The song of songs which is Shlomo’s.

The song of songs, which is Shelomo’s.

The Song of Songs [(All of Scripture is holy; but the Song of Songs, holy of holies)], which is Solomon's. [(Throughout Shir Hashirim, "Solomon" (Shlomoh) is understood as "the King of Peace [shalem]," all of it being compounded of the fear of Heaven and the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven.)]

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is dearer than wine.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

Let Him kiss me [(the Congregation of Israel)] of the kisses of His mouth, for Your love is better than [feasts of] wine.

Like the fragrance of good oils, your name is like flowing oil; therefore young maidens love you.

Thy ointments are fragrant; for thy flowing oil thou art renowned: therefore do the virgins love thee.

For fragrance Your oils are good. Oil poured forth [(its fragrance spreading abroad)] is Your name; therefore, the "virgins" [(the proselytes, e.g., Yithro, Rachav, etc.)] have loved You.

Draw me, we will run after you; the king has brought me into his chambers, we will be glad and rejoice in you, we recall your love more than wine, they loved you sincerely.

Draw me, we will run after thee: the king has brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will praise thy love more than wine: sincerely they love thee.

[I have heard You say] "Draw Me [to you. And, accordingly,] after You shall we run [(to be Your bride)]. The King has brought me into His chambers, [and even today] we are glad and rejoice in You. [Even today, in "living widowhood," we mention Your [first] love more than [any feast of] wine. A "straight" [i.e., "unalloyed" love] have they loved You.

I am black, but comely, daughters of Jerusalem; like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Shlomo.

I am black, but comely, O daughters of Yerushalayim, like the tents of Qedar, like the curtains of Shelomo.

I may be "black" [(outwardly)], but I am beautiful [(inwardly)], O daughters of Jerusalem — ([black)] like the tents of Kedar; [(beautiful)], like the curtains of Solomon.

Do not look upon me [with contempt] that I am so black, for the sun has tanned me; my mother’s sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards, [but] my own vineyard I did not watch.

Do not gaze upon me, because I am black, because the sun has scorched me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard I have not kept.

Do not look at me [scornfully] because I am black; for the sun has scorched me [and I can return to my former beauty]. The sons of my mother [(among whom I was reared and who ascended with me from Egypt as the "mixed multitude”)] have taunted me [(with their idolatries)], making me a keeper of their vineyards [i.e., gods]; my own vineyards I did not keep.

Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where do you graze your flock where do you rest your flock at noon; for why should I flit about around the flocks of your companions?

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be like one who cloaks himself by the flocks of thy companions?

[(The Congregation of Israel says to G-d):] Tell me, [You] whom my soul loves, how will You graze [Your flock among these wolves, the nations of the exile]? How will You make [them] lie down in the afternoon [of the exile? (the afternoon being a particularly difficult time for sheep)]. For why shall I be enwrapped [to the lip like a mourner at the plight of my sheep] among the flocks of Your neighbors [i.e., among the hordes of the nations, who rely on other gods]?

If you do not know [you who are the] fairest of women; go forth in the footsteps of the sheep and pasture your kids near the dwellings of the shepherds.

If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids besides the shepherds’ tents.

[G-d responds:] If you do not know [where to graze your sheep (in the absence of My immanence in exile)], you fairest among the women, go forth in the footsteps of the flock [i.e., retrace the steps of your forefathers, return to the Law] and [in reward] you will graze your kids by the shepherds' dwellings [i.e., among the dignitaries of the nations.]

To steeds in the chariots of Pharaoh I have likened you, my beloved.

I compare thee, O my love, to a mare of the chariots of Par῾o.

With My "squadrons" against the chariots of Pharaoh [(at the Red Sea)] did I silence you [i.e., your cries], My love.

Your cheeks are comely with rows of gems your neck with [pearl] necklaces.

Thy cheeks would be comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with strings of beads.

Your cheeks are lovely with rows [of jewels (from the "spoils" of the Red Sea)]; your neck, with strings of gems.

Circlets of gold we will make for you with spangles of silver.

We will make thee necklets of gold studded with silver.

[My tribunal and I devised that at the splitting of the Sea, by impelling Pharaoh to pursue Israel with all the glories of his treasure houses,] we would provide for you rows of gold along with the studs of silver [that you had already taken from Egypt (the spoils of the Sea being greater than the spoils of Egypt)].

While the king was at his table, my spikenard gave out its fragrance.

While the king was reclining at his board, my nard sent forth its fragrance.

[The congregation of Israel responds: All that You say is so. You conferred good upon me and I reciprocated with evil. For] while the King was still at His banquet [(under the Torah "canopy" at Sinai)], my nard "gave forth" [(euphemism for "vitiated")] its fragrance [(in the sin of the golden calf)].

A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, between my breasts he shall lie.

My wellbeloved is to me a bundle of myrrh that lies between my breasts.

[(But, instead of destroying me,)] my Beloved was like a bundle of nard to me [i.e., as if there were a bundle of nard in His "bosom," and He said to me, as it were: Take this bundle. It will give forth even a finer fragrance than the one you "lost." (the analogy:) G-d effects reconciliation between Himself and Israel by finding atonement for the sin of the golden calf in their donations for the sanctuary. "Let the gold of the sanctuary come and atone for the gold of the calf." He assured me that] between my breasts [(the two jutting poles of the ark)] He would lie [i.e., repose His Shechinah.]

A cluster of henna is my beloved to me in the vineyards of En-gedi.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna in the vineyards of ῾En-gedi.

A cluster of henna [(kofer - an allusion to all of the kapparoth (atonements) granted the children of Israel by the L-rd for their many trials of Him in the desert)] is my Beloved to me in the vineyards of Ein Geddi [(which give forth fruit four or five times a year)].

Behold you are beautiful, my beloved, behold you are beautiful; your eyes are like doves.

Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.

[I was confounded by my shameful acts, but He strengthened me, and forgave me, saying:] Behold, you are fair, My love [viz. Numbers 14:20]; behold, you are fair; your eyes are doves.

You are handsome, my beloved, most handsome; indeed our bed is fresh.

Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our couch is green.

[Israel responds:] Behold, You are fair my Beloved, exceedingly fair, [(for having forgiven my offenses and having reposed Your Shechinah within me, viz. Leviticus 9:24)]; our "couch," [the sanctuary] too, is fruitful.

The beams of our houses are cedars, our panels are cypresses.

The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters are of cypress.

The beams of our house [(the sanctuary)] are cedars; our rafters are cypress.