Canticle of Canticles 1

¹Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: because thy breasts are better than wine.

²smelling fragrantly of the best ointments. Oil poured out is thy name: therefore have young maids loved thee.

³Draw me: we will run after thee in the odour of thine ointments. The king hath brought me into his cellars: we will rejoice & be glad in thee, mindful of thy breasts above wine: the righteous love thee.

⁴I am black but beautiful, o ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tabernacles of Cedar, as the skins of Salomon.

⁵Do not consider me that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour: the sons of my mother have fought against me, they have made me a keeper in the vineyards: my vineyard I have not kept.

⁶Shew me o thou, whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest in the midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions.

⁷If thou know not thyself, o most fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tabernacles of the pastors.

⁸To my company of horsemen, in the chariots of Pharao, have I likened thee, o my love.

⁹Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtle-doves, thy neck as jewels.

¹⁰We will make thee chains of gold, enamelled with silver.

¹¹Whilst the king was at his repose, my spikenard gave the odour thereof.

¹²A bundle of myrrh my beloved is to me, he shall abide between my breasts.

¹³A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.

¹⁴Behold thou art fair, o my love, behold thou art fair, thine eyes are as of doves'.

¹⁵Behold thou art fair my beloved, & comely: our little bed is flourishing.

¹⁶The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.