| Holman Christian Standard Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1 Solomon's Finest Song. W | 1The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s. |
| 2Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine. | 2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine; |
| 3The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating; your name is perfume poured out. No wonder young women adore you. | 3your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. |
| 4Take me with you--let us hurry. Oh, that the king would bring me to his chambers. Y We will rejoice and be glad for you; we will praise your love more than wine. W It is only right that they adore 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. |
| 5Daughters of Jerusalem, I am dark like the tents of Kedar, yet lovely like the curtains of Solomon. | 5I am very dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. |
| 6Do not stare at me because I am dark, for the sun has gazed on me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me a keeper of the vineyards. I have not kept my own vineyard. | 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! |
| 7Tell me, you, the one I love: Where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you let them rest at noon? Why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions? M | 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? |
| 8If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats near the shepherds' tents. | 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. |
| 9I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots. | 9I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. |
| 10Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry, your neck with its necklace. | 10Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels. |
| 11We will make gold jewelry for you, accented with silver. W | 11We will make for you ornaments of gold, studded with silver. |
| 12While the king is on his couch, my perfume releases its fragrance. | 12While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance. |
| 13My love is a sachet of myrrh to me, spending the night between my breasts. | 13My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh that lies between my breasts. |
| 14My love is a cluster of henna blossoms to me, in the vineyards of En-gedi. M | 14My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi. |
| 15How beautiful you are, my darling. How very beautiful! Your eyes are doves. W | 15Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. |
| 16How handsome you are, my love. How delightful! Our bed is lush with foliage; | 16Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful. Our couch is green; |
| 17the beams of our house are cedars, and our rafters are cypresses. | 17the beams of our house are cedar; our rafters are pine. |
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