Chapter 1
The Bride Confesses Her Love
1
This [is] Solomon’s Song of Songs.
𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤔𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤉𐤓 𐤄𐤔𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌
אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים ’ă·šer liš·lō·mōh šîr haš·šî·rîm — WLC · 1
The Bride
2
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.
𐤉𐤔𐤒𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤕 𐤐𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤃𐤃𐤉𐤊 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤉𐤉𐤍
יִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיק֣וֹת פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־ דֹּדֶ֖יךָ טוֹבִ֥ים מִיָּֽיִן׃ yiš·šā·qê·nî min·nə·šî·qō·wṯ pî·hū kî- dō·ḏe·ḵā ṭō·w·ḇîm mî·yā·yin — WLC · 2
3
The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder… the maidens adore you.
𐤋𐤓𐤉𐤇 𐤔𐤌𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤌𐤊 𐤔𐤌𐤍 𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤒 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤏𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤅𐤊
לְרֵ֙יחַ֙ שְׁמָנֶ֣יךָ טוֹבִ֔ים שְׁמֶ֑ךָ שֶׁ֖מֶן תּוּרַ֣ק עַל־ כֵּ֖ן עֲלָמ֥וֹת אֲהֵבֽוּךָ׃ lə·rê·aḥ šə·mā·ne·ḵā ṭō·w·ḇîm šə·me·ḵā še·men tū·raq ‘al- kên ‘ă·lā·mō·wṯ ’ă·hê·ḇū·ḵā — WLC · 3
4
Take me away with you— let us hurry! May the king bring me to his chambers. We will rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. It is only right that they adore you.
𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤍𐤓𐤅𐤑𐤄 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤇𐤃𐤓𐤉𐤅 𐤍𐤂𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤄 𐤁𐤊 𐤍𐤆𐤊𐤉𐤓𐤄 𐤃𐤃𐤉𐤊 𐤌𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤅𐤊𐤎
מָשְׁכֵ֖נִי אַחֲרֶ֣יךָ נָּר֑וּצָה הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ הֱבִיאַ֨נִי חֲדָרָ֗יו נָגִ֤ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ נַזְכִּ֤ירָה דֹדֶ֙יךָ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן מֵישָׁרִ֖ים אֲהֵבֽוּךָ׃ס mā·šə·ḵê·nî ’a·ḥă·re·ḵā nā·rū·ṣāh ham·me·leḵ hĕ·ḇî·’a·nî ḥă·ḏā·rāw nā·ḡî·lāh wə·niś·mə·ḥāh bāḵ naz·kî·rāh ḏō·ḏe·ḵā mî·ya·yin mê·šā·rîm ’ă·hê·ḇū·ḵā — WLC · 4
5
I am dark, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤀𐤅𐤄 𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤊𐤀𐤄𐤋𐤉 𐤒𐤃𐤓 𐤊𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤔𐤋𐤌𐤄
אֲנִי֙ שְׁחוֹרָ֤ה וְֽנָאוָ֔ה בְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כְּאָהֳלֵ֣י קֵדָ֔ר כִּירִיע֖וֹת שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ ’ă·nî šə·ḥō·w·rāh wə·nā·wāh bə·nō·wṯ yə·rū·šā·lim kə·’ā·ho·lê qê·ḏār kî·rî·‘ō·wṯ šə·lō·mōh — WLC · 5
6
Do not stare because I am dark, for the sun has gazed upon me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me a keeper of the vineyards, [but] my own vineyard I have neglected…
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤓𐤇𐤓𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤔𐤔𐤆𐤐𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤉 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤍𐤇𐤓𐤅 𐤁𐤉 𐤔𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤍𐤈𐤓𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤊𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤓𐤌𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤈𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤔𐤋𐤉
אַל־ תִּרְא֙וּנִי֙ שֶׁאֲנִ֣י שְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ שֶׁשֱּׁזָפַ֖תְנִי אִמִּ֣י בְּנֵ֧י נִֽחֲרוּ־ בִ֗י שָׂמֻ֙נִי֙ נֹטֵרָ֣ה אֶת־ הַכְּרָמִ֔ים כַּרְמִ֥י לֹ֥א נָטָֽרְתִּי׃ שֶׁלִּ֖י ’al- tir·’ū·nî še·’ă·nî šə·ḥar·ḥō·reṯ haš·šā·meš šeš·šĕ·zā·p̄aṯ·nî ’im·mî bə·nê ni·ḥă·rū- ḇî śā·mu·nî nō·ṭê·rāh ’eṯ- hak·kə·rā·mîm kar·mî lō nā·ṭā·rə·tî šel·lî — WLC · 6
7
Tell me, O one I love, where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you rest them at midday? Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your companions?
