Phrases or words marked with an asterisk (*) need linguistic explanation; consult the exposition for further information.

Title and attribution#

^1:1 The Song of Songs which pertains to Solomon*.

The first cycle: Passionate longings (1:2–2:7)#

The deep yearnings of love (1:2–4)#

^1:2 Let him kiss me with some of the kisses of his mouth. Indeed*, better are your caresses* than wine; ³ fragrance wise, your oils are good. Oil of Turaq* is your name. Therefore maidens love you.

⁴ Draw me after you, let us run. The king has brought me to his chambers.

We will rejoice, and we will exult in you. We will commemorate* your caresses* more than wine. Rightly do they love you.

Black and beautiful (1:5–6)#

⁵ Black am I, but* beautiful, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Qedar, like the tapestries of Solomon*. ⁶ Do not look at me because I am black-black*, because the sun has scorched me. The sons of my mother were angry with me. They set me keeping the vineyards. My vineyard which is mine, I have not kept.

A hesitant enquiry, an ambiguous response (1:7–8)#

⁷ Tell me, him whom my soul loves, where do you pasture, where do you cause to lie down, at noon, lest I should be like a veiled one* alongside the flocks of your companions?

⁸ If you do not know, the most beautiful among the women, go forth by the tracks of the flock, and graze your kids by the shelters of the shepherds.

A filly in fine fettle (1:9–11)#

⁹ To a mare among the chariots of Pharaoh, I compare you, my darling. ¹⁰ Beautiful are your cheeks with rings, your neck with bead-strings. ¹¹ Chains of gold we will make for you, with the spikes of silver.

The fragrance of love (1:12–14)#

¹² While the king was on his couch, my nard gave its scent. ¹³ A pouch of myrrh is my beloved to me; between my breasts he spends the night*. ¹⁴ A cluster of henna is my beloved to me, in the vineyards of En Gedi*.

A duet of mutual admiration (1:15–2:3)#

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

¹⁶ Behold, you are beautiful, my love; indeed delightful. Indeed our couch is verdant*. ¹⁷ The rafters of our houses are cedars, our roof-beams, cypresses.

^2:1 I am a crocus of the Sharon, a lily of the valleys.

² Like a lily among thorns, so my darling among women.

³ Like an apple tree* among the trees of the wood, so my beloved among men. In his shade I delight to stay, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

Moving to a climax (2:4–7)#

⁴ He has brought me to the house of wine and his banner* over me is love*. ⁵ Spread me* among the raisin cakes, lay me out* among the apples*, for faint with love am I.

⁶ His left hand under my head, and his right hand fondles me.

⁷ I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or hinds of the field, do not arouse* and do not excite* love until it pleases*.

The second cycle: Springtime and showers (2:8–3:5)#

Love in the springtime (2:8–13)#

⁸ The sound* of my beloved. Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, springing over the hills, ⁹ resembling, my beloved, a gazelle or a young stag, the hart. Behold, standing by our wall, peeping in at the window, peering in through the lattice. ¹⁰ He responded my lover, and said to me, “Arise my darling, my beautiful one, and come.

¹¹ “For behold, the winter has passed, the rain has passed, has gone. ¹² The blossoms have appeared in the land; the time of singing* has drawn near, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land. ¹³ The fig tree has sprouted her early fruits and the vines in blossom have yielded their scent. Arise, come my love, my beautiful one, and come.”

A tantalizing tease (2:14–15)#

¹⁴ My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the hidden place of the steep ravines, show me your appearance*, cause me to hear your voice. For your voice is sweet and your appearance fair.

¹⁵ Catch for us foxes, young foxes, destroying vineyards, and our vineyards in blossom.

An affirmation and an invitation (2:16–17)#

¹⁶ My beloved is mine, and I am his, he who pastures among the lilies. ¹⁷ Until the day breathes, and the shadows flee, turn, and be like a gazelle or a young stag, the hart, upon the mountains of Bether*.

A very troubled dream (3:1–5)#

^3:1 Upon my bed during the nights I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but did not find him. ² I will arise, and I will go around in the city, in the streets, and in the open places. I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but did not find him. ³ They found me, the watchmen patrolling around the city. “He whom my soul loves, have you seen?” ⁴ It was as a little while from when I passed away from them* until I found him whom my soul loves.

I seized him and I would not let him go, until I brought him to the house of my mother, and to the chamber of her who conceived me.

⁵ I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or hinds of the field, do not arouse* and do not excite* love until it pleases*.

The third cycle: The lovers’ royal wedding (3:6–5:1)#

Her rustic fragrant beauty (3:6)#

⁶ Who is this coming up from the open countryside*, like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, from all the powders of the merchant?

