The Bride Confesses Her Love
(Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
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.
3Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
The Friends
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.
The Bride
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?
Solomon Speaks
8If 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.
The Friends
11We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.
The Bride
12While 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 Engedi.
Solomon
15Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.
The Bride
16Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
Solomon
17The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Bride Confesses Her Love
(Ephesians 5:22–33; 1 Peter 3:1–7)
1 The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.
3 Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, therefore the virgins love you.
4 Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his rooms. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! They are right to love you.
5 I am dark, but lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar’s tents, like Solomon’s curtains.
6 Don’t stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother’s sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven’t kept my own vineyard.
7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; For why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions?
8 If you don’t know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents.
9 I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make you earrings of gold, with studs of silver.
12 While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
15 Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves.
16 Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant.
17 The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs.
The Bride Confesses Her Love
(Ephesians 5:22–33; 1 Peter 3:1–7)
1 This is Solomon’s Song of Songs. a
The Bride
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is more delightful than wine.
3 The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the maidens adore you.
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
May the king bring me to his chambers.
The Friends
We will rejoice and delight in you;
we will praise your love more than wine.
The Bride
It is only right that they adore you.
5 I am dark, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem,
like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not stare because I am dark,
for the sun has gazed upon me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
they made me a keeper of the vineyards,
but my own vineyard I have neglected.
7 Tell me, O one I love,
where do you pasture your sheep?
Where do you rest them at midday?
Why should I be like a veiled woman
beside the flocks of your companions?
The Friends
8 If you do not know, O fairest of women,
follow the tracks of the flock,
and graze your young goats
near the tents of the shepherds.
The Bridegroom
9 I compare you, my darling,
to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments,
your neck with strings of jewels.
The Friends
11 We will make you ornaments of gold,
studded with beads of silver.
The Bride
12 While the king was at his table,
my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
in the vineyards of En-gedi.
The Bridegroom
15 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how very beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves.
The Bride
16 How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how delightful!
The soft grass is our bed.
The Bridegroom
17 The beams of our house are cedars;
our rafters are fragrant firs.
Footnotes:
1 a Most translators add subheadings for speaker identifications such as The Bride , The Groom , and The Friends  based on the gender and number of the Hebrew words.
The Bride Confesses Her Love
(Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
1The Song of Songs, that is Solomon's.
2Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth, For better are thy loves than wine.
3For fragrance are thy perfumes good. Perfume emptied out -- thy name, Therefore have virgins loved thee!
The Friends
4Draw me: after thee we run, The king hath brought me into his inner chambers, We do joy and rejoice in thee, We mention thy loves more than wine, Uprightly they have loved thee!
The Bride
5Dark am I, and comely, daughters of Jerusalem, As tents of Kedar, as curtains of Solomon.
6Fear me not, because I am very dark, Because the sun hath scorched me, The sons of my mother were angry with me, They made me keeper of the vineyards, My vineyard -- my own -- I have not kept.
7Declare to me, thou whom my soul hath loved, Where thou delightest, Where thou liest down at noon, For why am I as one veiled, By the ranks of thy companions?
Solomon Speaks
8If thou knowest not, O fair among women, Get thee forth by the traces of the flock, And feed thy kids by the shepherds' dwellings!
9To my joyous one in chariots of Pharaoh, I have compared thee, my friend,
10Comely have been thy cheeks with garlands, Thy neck with chains.
The Friends
11Garlands of gold we do make for thee, With studs of silver!
The Bride
12While the king is in his circle, My spikenard hath given its fragrance.
13A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, Between my breasts it lodgeth.
14A cluster of cypress is my beloved to me, In the vineyards of En-Gedi!
Solomon
15Lo, thou art fair, my friend, Lo, thou art fair, thine eyes are doves!
The Bride
16Lo, thou art fair, my love, yea, pleasant, Yea, our couch is green,
Solomon
17The beams of our houses are cedars, Our rafters are firs, I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys!