𐤄𐤂𐤉𐤃𐤄 𐤋𐤉 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤔𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤊𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤊𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤑 𐤁𐤑𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤊𐤏𐤈𐤉𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤇𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤊
הַגִּ֣ידָה לִּ֗י נַפְשִׁ֔י שֶׁ֤אָהֲבָה֙ אֵיכָ֣ה תִרְעֶ֔ה אֵיכָ֖ה תַּרְבִּ֣יץ בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם שַׁלָּמָ֤ה אֶֽהְיֶה֙ כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה עַ֖ל עֶדְרֵ֥י חֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃ hag·gî·ḏāh lî nap̄·šî še·’ā·hă·ḇāh ’ê·ḵāh ṯir·‘eh ’ê·ḵāh tar·bîṣ baṣ·ṣā·ho·rā·yim šal·lā·māh ’eh·yeh kə·‘ō·ṭə·yāh ‘al ‘eḏ·rê ḥă·ḇê·re·ḵā — WLC · 7
The Friends
8
If you do not know O fairest of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds.
𐤀𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤃𐤏𐤉 𐤋𐤊 𐤄𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤁𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤑𐤀𐤉 𐤋𐤊 𐤁𐤏𐤒𐤁𐤉 𐤄𐤑𐤀𐤍 𐤅𐤓𐤏𐤉 𐤀𐤕 𐤂𐤃𐤉𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤌𐤎
אִם־ לֹ֤א תֵדְעִי֙ לָ֔ךְ הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים צְֽאִי־ לָ֞ךְ בְּעִקְבֵ֣י הַצֹּ֗אן וּרְעִי֙ אֶת־ גְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְ עַ֖ל מִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹת הָרֹעִֽים׃ס ’im- lō ṯê·ḏə·‘î lāḵ hay·yā·p̄āh ban·nā·šîm ṣə·’î- lāḵ bə·‘iq·ḇê haṣ·ṣōn ū·rə·‘î ’eṯ- gə·ḏî·yō·ṯa·yiḵ ‘al miš·kə·nō·wṯ hā·rō·‘îm — WLC · 8
The Bridegroom
9
I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.
𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤎𐤎𐤕𐤉 𐤐𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤁𐤓𐤊𐤁𐤉
דִּמִּיתִ֖יךְ רַעְיָתִֽי׃ לְסֻסָתִי֙ פַרְעֹ֔ה בְּרִכְבֵ֣י dim·mî·ṯîḵ ra‘·yā·ṯî lə·su·sā·ṯî p̄ar·‘ōh bə·riḵ·ḇê — WLC · 9
10
Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
𐤋𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤊 𐤍𐤀𐤅𐤅 𐤁𐤕𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤑𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤊 𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤆𐤉𐤌
לְחָיַ֙יִךְ֙ נָאו֤וּ בַּתֹּרִ֔ים צַוָּארֵ֖ךְ בַּחֲרוּזִֽים׃ lə·ḥā·ya·yiḵ nā·wū bat·tō·rîm ṣaw·wā·rêḵ ba·ḥă·rū·zîm — WLC · 10
The Friends
11
We will make you ornaments of gold, [studded] with beads of silver.
𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤋𐤊 𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤉 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤏𐤌 𐤍𐤒𐤃𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤐
נַעֲשֶׂה־ לָּ֔ךְ תּוֹרֵ֤י זָהָב֙ עִ֖ם נְקֻדּ֥וֹת הַכָּֽסֶף׃ na·‘ă·śeh- lāḵ tō·w·rê zā·hāḇ ‘im nə·qud·dō·wṯ hak·kā·sep̄ — WLC · 11
The Bride
12
While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
𐤏𐤃 𐤔𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤁𐤌𐤎𐤁𐤅 𐤍𐤓𐤃𐤉 𐤍𐤕𐤍 𐤓𐤉𐤇𐤅
עַד־ שֶׁ֤הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בִּמְסִבּ֔וֹ נִרְדִּ֖י נָתַ֥ן רֵיחֽוֹ׃ ‘aḏ- še·ham·me·leḵ bim·sib·bōw nir·dî nā·ṯan rê·ḥōw — WLC · 12
13
My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
𐤃𐤅𐤃𐤉 𐤋𐤉 𐤑𐤓𐤅𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤓 𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤍 𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤃𐤉
דּוֹדִי֙ לִ֔י צְר֨וֹר הַמֹּ֤ר׀ יָלִֽין׃ בֵּ֥ין שָׁדַ֖י dō·w·ḏî lî ṣə·rō·wr ham·mōr yā·lîn bên šā·ḏay — WLC · 13
14
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards vvv of En-gedi.
𐤃𐤅𐤃𐤉 𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤊𐤐𐤓 𐤁𐤊𐤓𐤌𐤉 𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤂𐤃𐤉𐤎
דּוֹדִי֙ לִ֔י אֶשְׁכֹּ֨ל הַכֹּ֤פֶר׀ בְּכַרְמֵ֖י עֵ֥ין גֶּֽדִי׃ס dō·w·ḏî lî ’eš·kōl hak·kō·p̄er bə·ḵar·mê ‘ên ge·ḏî — WLC · 14
The Bridegroom
15
How beautiful [you are], my darling! Oh, how very beautiful! Your eyes are [like] doves.
𐤄𐤍𐤊 𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤄𐤍𐤊 𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌
הִנָּ֤ךְ יָפָה֙ רַעְיָתִ֔י הִנָּ֥ךְ יָפָ֖ה עֵינַ֥יִךְ יוֹנִֽים׃ hin·nāḵ yā·p̄āh ra‘·yā·ṯî hin·nāḵ yā·p̄āh ‘ê·na·yiḵ yō·w·nîm — WLC · 15
The Bride
16
How handsome [you are], my beloved! Oh, how delightful!… The soft grass [is] our bed.
𐤄𐤍𐤊 𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤃𐤅𐤃𐤉 𐤀𐤐 𐤍𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤐 𐤓𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤄 𐤏𐤓𐤔𐤍𐤅
הִנְּךָ֨ יָפֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ אַ֣ף נָעִ֔ים אַף־ רַעֲנָנָֽה׃ עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ hin·nə·ḵā yā·p̄eh ḏō·w·ḏî ’ap̄ nā·‘îm ’ap̄- ra·‘ă·nā·nāh ‘ar·śê·nū — WLC · 16
The Bridegroom
17
The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters [are fragrant] firs.
𐤒𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤕𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤓𐤆𐤉𐤌 𐤓𐤇𐤉𐤈𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤓𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤌
קֹר֤וֹת בָּתֵּ֙ינוּ֙ אֲרָזִ֔ים רַחִיטֵנוּ בְּרוֹתִֽים׃ qō·rō·wṯ bāt·tê·nū ’ă·rā·zîm ra·ḥī·ṭē·nū bə·rō·w·ṯîm — WLC · 17