Song of Songs 1:6-2:13

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.

1She Or He I am a rose Probably a member of the crocus family of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. He

2Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women. She

3Like an apple Or possibly apricot; here and elsewhere in Song of Songs tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

4Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.

5Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.

6His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.

7Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

8Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.

9My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.

10My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.

11See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

12Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

13The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” He