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

² Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.³ Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments.⁴ The king hath brought me into his storerooms: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine: the righteous love thee.⁵ (1-4) I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.⁶ (1-5) Do 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 the keeper in the vineyards: my vineyard I have not kept.

⁷ (1-6) Shew 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.⁸ (1-7) If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.⁹ (1-8) To my company of horsemen, in Pharao’s chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.¹⁰ (1-9) Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove’s, thy neck as jewels.¹¹ (1-10) We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.

¹² (1-11) While the king was at his repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.¹³ (1-12) A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts.¹⁴ (1-13) A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.¹⁵ (1-14) Behold thou are fair, O my love, behold thou are fair, thy eyes are as those of doves.¹⁶ (1-15) Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.¹⁷ (1-16) The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.