Song Of Songs 1
NIRV — New International Reader's Version Bible (NIRV)
NLT — New Living Translation Bible (NLT)
Verse 1
This is the greatest song Solomon ever wrote.
A Shulammite woman says to King Solomon
This is Solomon’s song of songs, more wonderful than any other.
Young Woman[a]
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.
Kiss me and kiss me again,
for your love is sweeter than wine.
for your love is sweeter 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!
How pleasing is your fragrance;
your name is like the spreading fragrance of scented oils.
No wonder all the young women love you!
your name is like the spreading fragrance of scented oils.
No wonder all the young women 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!
Take me with you; come, let’s run!
The king has brought me into his bedroom.
The king has brought me into his bedroom.
Young Women of Jerusalem
How happy we are for you, O king.
We praise your love even more than wine.
Young Woman
How right they are to adore you.
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 dark but beautiful,
O women of Jerusalem—
dark as the tents of Kedar,
dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents.
O women of Jerusalem—
dark as the tents of Kedar,
dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents.
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.
Don’t stare at me because I am dark—
the sun has darkened my skin.
My brothers were angry with me;
they forced me to care for their vineyards,
so I couldn’t care for myself—my own vineyard.
the sun has darkened my skin.
My brothers were angry with me;
they forced me to care for their vineyards,
so I couldn’t care for myself—my own vineyard.
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, my love, where are you leading your flock today?
Where will you rest your sheep at noon?
For why should I wander like a prostitute[b]
among your friends and their flocks?
Where will you rest your sheep at noon?
For why should I wander like a prostitute[b]
among your friends and their flocks?
Young Man
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 don’t know, O most beautiful woman,
follow the trail of my flock,
and graze your young goats by the shepherds’ tents.
follow the trail of my flock,
and graze your young goats by the shepherds’ tents.
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.
You are as exciting, my darling,
as a mare among Pharaoh’s stallions.
as a mare among Pharaoh’s stallions.
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.
How lovely are your cheeks;
your earrings set them afire!
How lovely is your neck,
enhanced by a string of jewels.
your earrings set them afire!
How lovely is your neck,
enhanced by a string of jewels.
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 earrings of gold
and beads of silver.
and beads of silver.
Young Woman
Verse 12
“The king was at his table.
My perfume gave off a sweet smell.
My perfume gave off a sweet smell.
The king is lying on his couch,
enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume.
enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume.
Verse 13
The one who loves me is like a small bag of myrrh
resting between my breasts.
resting between my breasts.
My lover is like a sachet of myrrh
lying between my breasts.
lying 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
He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En-gedi.
from the vineyards of En-gedi.
Young Man
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
How beautiful you are, my darling,
how beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves.
how beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves.
Young Woman
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
You are so handsome, my love,
pleasing beyond words!
The soft grass is our bed;
pleasing beyond words!
The soft grass is our bed;
Verse 17
“Cedar trees above us are the beams of our house.
Fir trees overhead are its rafters.”
Fir trees overhead are its rafters.”
fragrant cedar branches are the beams of our house,
and pleasant smelling firs are the rafters.
and pleasant smelling firs are the rafters.