Song of Solomon Chapter 1
This poem describes the joy and ecstasy of love. Symbolically it has been applied to God's love for Israel and Chrit's love for the Church.
A Conservative Version
1 : 1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
1 : 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine.
1 : 3 Thine oils have a good fragrance. Thy name is oil poured forth. Therefore the virgins love thee.
1 : 4 Draw me, we will run after thee. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in thee. We will make mention of thy love more than of wine. Rightly do they love thee.
1 : 5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
1 : 6 Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were incensed against me. They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.
1 : 7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou feed thy flock, where thou make it to rest at noon. For why should I be as she who is veiled beside the flocks of thy companions?
1 : 8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.
1 : 9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
1 : 10 Thy cheeks are comely with plaits of hair, thy neck with strings of jewels.
1 : 11 We will make thee plaits of gold with studs of silver.
1 : 12 While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
1 : 13 My beloved is to me a bundle of myrrh that lies between my breasts.
1 : 14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna-flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi.
1 : 15 Behold, thou are fair, my love, behold thou are fair. Thine eyes are doves.
1 : 16 Behold, thou are fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant. Also our couch is green.
1 : 17 The beams of our house are cedars, our rafters are firs.