Chapter 1

1 The Song ^F1 of Songs, ^R1 which is Solomon's.

2 "May ^F2 he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love ^R2 is better than wine. 3 "Your oils ^R3 have a pleasing fragrance, Your name ^R4 is like purified ^F3 oil; Therefore the maidens ^{R5 F4} love you. 4 "Draw me after you and let us run together! The king ^R6 has brought me into his chambers." "We ^F5 will rejoice in you and be glad; We will extol ^F6 your love ^R7 more than wine. Rightly do they love you." 5 "I ^F7 am black but lovely, ^R8 O daughters ^R9 of Jerusalem, Like the tents ^R10 of Kedar, ^R11 Like the curtains of Solomon. 6 "Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, ^F8 For the sun has burned me. My mother's ^R12 sons were angry with me; They made me caretaker ^R13 of the vineyards, But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

7 "Tell me, O you whom ^R14 my soul loves, Where do you pasture ^R15 your flock, Where do you make it lie ^R16 down at noon? For why should I be like one who veils ^F9 herself Beside the flocks of your companions?" ^R17 8 "If ^F10 you yourself do not know, Most ^R18 beautiful among women, Go forth on the trail of the flock And pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds. 9 "To ^F11 me, my ^R19 darling, you are like My mare ^R20 among the chariots of Pharaoh. 10 "Your cheeks ^R21 are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with strings of beads." ^R22 11 "We ^F12 will make for you ornaments of gold With beads of silver."

12 "While ^F13 the king was at his table, ^F14 My perfume ^{R23 F15} gave forth its fragrance. 13 "My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh ^R24 Which lies all night between my breasts. 14 "My beloved is to me a cluster of henna ^R25 blossoms In the vineyards of Engedi." ^R26 15 "How ^{R27 F17 F16} beautiful you are, my darling, How ^F17 beautiful you are! Your eyes ^R28 are like doves." 16 "How ^{F19 F18} handsome you are, my ^R29 beloved, And so pleasant! Indeed, our couch is luxuriant! 17 "The beams of our houses are cedars, ^R30 Our rafters, cypresses. ^{R31 F20}

Chapter 2

1 "I ^F21 am the rose ^{R32 F22} of Sharon, ^R33 The lily ^R34 of the valleys." 2 "Like ^F23 a lily among the thorns, So is my ^R35 darling among the maidens." ^F24

3 "Like ^F25 an apple ^{R36 F26} tree among the trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the young ^F27 men. In his shade I took great delight and sat down, And his fruit ^R37 was sweet to my taste. ^F28 4 "He has brought ^R38 me to his banquet ^F29 hall, And his banner ^R39 over me is love. 5 "Sustain me with raisin ^R40 cakes, Refresh me with apples, ^{R41 F30} Because I ^R42 am lovesick. 6 "Let his ^R43 left hand be under my head And his ^R43 right hand embrace ^R44 me." 7 "I ^F31 adjure ^R45 you, O daughters ^R46 of Jerusalem, By the gazelles ^R47 or by the hinds ^R48 of the field, That ^R45 you do not arouse or awaken my love Until she ^F32 pleases."

8 "Listen! ^F33 My beloved! Behold, he is coming, Climbing on ^R49 the mountains, Leaping on the hills! 9 "My beloved is like a gazelle ^R50 or a young ^R51 stag. ^F34 Behold, he is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through ^R52 the lattice. 10 "My beloved responded and said to me, `Arise, <sup>R53</sup> my darling, my beautiful one, And come along. 11 `For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. 12 `The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning <sup>F35</sup> the vines, And the voice of the turtledove <sup>R54</sup> has been heard in our land. 13 `The fig ^R55 tree has ripened its figs, And the vines ^R56 in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along!' "

14 "O ^F36 my ^R57 dove, in ^R58 the clefts of the rock, ^F37 In the secret place of the steep pathway, ^F38 Let me see your form, ^F39 Let ^R59 me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your form ^F39 is lovely." ^R60 15 "Catch ^{R61 F40} the foxes for us, The little ^F41 foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards ^R62 are in blossom." 16 "My ^{R63 F42} beloved is mine, and I am his; He pastures ^R64 his flock among the lilies. 17 "Until ^R65 the ^F43 cool of the day when the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle ^R66 Or a young stag on ^R67 the mountains of Bether." ^F44

Chapter 3

1 "On ^F45 my bed night after night I sought him Whom ^R68 my soul loves; I sought ^R69 him but did not find him. 2 `I <sup>F46</sup> must arise now and go <sup>F46</sup> about the city; In the streets <sup>R70</sup> and in the squares I <sup>F47</sup> must seek him whom my soul loves.' I sought him but did not find him. 3 "The <sup>R71</sup> watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, And I said, `Have you seen him whom my soul loves?' 4 "Scarcely ^R72 had I left ^F48 them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held ^R73 on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought ^R74 him to my mother's house, And into the room of her who conceived me." 5 "I ^F49 adjure ^R75 you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles ^R76 or by the hinds of the field, That you will not arouse or awaken my love Until she ^F50 pleases."

