| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s. | 1Solomon's Song of Songs. |
| 2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine; | 2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth-- for your love is more delightful than wine. |
| 3your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. | 3Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you! |
| 4Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. Others We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you. | 4Take me away with you--let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. Friends We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. She How right they are to adore you! |
| 5I am very dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. | 5Dark am I, yet lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon. |
| 6Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sun has looked upon me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept! | 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 my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions? | 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? |
| 8If you do not know, O most beautiful among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents. | 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. |
| 9I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. | 9I liken you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariot horses. |
| 10Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels. | 10Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels. |
| 11We will make for you ornaments of gold, studded with silver. | 11We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver. |
| 12While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance. | 12While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. |
| 13My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh that lies between my breasts. | 13My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts. |
| 14My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi. | 14My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. |
| 15Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. | 15How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves. |
| 16Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful. Our couch is green; | 16How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant. |
| 17the beams of our house are cedar; our rafters are pine. | 17The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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