Solomon’s sumptuous carriage (3:7–11)#

⁷ Behold his sedan*, which is Solomon’s, sixty mighty men surrounding it, some of the mighty men of Israel. ⁸ All of them armed with sword, trained in warfare; each one his sword at his side against the terror in the nights. ⁹ A carriage he made for himself, the King Solomon, from the timber of the Lebanon. ¹⁰ Its poles he made of silver. Its canopy* gold. Its cushions, purple cloth. Its interior fitted out with love*, ¹¹ from the daughters of Jerusalem*.

Go forth, and look upon, daughters of Zion, the King Solomon; at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of the gladness of his heart.

In praise of his beloved (4:1–7)#

^4:1 Behold, you are beautiful my darling, behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like the flock of goats, which stream down from the mountain of Gilead.

² Your teeth like the flock of the shorn ones, which have come up from the washing, each one of them bearing twins, and none amongst them bereaved.

³ Like a scarlet ribbon, your lips, and your mouth*, lovely! Like a slice of pomegranate, your forehead* behind your veil.

⁴ Like the tower of David, your neck, built in terraces*. A thousand shields hung upon it, all the equipment* of mighty men.

⁵ Your pair of breasts like a pair of fawns, twins of a gazelle, browsing among the lilies.

⁶ Until the day breathes, and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

⁷ You are altogether beautiful, my darling, and blemish, there is none in you.

The lover’s urgent plea (4:8)#

⁸ With me* from Lebanon, a bride — with me from Lebanon, you shall come. You shall travel* from the top of Amanah, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from dens of lions, from lairs of leopards.

A lover smitten (4:9–11)#

⁹ You have ravished my heart*, my sister bride. You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one gem from your necklace. ¹⁰ How beautiful are your caresses, my sister, bride. How much better are your caresses than wine, and the scent of your oils than all spices. ¹¹ Honey from the comb, your lips drip, bride. Honey and milk under your tongue and the scent of your robes like the scent of Lebanon.

Anticipation (4:12–15)#

¹² A garden locked, my sister bride. A spring* sealed, a fountain locked.

¹³ Your tendrils*, an orchard of pomegranates, with fruit of excellence, henna bushes with nard plants, ¹⁴ nard and saffron, cane and cinnamon, with all woods of fragrance, myrrh and aloes, with all finest spices of Balsam.

¹⁵ A fountain of gardens. A well of living water, and cascadings from Lebanon.

An invitation (4:16)#

¹⁶ Awake, North wind. And come, South wind. Blow upon my garden. Let its spices flow. Let my beloved come into his garden, and let him eat its exquisite fruit.

Consummation (5:1)#

^5:1 I have entered my garden, my sister bride. I have gathered my myrrh, together with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb, together with my honey. I have drunk my wine, along with my milk.

Affirmation (5:1)#

Eat, friends, drink and become drunk, caresses*.

The fourth cycle: Lost and found (5:2–6:3)#

Another dream of frustration (5:2–8)#

² I was asleep, but my heart was awake. The sound of my beloved knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. For my head is drenched with dew, my locks with the droplets of the night.” ³ “I have taken off* my clothes*. How then should I put it on? I have washed my feet. How then should I soil them?” ⁴ My lover thrust forth his hand through* the hole*, and my innards seethed on his account. ⁵ I arose, I did, to open for my lover. And my hands dripped myrrh, and my fingers, flowing myrrh upon the handles of the bolt. ⁶ I opened, I did, but my beloved had turned, had gone. My soul went out at his departure*. I sought him, but did not find him. I called to him, but he did not answer me. ⁷ They found me, the watchmen, those patrolling in the city. They struck me, they bruised me. They took away my wrapper from off me, the keepers of the walls. ⁸ I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, do not find my lover*. Do not tell him* that sick of love, I am.

The daughters of Jerusalem reply (5:9)#

⁹ What is your beloved more than a beloved, the most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than a beloved, that in this manner you adjure us?

In praise of her lover (5:10–16)#

¹⁰ My beloved is radiant and ruddy, conspicuous among ten thousand. ¹¹ His head, gold, fine gold. His locks, palm fronds*, black as the raven. ¹² His eyes like doves, by the channels of water*, bathing in milk, sitting upon a fullness*. ¹³ His cheeks like spice beds, towers of perfumes. His lips, lilies, dripping flowing myrrh. ¹⁴ His hands, cylinders of gold, being filled with Tarshish gems. His stomach*, a plaque* of ivory, covered with sapphires.

¹⁵ His legs, pillars of alabaster, set on sockets of gold. His stature* like the Lebanon, choice as the cedar-trees. ¹⁶ His inside mouth, sweet things; and all of him is delightful. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

An offer of help (6:1)#

^6:1 Whither has your beloved gone, the most beautiful among women? Whither has your beloved turned, so that we might seek him with you?

Not really lost (6:2–3)#

² My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of balsam to pasture in the gardens, to pluck lilies. ³ I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, he who pastures among the lilies.

The fifth cycle: Beauty kindles desire (6:4–8:4)#

Her awesome and terrifying beauty (6:4–7)#

⁴ Beautiful you are, my darling, like Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as the bannered ones*.