6 "What ^{R77 F52 F51} is this coming up from the wilderness Like columns ^R78 of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh ^R79 and frankincense, ^R80 With all scented powders of the merchant?

7 "Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; Sixty mighty men around it, Of the mighty men of Israel. 8 "All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert ^R81 in war; Each man has his sword ^R82 at his side, Guarding against the terrors ^{R83 F53} of the night. 9 "King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair From the timber of Lebanon. 10 "He made its posts of silver, Its back ^F54 of gold And its seat of purple fabric, With its interior lovingly fitted out By the daughters ^R84 of Jerusalem. 11 "Go forth, O daughters ^R85 of Zion, And gaze on King Solomon with the crown ^F55 With which his mother has crowned him On the day ^R86 of his wedding, And on the day of his gladness of heart."

Chapter 4

1 "How ^{F57 F56} beautiful you ^R87 are, my darling, How ^F57 beautiful you are! Your eyes ^R88 are like doves behind ^R89 your veil; Your hair ^R90 is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead. ^R91 2 "Your teeth ^R92 are like a flock of newly shorn ewes Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost ^F58 her young. 3 "Your lips are like a scarlet ^R93 thread, And your mouth ^R94 is lovely. Your temples ^R95 are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil. 4 "Your neck ^R96 is like the tower of David, Built with ^F59 rows of stones On which are hung ^R97 a thousand shields, All the round shields ^R98 of the mighty men. 5 "Your two ^R99 breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle Which feed ^R100 among the lilies. 6 "Until ^R101 the ^F60 cool of the day When the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh ^R102 And to the hill of frankincense. ^R102 7 "You ^R103 are altogether beautiful, my darling, And there is no blemish in you.

8 "Come with me from Lebanon, ^R104 my bride, ^R105 May you come with me from Lebanon. Journey ^F61 down from the summit of Amana, ^R106 From the summit of Senir ^R107 and Hermon, From the dens of lions, From the mountains of leopards. 9 "You have made my heart beat faster, my ^R108 sister, my bride; You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes, With a single strand of your necklace. ^R109 10 "How ^R110 beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better ^R111 is your love than wine, And the fragrance ^R112 of your oils Than all kinds of spices! ^F62 11 "Your lips, my bride, drip ^R113 honey; ^R114 Honey and milk are under your tongue, And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance ^R115 of Lebanon. 12 "A garden locked is my sister, my bride, A rock ^F63 garden locked, a spring ^R116 sealed ^R117 up. 13 "Your shoots are an orchard ^{R118 F64} of pomegranates ^R119 With choice ^R120 fruits, henna ^R121 with nard plants, 14 Nard ^R122 and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, ^R123 With all the trees of frankincense, ^R124 Myrrh ^R125 and aloes, along with all the finest spices. ^F65

15 "You are a garden spring, A well of fresh ^{R126 F66} water, And streams flowing from Lebanon." 16 "Awake, ^F67 O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden ^R127 breathe out fragrance, Let its spices ^F68 be ^F69 wafted abroad. May my ^R128 beloved come into his garden And eat its choice ^R129 fruits!"

Chapter 5

1 "I ^F70 have come ^R130 into my garden, my ^R131 sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh ^R132 along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb and ^F71 my honey; ^R133 I have drunk ^R134 my wine and ^F71 my milk. Eat, friends; ^R135 Drink and imbibe ^F72 deeply, O lovers."

2 "I ^F73 was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: `Open to me, my ^R136 sister, my darling, My ^R137 dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched ^F74 with dew, My locks ^R138 with the damp ^F75 of the night.' 3 "I have taken ^R139 off my dress, How can I put it on again? I have washed ^R140 my feet, How can I dirty them again? 4 "My beloved extended his hand through the opening, And my feelings ^{R141 F76} were aroused for him. 5 "I arose to open to my beloved; And my hands dripped ^R142 with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid ^F77 myrrh, On the handles of the bolt. 6 "I opened to my beloved, But my beloved had turned ^R143 away and had gone! My heart ^F78 went out to him as he spoke. ^R144 I searched ^R145 for him but I did not find him; I called ^R146 him but he did not answer me. 7 "The watchmen ^R147 who make the rounds in the city found me, They struck me and wounded me; The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me. 8 "I adjure ^R148 you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you will tell him: For I ^R149 am lovesick."

9 "What ^{F80 F79} kind of beloved is your beloved, O most ^R150 beautiful among women? What ^F80 kind of beloved is your beloved, That thus you adjure us?" 10 "My ^F81 beloved is dazzling and ruddy, ^R151 Outstanding ^{R152 F82} among ten thousand. 11 "His head is like gold, pure gold; His locks ^R153 are like clusters of dates And black as a raven. 12 "His eyes ^R154 are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk, And reposed ^F83 in their setting. ^R155 13 "His cheeks are like a bed ^R156 of balsam, Banks of sweet-scented herbs; His lips are lilies ^R157 Dripping ^R158 with liquid myrrh. 14 "His hands are rods of gold Set with beryl; ^R159 His abdomen is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires. ^{R160 F84} 15 "His legs are pillars of alabaster Set on pedestals of pure gold; His appearance is like Lebanon ^R161 Choice as the cedars. ^R162 16 "His mouth ^{R163 F85} is full of sweetness. And he is wholly desirable. ^R164 This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."

