Solomon’s Love for a Shulamite Girl

1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.

The Banquet

The Shulamite^[a]

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—For your^[b] love is better than wine.³ Because of the fragrance of your good ointments,Your name is ointment poured forth;Therefore the virgins love you.⁴ Draw me away!

The Daughters of Jerusalem

We will run after you.^[c]

The Shulamite

The king has brought me into his chambers.

The Daughters of Jerusalem

We will be glad and rejoice in you.^[d]

We will remember your^[e] love more than wine.

The Shulamite

Rightly do they love you.^[f]

⁵ I am dark, but lovely,O daughters of Jerusalem,Like the tents of Kedar,Like the curtains of Solomon.⁶ Do not look upon me, because I am dark,Because the sun has tanned me.My mother’s sons were angry with me;They made me the keeper of the vineyards,But my own vineyard I have not kept.

(To Her Beloved)

⁷ Tell me, O you whom I love,Where you feed your flock,Where you make it rest at noon.For why should I be as one who veils herself^[g]By the flocks of your companions?

The Beloved

⁸ If you do not know, O fairest among women,Follow in the footsteps of the flock,And feed your little goatsBeside the shepherds’ tents.⁹ I have compared you, my love,To my filly among Pharaoh’s chariots.¹⁰ Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,Your neck with chains of gold.

The Daughters of Jerusalem

¹¹ We will make you^[h] ornaments of goldWith studs of silver.

The Shulamite

¹² While the king is at his table,My spikenard sends forth its fragrance.¹³ A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me,That lies all night between my breasts.¹⁴ My beloved is to me a cluster of henna bloomsIn the vineyards of En Gedi.

The Beloved

¹⁵ Behold, you are fair, my love!Behold, you are fair!You have dove’s eyes.

The Shulamite

¹⁶ Behold, you are handsome, my beloved!Yes, pleasant!Also our bed is green.¹⁷ The beams of our houses are cedar,And our rafters of fir.