Excerpt
Song of Solomon
1:1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
Beloved 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine. 1:3 Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, therefore the virgins love you. 1:4 Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his chambers. Friends We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! Beloved They are right to love you. 1:5 I am dark, but lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar's tents, like Solomon's curtains. 1:6 Don't stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven't kept my own vineyard. 1:7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; For why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions? Lover 1:8 If you don't know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents. 1:9 I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots. 1:10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels. 1:11 We will make you earrings of gold, with studs of silver. Beloved 1:12 While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. 1:13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts. 1:14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. Lover 1:15 Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves. Beloved 1:16 Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant. Lover 1:17 The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs. Beloved 2:1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Lover 2:2 As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. Beloved 2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste. 2:4 He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love. 2:5 Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am faint with love. 2:6 His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me. 2:7 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires. 2:8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills. 2:9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice. 2:10 My beloved spoke, and said to me, "Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. 2:11 For, behold, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land....