Song of Solomon 1
The bride longs for her beloved's kisses and praises his love as better than wine. She describes herself as dark but lovely, explains that her brothers made her keep the vineyards, and asks where her beloved feeds his flock. The bridegroom praises her beauty, comparing her to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The song of songs, which is Solomon's. | The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. |
| 2 | Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. | Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine. |
| 3 | Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee. | Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is like ointment poured out. Therefore the young women love you. |
| 4 | Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. | Draw me, and we will run after you. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in you; we will remember your love more than wine. The upright love you. |
| 5 | I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. | I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem — like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. |
| 6 | Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. | Do not look down on 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. |
| 7 | Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? | Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed your flock, where you make it rest at noon. For why should I be like one who wanders beside the flocks of your companions? |
| 8 | If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. | If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow the footsteps of the flock, and feed your young goats beside the shepherds' tents. |
| 9 | I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots. | I compare you, O my love, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots. |
| 10 | Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. | Your cheeks are lovely with rows of jewels, your neck with chains of gold. |
| 11 | We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. | We will make for you ornaments of gold studded with silver. |
| 12 | While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. | While the king sits at his table, my spikenard sends out its fragrance. |
| 13 | A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. | A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me; He shall lie all night between my breasts. |
| 14 | My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi. | My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi. |
| 15 | Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes. | How fair You are, my love! How fair You are! Your eyes are like doves. |
| 16 | Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. | How fair You are, my beloved, truly pleasant! Our bed is green with new growth. |
| 17 | The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir. | The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters are fir. |