Chapter 6

1 "Where ^{R165 F86} has your beloved gone, O most ^R166 beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned, That we may seek him with you?" 2 "My ^F87 beloved has gone down to his garden, ^R167 To the beds ^R168 of balsam, To pasture ^R169 his flock in the gardens And gather lilies. ^R170 3 "I ^R171 am my beloved's and my beloved is mine, He who pastures ^R172 his flock among the lilies."

4 "You ^{R173 F88} are as beautiful as Tirzah, ^R174 my darling, As lovely ^R175 as Jerusalem, ^R176 As awesome ^R177 as an ^F89 army with banners. 5 "Turn your eyes away from me, For they have confused me; Your ^R178 hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Gilead. 6 "Your ^R179 teeth are like a flock of ewes Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost ^F90 her young. 7 "Your ^R180 temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil. 8 "There are sixty queens ^R181 and eighty concubines, And maidens ^{R182 F91} without number; 9 But my ^R183 dove, my perfect one, is unique: ^F92 She is her mother's only ^F92 daughter; She is the pure child of the one who bore her. The maidens ^{R184 F93} saw her and called her blessed, The queens ^R185 and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying, 10 `Who is this that grows ^F94 like the dawn, As beautiful as the full moon, ^R186 As pure as ^R187 the sun, As awesome ^R188 as an ^F95 army with banners?'

11 "I went down to the orchard of nut trees To see the blossoms of the valley, To see whether the ^R189 vine had budded Or the pomegranates ^R190 had bloomed. 12 "Before I was aware, my soul set me Over the chariots of my ^F96 noble people." 13 "Come ^{F98 F97} back, come back, O Shulammite; Come back, come back, that we may gaze at you!" "Why ^F99 should you gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance ^R191 of the ^{R192 F100} two companies?

Chapter 7

1 "How ^F101 beautiful are your feet ^F102 in sandals, O prince's ^{R193 F103} daughter! The curves of your hips are like jewels, ^F104 The work of the hands of an artist. 2 "Your navel is like a round goblet Which never lacks mixed wine; Your belly is like a heap of wheat Fenced about with lilies. 3 "Your two ^R194 breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle. 4 "Your neck ^R195 is like a tower of ivory, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon ^R196 By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, Which faces toward Damascus. 5 "Your head crowns ^F105 you like Carmel, ^R197 And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads; The king is captivated by your tresses. 6 "How beautiful ^R198 and how delightful you are, My ^F106 love, with all your charms! 7 "Your ^F107 stature is like a palm tree, And your breasts are like its clusters. 8 "I said, `I will climb the palm tree, I will take hold of its fruit stalks.' Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine, And the fragrance of your breath ^F108 like apples, ^{R199 F109} 9 And your mouth ^{R200 F110} like the best wine!" "It ^F111 goes ^R201 down smoothly for my beloved, Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep.

10 "I ^R202 am my beloved's, And his desire ^R203 is for me. 11 "Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country, ^F112 Let us spend the night in the villages. 12 "Let us rise early and go to the vineyards; Let us see ^R204 whether the vine has budded And its blossoms have opened, And whether the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. 13 "The mandrakes ^R205 have given forth fragrance; And over our doors are all choice ^R206 fruits, Both new and old, Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

Chapter 8

1 "Oh that you were like a brother to me Who nursed at my mother's breasts. If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you; No one would despise me, either. 2 "I would lead you and bring ^R207 you Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me; I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates. 3 "Let his ^R208 left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me." 4 "I ^{R209 F113} want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do ^F114 not arouse or awaken my love Until she ^F115 pleases."

5 "Who ^{R210 F116} is this coming up from the wilderness Leaning on her beloved?" "Beneath ^F117 the apple ^{R211 F118} tree I awakened you; There your mother was in labor with you, There she was in labor and gave you birth. 6 "Put me like a seal ^F119 over your heart, Like a seal ^R212 on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy ^{R213 F120} is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The ^F121 very flame of the LORD. 7 "Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it; If ^R214 a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised."

8 "We ^F122 have a little sister, And she has ^R215 no breasts; What shall we do for our sister On the day when she is spoken for? 9 "If she is a wall, We will build on her a battlement of silver; But if she is a door, We will barricade her with planks ^R216 of cedar." 10 "I ^F123 was a wall, and my ^R217 breasts were like towers; Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace. 11 "Solomon had a vineyard ^R218 at Baal-hamon; He entrusted ^R219 the vineyard to caretakers. ^R220 Each one was to bring a thousand ^R221 shekels of silver for its fruit. ^R222 12 "My very own vineyard is at ^F124 my disposal; The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit."

13 "O ^F125 you who sit in the gardens, My companions ^R223 are listening for your voice-- Let ^R224 me hear it!" 14 "Hurry, ^{F127 F126} my beloved, And be like ^R225 a gazelle or a young stag ^F128 On the mountains ^R226 of spices."