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The Song

Chapter 1

1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon's. 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine. 3 And the smell of thine ointments is 1better than all spices: thy name is ointment poured forth; therefore do the young maidens love thee. 4 They have drawn thee: we will run after thee, for the smell of thine ointments: the king has brought me into closet: let us rejoice and be glad in thee; we will love thy breasts more than wine: righteousness loves thee.

5 I am black, but beautiful, ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the 2curtains of Solomon. 6 Look not upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has looked unfavourably upon me: my mother's sons strove with me; they made me keeper in the vineyards; I have not kept my own vineyard.

7 Tell me, thou whom my soul loves, where thou tendest thy flock, where thou causest them to rest at noon, lest I become as one 3that is veiled by the flocks of thy companions.

8 If thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherd's tents. 9 I have likened thee, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao. 10 How are thy cheeks beautiful as those of a dove, thy neck as chains! 11 We will make thee figures of gold with studs of silver.

12 So long as the king was at table, my spikenard gave forth its smell. 13 My kinsman is to me a bundle of myrrh; he shall lie between my breasts. 14 My kinsman is to me a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of Engaddi.

15 Behold, thou art fair, my companion; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are doves. 16 Behold, thou art fair, my kinsman, yea, beautiful, overshadowing our bed. 17 The beams of our house are cedars, our 4ceilings are of cypress.

Chapter 2

1 I am a flower of the plain, a lily of the valleys.

2 As a lily among thorns, so is my companion among the daughters.

3 As the apple among the trees of the wood, so is my kinsman among the sons. I desired his shadow, and sat down, and his fruit was sweet in my throat. 4 Bring me into the wine house; set love before me.

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5 Strengthen me with perfumes, stay me with apples: for I am wounded with love. 6 His left hand shall be under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.

7 I have charged you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the 5powers and by the virtues of the field, that ye do not rouse or wake my love, until he please.

8 The voice of my kinsman! behold, he comes leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.

9 My kinsman is like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Bæthel: behold, he is behind our wall, looking through the windows, peeping through the 6lattices. 10 My kinsman answers, and says to me, Rise up, come, my companion, my fair one, my dove. 11 For, behold, the winter is past, the rain is gone, it has departed. 12 The flowers are seen in the land; the time of pruning has arrived; the voice of the turtle-dove has been heard in our land. 13 The fig-tree has put forth its young figs, the vines put forth the tender grape, they yield a smell: arise, come, my companion, my fair one, my dove; yea, come.

14 Thou art my dove, in the shelter of the rock, near the wall: shew me thy face, and cause me to hear thy voice; for thy voice is sweet, and thy countenance is beautiful.

15 Take us the little foxes that spoil the vines: for our vines put forth tender grapes.

16 My kinsman is mine, and I am his: he feeds his flock among the lilies.

17 Until the day dawn, and the shadows depart, turn, my kinsman, be thou like to a roe or young hart on the mountains of the ravines.


1 Gr. beyond.

2 Lit. skins.

3 Or, that veils herself.

4 Or, wainscots.

5 Comp. Heb. and A. V.

6 Lit. nets.

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