Song Of Songs 1
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
MSG — The Message Bible (MSG)
Verse 1
Solomon’s Song of Songs.
She[a]
The Song—best of all songs—Solomon’s song!
The Woman
Verse 2
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.
for your love is more delightful than wine.
Kiss me—full on the mouth!
Yes! For your love is better than wine,
headier than your aromatic oils.
The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook.
No wonder everyone loves to say your name!
Yes! For your love is better than wine,
headier than your aromatic oils.
The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook.
No wonder everyone loves to say your name!
Verse 3
Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the young women love you!
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the young women love you!
— not in MSG
Verse 4
Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.
Let the king bring me into his chambers.
Friends
We rejoice and delight in you[b];
we will praise your love more than wine.
She
How right they are to adore you!
Take me away with you! Let’s run off together!
An elopement with my King-Lover!
We’ll celebrate, we’ll sing,
we’ll make great music.
Yes! For your love is better than vintage wine.
Everyone loves you—of course! And why not?
An elopement with my King-Lover!
We’ll celebrate, we’ll sing,
we’ll make great music.
Yes! For your love is better than vintage wine.
Everyone loves you—of course! And why not?
Verse 5
Dark am I, yet lovely,
daughters of Jerusalem,
dark like the tents of Kedar,
like the tent curtains of Solomon.[c]
daughters of Jerusalem,
dark like the tents of Kedar,
like the tent curtains of Solomon.[c]
I am weathered but still elegant,
oh, dear sisters in Jerusalem,
Weather-darkened like Kedar desert tents,
time-softened like Solomon’s Temple hangings.
Don’t look down on me because I’m dark,
darkened by the sun’s harsh rays.
My brothers ridiculed me and sent me to work in the fields.
They made me care for the face of the earth,
but I had no time to care for my own face.
oh, dear sisters in Jerusalem,
Weather-darkened like Kedar desert tents,
time-softened like Solomon’s Temple hangings.
Don’t look down on me because I’m dark,
darkened by the sun’s harsh rays.
My brothers ridiculed me and sent me to work in the fields.
They made me care for the face of the earth,
but I had no time to care for my own face.
Verse 6
Do not stare at me because I am dark,
because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
and made me take care of the vineyards;
my own vineyard I had to neglect.
because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
and made me take care of the vineyards;
my own vineyard I had to neglect.
— not in MSG
Verse 7
Tell me, you whom I love,
where you graze your flock
and where you rest your sheep at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled woman
beside the flocks of your friends?
where you graze your flock
and where you rest your sheep at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled woman
beside the flocks of your friends?
Friends
Tell me where you’re working
—I love you so much—
Tell me where you’re tending your flocks,
where you let them rest at noontime.
Why should I be the one left out,
outside the orbit of your tender care?
—I love you so much—
Tell me where you’re tending your flocks,
where you let them rest at noontime.
Why should I be the one left out,
outside the orbit of your tender care?
The Man
Verse 8
If you do not know, most beautiful of women,
follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds.
follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds.
He
If you can’t find me, loveliest of all women,
it’s all right. Stay with your flocks.
Lead your lambs to good pasture.
Stay with your shepherd neighbors.
it’s all right. Stay with your flocks.
Lead your lambs to good pasture.
Stay with your shepherd neighbors.
Verse 9
I liken you, my darling, to a mare
among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
You remind me of Pharaoh’s
well-groomed and satiny mares.
Pendant earrings line the elegance of your cheeks;
strands of jewels illumine the curve of your throat.
I’m making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry
that will mark and accent your beauty.
well-groomed and satiny mares.
Pendant earrings line the elegance of your cheeks;
strands of jewels illumine the curve of your throat.
I’m making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry
that will mark and accent your beauty.
The Woman
Verse 10
Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.
your neck with strings of jewels.
— not in MSG
Verse 11
We will make you earrings of gold,
studded with silver.
studded with silver.
She
— not in MSG
Verse 12
While the king was at his table,
my perfume spread its fragrance.
my perfume spread its fragrance.
When my King-Lover lay down beside me,
my fragrance filled the room.
His head resting between my breasts—
the head of my lover was a sachet of sweet myrrh.
My beloved is a bouquet of wildflowers
picked just for me from the fields of Engedi.
my fragrance filled the room.
His head resting between my breasts—
the head of my lover was a sachet of sweet myrrh.
My beloved is a bouquet of wildflowers
picked just for me from the fields of Engedi.
The Man
Verse 13
My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
resting between my breasts.
resting between my breasts.
— not in MSG
Verse 14
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En Gedi.
from the vineyards of En Gedi.
He
— not in MSG
Verse 15
How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.
She
Oh, my dear friend! You’re so beautiful!
And your eyes so beautiful—like doves!
And your eyes so beautiful—like doves!
The Woman
Verse 16
How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.
He
And you, my dear lover—you’re so handsome!
And the bed we share is like a forest glen.
We enjoy a canopy of cedars
enclosed by cypresses, fragrant and green.
And the bed we share is like a forest glen.
We enjoy a canopy of cedars
enclosed by cypresses, fragrant and green.
Verse 17
The beams of our house are cedars;
our rafters are firs.
our rafters are firs.
— not in MSG