Song Of Songs 1
NIRV — New International Reader's Version Bible (NIRV)
AMP — Amplified Bible (AMP)
Verse 1
This is the greatest song Solomon ever wrote.
“May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!” [Solomon arrives, she turns to him, saying,]
“For your love is better than wine.
“The aroma of your oils is fragrant and pleasing;
Your name is perfume poured out;
Therefore the maidens love you.
“Draw me away with you and let us run together!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.”
“I am deeply tanned but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
[I am dark] like the tents of [the Bedouins of] Kedar,
Like the [beautiful] curtains of Solomon.
“Do not gaze at me because I am deeply tanned,
[I have worked in] the sun; it has left its mark on me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me keeper of the vineyards,
But my own vineyard (my complexion) I have not kept.”
“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who is veiled
Beside the flocks of your companions?”
“If you do not know [where your lover is],
O you fairest among women,
Run along, follow the tracks of the flock,
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.
“To me, my love, you are like
My [favorite] mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
“Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of jewels.”
“We will make for you chains and ornaments of gold,
[Studded] with beads of silver.”
“While the king was at his table,
My perfume (Solomon) sent forth [his] fragrance [surrounding me].
“My beloved is to me like a pouch of myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
“Behold, how beautiful you are, my darling,
Behold, how beautiful you are!
Your eyes are dove’s eyes.”
“Behold, how fair and handsome you are, my beloved;
And so delightful!
Our arbor is green and luxuriant.
“The beams of our houses are cedars,
Our rafters and panels are cypresses.
A Shulammite woman says to King Solomon
Verse 2
“I long for your lips to kiss me!
Your love makes me happier than wine does.
Your love makes me happier than wine does.
“May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!” [Solomon arrives, she turns to him, saying,]
“For your love is better than wine.
Verse 3
The lotion you have on pleases me.
Your name is like perfume that is poured out.
No wonder the young women love you!
Your name is like perfume that is poured out.
No wonder the young women love you!
“The aroma of your oils is fragrant and pleasing;
Your name is perfume poured out;
Therefore the maidens love you.
Verse 4
Take me away with you. Let us hurry!
King Solomon, bring me into your palace.”
King Solomon, bring me into your palace.”
The other women say
“King Solomon, you fill us with joy. You make us happy.
We praise your love more than we praise wine.”
The woman says to the king
“It is right for them to love you!
“Draw me away with you and let us run together!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.”
[c](The Chorus)
“We will rejoice and be glad in you;
We will remember and extol your love more [sweet and fragrant] than wine.
Rightly do they love you.”
(The Shulammite Bride)
Verse 5
“Women of Jerusalem,
my skin is dark but lovely.
It is dark like the tents in Kedar.
It’s like the curtains of Solomon’s tent.
my skin is dark but lovely.
It is dark like the tents in Kedar.
It’s like the curtains of Solomon’s tent.
“I am deeply tanned but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
[I am dark] like the tents of [the Bedouins of] Kedar,
Like the [beautiful] curtains of Solomon.
Verse 6
Don’t stare at me because I’m dark.
The sun has made my skin look like this.
My brothers were angry with me.
They made me take care of the vineyards.
I haven’t even taken care of my own vineyard.
The sun has made my skin look like this.
My brothers were angry with me.
They made me take care of the vineyards.
I haven’t even taken care of my own vineyard.
“Do not gaze at me because I am deeply tanned,
[I have worked in] the sun; it has left its mark on me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me keeper of the vineyards,
But my own vineyard (my complexion) I have not kept.”
Verse 7
“King Solomon, I love you.
So tell me where you take care of your flock.
Tell me where you rest your sheep at noon.
Why should I have to act like a prostitute
near the flocks of your friends?”
So tell me where you take care of your flock.
Tell me where you rest your sheep at noon.
Why should I have to act like a prostitute
near the flocks of your friends?”
The other women say
“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who is veiled
Beside the flocks of your companions?”
Solomon, the Lover, Speaks
(The Bridegroom)
Verse 8
“You are the most beautiful woman of all.
Don’t you know where to find the king?
Follow the tracks the sheep make.
Take care of your young goats
near the tents of the shepherds.”
Don’t you know where to find the king?
Follow the tracks the sheep make.
Take care of your young goats
near the tents of the shepherds.”
King Solomon says to the Shulammite woman
“If you do not know [where your lover is],
O you fairest among women,
Run along, follow the tracks of the flock,
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.
Verse 9
“You are my love.
You are like a mare among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
You are like a mare among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
“To me, my love, you are like
My [favorite] mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
Verse 10
Your earrings make your cheeks even more beautiful.
Your strings of jewels make your neck even more lovely.
Your strings of jewels make your neck even more lovely.
“Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of jewels.”
(The Chorus)
Verse 11
We will make gold earrings for you.
We’ll decorate them with silver.”
We’ll decorate them with silver.”
The woman says
“We will make for you chains and ornaments of gold,
[Studded] with beads of silver.”
(The Shulammite Bride)
Verse 12
“The king was at his table.
My perfume gave off a sweet smell.
My perfume gave off a sweet smell.
“While the king was at his table,
My perfume (Solomon) sent forth [his] fragrance [surrounding me].
Verse 13
The one who loves me is like a small bag of myrrh
resting between my breasts.
resting between my breasts.
“My beloved is to me like a pouch of myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
Verse 14
He is like henna flowers
from the vineyards of En Gedi.”
from the vineyards of En Gedi.”
The king says
(The Bridegroom)
Verse 15
“You are so beautiful, my love!
So beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves.”
So beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves.”
The woman says
“Behold, how beautiful you are, my darling,
Behold, how beautiful you are!
Your eyes are dove’s eyes.”
(The Shulammite Bride)
Verse 16
“You are so handsome, my love!
So charming!
The green field is our bed.”
So charming!
The green field is our bed.”
The king says
“Behold, how fair and handsome you are, my beloved;
And so delightful!
Our arbor is green and luxuriant.
Verse 17
“Cedar trees above us are the beams of our house.
Fir trees overhead are its rafters.”
Fir trees overhead are its rafters.”
“The beams of our houses are cedars,
Our rafters and panels are cypresses.