Song of Solomon

1Where has your beloved gone, you fairest among women?Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?

2My beloved has gone down to his garden,to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

3I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.He browses among the lilies.

4You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah,lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.

5Turn away your eyes from me,for they have overcome me.Your hair is like a flock of goats,that lie along the side of Gilead.

6Your teeth are like a flock of ewes,which have come up from the washing, of which every one has twins; not one is bereaved among them.

7Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.

8There are sixty queens, eighty concubines,and virgins without number.

9My dove, my perfect one, is unique.She is her mother’s only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her.The daughters saw her, and called her blessed.The queens and the concubines saw her, and they praised her.

10Who is she who looks out as the morning,beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

11I went down into the nut tree grove,to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.

12Without realizing it,my desire set me with my royal people’s chariots.

13Return, return, Shulammite!Return, return, that we may gaze at you.LoverWhy do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite,as at the dance of Mahanaim?

The Friends

1Where has your beloved gone,O most beautiful among women?Which way has he turned?We will seek him with you.

The Bride

2My beloved has gone down to his garden,to the beds of spices,to pasture his flock in the gardensand to gather lilies.

3I belong to my beloved and he belongs to me;he pastures his flock among the lilies.

The Bridegroom

4You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah,as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.

5Turn your eyes away from me,for they have overcome me.Your hair is like a flock of goatsstreaming down from Gilead.

6Your teeth are like a flock of sheepcoming up from the washing;each has its twin,and not one of them is lost.

7Your brow behind your veilis like a slice of pomegranate.

8There are sixty queens and eighty concubines,and maidens without number,

9but my dove, my perfect one, is unique,the favorite of the mother who bore her.The maidens see her and call her blessed;the queens and concubines sing her praises.

The Friends

10Who is this who shines like the dawn,as fair as the moon,as bright as the sun,as majestic as the stars in procession?

The Bridegroom

11I went down to the walnut groveto see the blossoms of the valley,to see if the vines were buddingor the pomegranates were in bloom.

12Before I realized it, my desire had set meamong the royal chariots of my people.

The Friends

13Come back, come back, O Shulammite!Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you.The Bridegroom Why do you look at the Shulammite,as on the dance of Mahanaim?