Song of Solomon 4

1Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.footnote a

2Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.

3Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

4Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

5Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

6Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.footnote b

7Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

8Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

9Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.footnote c

10How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

11Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

12A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.footnote dfootnote e

13Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,footnote f

14Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

15A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

16Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

Solomon Admires His Bride

The Bridegroom

1How beautiful you are, my darling—how very beautiful!Your eyes are like dovesbehind your veil.Your hair is like a flock of goatsstreaming down Mount Gilead. 2Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheepcoming up from the washing;each has its twin,and not one of them is lost. 3Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon,and your mouth is lovely.Your brow behind your veilis like a slice of pomegranate. 4Your neck is like the tower of David,built with rows of stones;on it hang a thousand shields,all of them shields of warriors. 5Your breasts are like two fawns,twins of a gazelle grazing among the lilies.

6Before the day breaks and the shadows flee,I will make my wayto the mountain of myrrhand to the hill of frankincense. 7You are altogether beautiful, my darling;in you there is no flaw.

8Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,come with me from Lebanon!Descendfootnote afrom the peak of Amana,from the summits of Senir and Hermon,from the dens of the lions,from the mountains of the leopards. 9You have captured my heart,my sister, my bride;you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes,with one jewel of your neck. 10How delightful is your love,my sister, my bride!Your love is much better than wine,and the fragrance of your perfume than all spices. 11Your lips, my bride,drip sweetness like the honeycomb;honey and milk are under your tongue,and the fragrance of your garmentsis like the aroma of Lebanon.

12My sister, my bride, you are a garden locked up,a spring enclosed, a fountain sealed. 13Your branches are an orchard of pomegranateswith the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard, 14with nard and saffron, with calamus and cinnamon,with every kind of frankincense tree,with myrrh and aloes,with all the finest spices. 15You are a garden spring,a well of fresh waterfootnote bflowing down from Lebanon.

The Bride

16Awake, O north wind,and come, O south wind.Breathe on my gardenand spread the fragrance of its spices.Let my beloved come into his gardenand taste its choicest fruits.