Song of Songs 1 – NIV & KJV

New International Version

Song of Songs 1:1-17

1Solomon’s Song of Songs.

SheThe main male and female speakers (identified primarily on the basis of the gender of the relevant Hebrew forms) are indicated by the captions He and She respectively. The words of others are marked Friends. In some instances the divisions and their captions are debatable.

2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—

for your love is more delightful than wine.

3Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;

your name is like perfume poured out.

No wonder the young women love you!

4Take me away with you—let us hurry!

Let the king bring me into his chambers.

Friends

We rejoice and delight in you1:4 The Hebrew is masculine singular.;

we will praise your love more than wine.

She

How right they are to adore you!

5Dark am I, yet lovely,

daughters of Jerusalem,

dark like the tents of Kedar,

like the tent curtains of Solomon.1:5 Or Salma

6Do not stare at me because I am dark,

because I am darkened by the sun.

My mother’s sons were angry with me

and made me take care of the vineyards;

my own vineyard I had to neglect.

7Tell me, you whom I love,

where you graze your flock

and where you rest your sheep at midday.

Why should I be like a veiled woman

beside the flocks of your friends?

Friends

8If you do not know, most beautiful of women,

follow the tracks of the sheep

and graze your young goats

by the tents of the shepherds.

He

9I liken you, my darling, to a mare

among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.

10Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,

your neck with strings of jewels.

11We will make you earrings of gold,

studded with silver.

She

12While the king was at his table,

my perfume spread its fragrance.

13My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh

resting between my breasts.

14My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms

from the vineyards of En Gedi.

He

15How beautiful you are, my darling!

Oh, how beautiful!

Your eyes are doves.

She

16How handsome you are, my beloved!

Oh, how charming!

And our bed is verdant.

He

17The beams of our house are cedars;

our rafters are firs.

King James Version

Song of Solomon 1:1-17

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

2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.1.2 thy…: Heb. thy loves 3Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. 4Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.1.4 the upright…: or, they love thee uprightly 5I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. 6Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

7Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?1.7 as one…: or, as one that is veiled

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. 9I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots. 10Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. 11We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

12¶ While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. 13A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. 14My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi.1.14 camphire: or, cypress 15Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.1.15 my love: or, my companion 16Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. 17The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.1.17 rafters: or, galleries