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Draw me! We will run after you! The king brings me into his apartments! We will be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall [when we were favored with] your love, more fragrant than wine. The upright [are not offended at your choice, but sincerely] love you.

I am so black; but [you are] lovely and pleasant [the ladies assured her]. O you daughters of Jerusalem, [I am as dark] as the tents of [the Bedouin tribe] Kedar, like the [beautiful] curtains of Solomon!

[Please] do not look at me, [she said, for] I am swarthy. [I have worked out] in the sun and it has left its mark upon me. My stepbrothers were angry with me, and they made me keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard [my complexion] I have not kept.

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Take me away with you—let us hurry!
    Let the king bring me into his chambers.(A)

Friends

We rejoice and delight(B) in you[a];
    we will praise your love(C) more than wine.

She

How right they are to adore you!

Dark am I, yet lovely,(D)
    daughters of Jerusalem,(E)
dark like the tents of Kedar,(F)
    like the tent curtains of Solomon.[b]
Do not stare at me because I am dark,
    because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
    and made me take care of the vineyards;(G)
    my own vineyard I had to neglect.

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 1:4 The Hebrew is masculine singular.
  2. Song of Songs 1:5 Or Salma