Song of Solomon Chapter 1
The opening exchange between the bride and her beloved, Solomon's song of songs.
As the opening chapter of Song of Solomon overview, this book introduces the bride's longing voice, wishing for her beloved's kisses and describing herself as sunburned yet comely among the daughters of Jerusalem. Read the full King James text below.
Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy loue is better then wine.
Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointment powred out: therefore the virgins loue thee.
Drawe me: we will runne after thee: the King hath brought me into his chabers: we will reioyce and be glad in thee: we will remember thy loue more then wine: the righteous do loue thee.
I am blacke, O daughters of Ierusalem, but comely, as the tentes of Kedar, and as the curtaines of Salomon.
Regard ye me not because I am blacke: for the sunne hath looked vpon mee. The sonnes of my mother were angry against mee: they made me the keeper of ye vines: but I kept not mine owne vine.
Shewe me, O thou, whome my soule loueth, where thou feedest, where thou liest at noone: for why should I be as she that turneth aside to the flockes of thy companions?
If thou knowe not, O thou the fairest among women, get thee foorth by the steps of the flocke, and feede thy kiddes by the tents of the shepheards.
I haue compared thee, O my loue, to the troupe of horses in the charets of Pharaoh.
Thy cheekes are comely with rowes of stones, and thy necke with chaines.
We will make thee borders of golde with studdes of siluer.
Whiles the King was at his repast, my spikenard gaue the smelll thereof.
My welbeloued is as a bundle of myrrhe vnto me: he shall lie betweene my breasts.
My welbeloued is as a cluster of camphire vnto me in the vines of Engedi.
My loue, beholde, thou art faire: beholde, thou art faire: thine eyes are like the doues.
My welbeloued, beholde, thou art faire and pleasant: also our bed is greene:
The beames of our house are cedars, our rafters are of firre.