1 The song of songs, which is of Solomon.
2 Oh! if he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! for thy love is better than wine. 3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments (ointment poured forth is thy name), therefore have the virgins loved thee.
4 Draw me after thee, we will run. The king has brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will remember thy love more than the wine; the upright love thee.
5 I am dark, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, more desirable as the booths of Kedar, as the tents of Solomon. 6 Do not look upon me because I am dark because the sun has looked upon me; my mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but I have not kept my own vineyard. 7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou dost feed, where thou dost make thy flock to rest at noon; for why did I have to be as a wanderer after the flocks of thy companions?
8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go forth, following the footprints of the flock and feed thy little female goats beside the booths of the shepherds.
9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a mare of the chariots of Pharaoh. 10 Thy cheeks are beautiful between the earrings, thy neck between the necklaces.
11 We will make thee earrings of gold with studs of silver.
12 While the king was on his couch, my spikenard gave forth its fragrance. 13 A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me that rests between my breasts. 14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire {Heb. ransom} in the vineyards of Engedi.
15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.
16 Behold, thou art fair, O my beloved, and pleasant; also our bed has flowers. 17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.