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¹ The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s.

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine. ³ And the smell of thine ointments is better than all spices: thy name is ointment poured forth; therefore do the young maidens love thee. ⁴ They have drawn thee: we will run after thee, for the smell of thine ointments: the king has brought me into closet: let us rejoice and be glad in thee; we will love thy breasts more than wine: righteousness loves thee. ⁵ I am black, but beautiful, ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. ⁶ Look not upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has looked unfavourably upon me: my mother’s sons strove with me; they made me keeper in the vineyards; I have not kept my own vineyard.

⁷ Tell me, thou whom my soul loves, where thou tendest thy flock, where thou causest them to rest at noon, lest I become as one that is veiled by the flocks of thy companions. ⁸ If thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherd’s tents. ⁹ I have likened thee, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao. ¹⁰ How are thy cheeks beautiful as those of a dove, thy neck as chains! ¹¹ We will make thee figures of gold with studs of silver.

¹² So long as the king was at table, my spikenard gave forth its smell. ¹³ My kinsman is to me a bundle of myrrh; he shall lie between my breasts. ¹⁴ My kinsman is to me a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of Engaddi. ¹⁵ Behold, thou art fair, my companion; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are doves. ¹⁶ Behold, thou art fair, my kinsman, yea, beautiful, overshadowing our bed. ¹⁷ The beams of our house are cedars, our ceilings are of cypress.