How beautiful(A) you are and how pleasing,
    my love, with your delights!(B)
Your stature is like that of the palm,
    and your breasts(C) like clusters of fruit.
I said, “I will climb the palm tree;
    I will take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine,
    the fragrance of your breath like apples,(D)
    and your mouth like the best wine.

She

May the wine go straight to my beloved,(E)
    flowing gently over lips and teeth.[a]
10 I belong to my beloved,
    and his desire(F) is for me.(G)
11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
    let us spend the night in the villages.[b]
12 Let us go early to the vineyards(H)
    to see if the vines have budded,(I)
if their blossoms(J) have opened,
    and if the pomegranates(K) are in bloom(L)
    there I will give you my love.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 7:9 Septuagint, Aquila, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew lips of sleepers
  2. Song of Songs 7:11 Or the henna bushes

How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!

This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;

And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.

10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.

11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.

12 Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.

Read full chapter