⁵ Turn your eyes away from me, for they agitate me. Your hair like a flock of goats, which are streaming down from the Gilead. ⁶ Your teeth, like the flock of ewes, which come up from the washing, all of them bearing twins, not one among them bereaved. ⁷ Like a slice of pomegranate, your forehead* behind your veil.

She is utterly unique (6:8–9)#

⁸ Sixty they are, queens, and eighty concubines, and maidens without number. ⁹ One is she my dove, my perfect one. One is she to her mother, pure* is she to her who bore her. Girls have seen her and pronounced her fortunate; queens and concubines, and they praised her.

Her cosmic beauty (6:10)#

¹⁰ “Who is this who looks forth as the dawn*, beautiful as the moon, pure as the sun, awesome as the bannered ones*?”

Dreaming in the walnut garden (6:11–12)#

¹¹ To the garden of walnuts I went down to see the new growth of the valley to see whether the vines had blossomed, the pomegranates had bloomed. ¹² I did not know my soul set me chariots of my people a prince*.

A sight for tired eyes (6:13)#

¹³ Return, return, Shulammite*, Return, return, so that we might gaze on you. How* would you gaze on the Shulammite as the dance of the two camps*?

Her graceful form (7:1–5)#

^7:1 How beautiful are your feet* in sandals, daughter of a prince. The curves of your thighs, like ornaments, the workmanship of the hands of a craftsman. ² Your navel* the basin of roundness; may it not lack mixed wine. Your belly*, a mound of wheatgrain, fenced in by lilies. ³ The pair of your breasts, like a pair of fawns, twins of a gazelle. ⁴ Your neck like a tower of ivory. Your eyes, pools in Heshbon, by the gate of* Bath Rabbim*. Your nose* like the tower of Lebanon, looking out over the face of Damascus. ⁵ Your head upon you like the Carmel, and the locks of your head like purple. A king held captive by tresses!

A duet of desire (7:6–10)#

⁶ How beautiful, and how pleasant, O love, with exquisite things*. ⁷ This your stature, it resembles a palm tree, and your twin breasts, clusters of grapes. ⁸ I said, I will climb up a palm tree, I will seize its fronds*. And may your twin breasts be as the clusters of the vine, and the scent of your nose like the apples, ⁹ and the inside of your mouth* like wine, the best, going down to my beloved, smoothly*, gliding over the lips of sleepers*.

¹⁰ I am my beloved’s, and towards me, is his desire.

Love in the countryside (7:11–13)#

¹¹ Come, my beloved, let us go out into the field, let us spend the night among the henna bushes*, ¹² let us rise early to the vineyards, let us see if the vine has blossomed, the grape blossoms have sprouted, the pomegranates have burst forth. There I will give to you my caresses*. ¹³ The mandrakes have given off scent. And over our doors all sorts of delicacies*. New things as well as old things, my beloved, I have stored up for you.

A longing for intimacy (8:1–4)#

^8:1 Who will place you like a brother to me*, sucking the breasts of my mother? I would find you in the streets, I would kiss you, even they would not despise me. ² I would lead you, I would bring you to the house of my mother. You would teach me*. I would give you to drink some wine that is spiced, some sweet wine of my pomegranate. ³ His left hand over my head, and his right hand fondles me. ⁴ I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, how* will you excite, and how will you arouse love until it pleases?

The sixth cycle: The security of love (8:5–14)#

The happy couple (8:5)#

⁵ Who is this ascending from the countryside* leaning upon her lover?

Love’s arousal (8:5)#

Underneath the fruit tree* I awakened you; there your mother conceived you*, there she conceived, she gave birth to you.

Love, strong as death (8:6–7)#

⁶ Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a signet upon your arm. For strong as death is love. Jealousy as Sheol, relentless*. Her darts*, darts of fire, a flame of Yah*. ⁷ Many waters are not able to quench love and torrents shall not sweep it away. If a man should give all the wealth of his home, for love, they would utterly scorn him*.

The little sister (8:8–10)#

⁸ A sister we have, a little one, and breasts, she does not have. What shall we do for our sister on the day when it shall be spoken about her*? ⁹ If she is a wall, we will build upon her battlements* of silver; and* if she is a door, we will enclose her with a panel of cedar. ¹⁰ I am a wall, and my breasts like towers. Then, have I become in his eyes, as one bringing* peace*.

A vineyard not for hire (8:11–12)#

¹¹ A vineyard, Solomon used to have in Baal Hamon*. He gave out the vineyard to keepers; each would bring for its fruit a thousand silver pieces. ¹² My vineyard which is mine, is before me*. The thousand are yours, Solomon, and two hundred for the keepers of its fruit.

The continuing cycle of desire (8:13–14)#

¹³ You who dwell in the gardens, companions are listening to your voice. Make me listen. ¹⁴ “Flee, my beloved and be like a gazelle, or a young stag, the hart, upon the mountains of spices.”