1 Solomon’s Finest Song.
a, bWc 2Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For yourd love ise more delightful than wine.f
3The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating;g
your name is perfume poured out.h
No wonder young womeni adore you.
4Take me with youj — let us hurry.
Oh, that the king would bringk me to his chambers.
Y We will rejoice and be glad for you;
we will praise your love more than wine.
W It is only right that they adore you.
5Daughters of Jerusalem,l
I am dark like the tents of Kedar,m
yet lovelyn like the curtains of Solomon.
6Do not stare at me because I am dark,
for the sun has gazed on me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;o
they made me a keeper of the vineyards.p
I have not kept my own vineyard.q
7Tell me, you, the one I love:r
Where do you pasture your sheep?s
Where do you let them rest at noon?t
Why should I be like one who veils herselfu, v
beside the flocks of your companions?w
Mx 8If you do not know,
most beautiful of women,y
followz the tracks of the flock,
and pasture your young goats
near the shepherds’ tents.
9I compare you, my darling,aa
to aab mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.ac, ad
10Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry,ae
your neck with its necklace.
11We will make gold jewelry for you,
accented with silver.
W 12While the king is on his couch,af
my perfumeag releases its fragrance.ah
13My love is a sachet of myrrh to me,ai
spending the night between my breasts.
14My love is a cluster of henna blossoms to me,aj
in the vineyards of En-gedi.ak, al
M 15How beautiful you are, my darling.
How very beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.am
W 16How handsome you are, my love.an
How delightful!
Our bed is lush with foliage;
17the beams of our house are cedars,
and our rafters are cypresses.ao
Footnotes:
a. 1:1 Or The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s
b. 1:1 1Kg 4:32
c. 1:2 The W, M, Y, N, and B indicate the editors’ opinions of the changes of speakers: W = Woman, M = Man, Y = Young women of Jerusalem, N = Narrator, B = Brothers. If a letter is in parenthesis (W), there is a question about the identity of the speaker.
d. 1:2 Unexpected change of grammatical persons, here from he and his to your, is a Hb poetic device.
e. 1:2 Or your caresses are, or your lovemaking is
f. 1:2 Sg 4:10
g. 1:3 Jn 12:3
h. 1:3 Ec 7:1
i. 1:3 Or wonder virgins
j. 1:4 Hs 11:4
k. 1:4 Or The king has brought
l. 1:5 Sg 2:7; 3:5,10; 5:8,16; 8:4
m. 1:5 Ps 120:5; Is 60:7
n. 1:5 Sg 2:14; 4:3; 6:4
o. 1:6 Ps 69:8
p. 1:6 Sg 8:11
q. 1:6 Lit my vineyard, which is mine
r. 1:7 Sg 3:1-4
s. 1:7 Sg 2:16; 6:3
t. 1:7 Is 13:20; Jr 33:12
u. 1:7 Or who wanders
v. 1:7 To express shame or grief, or to conceal identity as a prostitute would; Gn 38:14-15
w. 1:7 Sg 8:13
x. 1:8 Some understand the young women to be the speakers in this verse.
y. 1:8 Sg 5:9; 6:1
z. 1:8 Lit go out for yourself into
aa. 1:9 Sg 1:15
ab. 1:9 Lit my
ac. 1:9 Pharaoh’s chariot horses were stallions.
ad. 1:9 2Ch 1:16-17
ae. 1:10 Sg 5:13
af. 1:12 Or is at his table
ag. 1:12 Lit nard
ah. 1:12 Sg 4:14; Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3
ai. 1:13 Ps 45:8; Jn 19:39
aj. 1:14 Sg 4:13
ak. 1:14 = Wellspring of the Young Goat
al. 1:14 1Sm 23:29
am. 1:15 Sg 4:1
an. 1:16 Sg 2:3
ao. 1:17 Or firs, or pines
