רַעֲנָנָֽה׃ (is green).

The Bridegroom

17  קֹר֤וֹת (The beams) בָּתֵּ֙ינוּ֙ (of our house) אֲרָזִ֔ים (are cedars),

רַחִיטֵנוּ (our rafters) בְּרוֹתִֽים׃ (are firs).