¹The song of songs, which is Solomon's.

²Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine.

³For the scent of your good oils: oil poured out is your name; therefore young women loved you.

⁴Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. Let us rejoice and be glad in you; let us remember your love more than wine; rightly have they loved you.

⁵I am black and lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

⁶Do not look at me because I am blackish, because the sun has looked on me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they set me as keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.

⁷Tell me, you whom my being has loved, where do you shepherd, where do you make them lie down at noon? For why should I be like one wrapped up beside the flocks of your companions?

⁸If you do not know, beautiful one among women, go out in the footprints of the flock and shepherd your young goats beside the dwelling places of the shepherds.

⁹To my mare among the chariots of Pharaoh I liken you, my darling.

¹⁰Your cheeks are beautiful with plaits, your neck with strings of beads.

¹¹We will make you plaits of gold with points of silver.

¹²While the king was in his circle, my nard gave forth its scent.

¹³My beloved is to me a bundle of myrrh that lodges between my breasts.

¹⁴My beloved is to me a cluster of pitch in the vineyards of En Gedi.

¹⁵Behold, you are beautiful, my darling; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves.

¹⁶Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, even lovely; even our bed is leafy.

¹⁷The beams of our houses are cedars, our rafters are cypresses.