The Bride's Longing
Song of Songs 1
The bride expresses her longing for her beloved's love and describes herself as sunburnt yet beautiful before the daughters of Jerusalem. The two then exchange words of mutual admiration for each other's beauty and for the dwelling they share.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonA Song of Songs which is Solomon’s
BrentonThe Song of songs, which is Solomon's.
GreekἌΣΜΑ ᾀσμάτων, ὅ ἐστι Σαλωμών.
KJVThe song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
JPSTHE song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2
ThomsonLET him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: Because thy breasts are better than wine;
BrentonLet him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine.
GreekΦιλησάτω με ἀπὸ φιλημάτων στόματος αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἀγαθοὶ μαστοί σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον, καὶ ὀσμὴ μύρων σου ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ἀρώματα·
KJVLet him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
JPSLet him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— For thy love is better than wine.
3
Thomsonand the fragrance of thine odours is above all perfumes—Thy name out-poured oil, therefore the virgins have loved thee.
BrentonAnd the smell of thine ointments is better than all spices: thy name is ointment poured forth; therefore do the young maidens love thee.
Greekμῦρον ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομά σου· διὰ τοῦτο νεάνιδες ἠγάπησάν σε,
KJVBecause of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
JPSThine ointments have a goodly fragrance; Thy name is as ointment poured forth; Therefore do the maidens love thee.
4
ThomsonThou art drawn: after thee we will run to the fragrance of thy perfumes. The king brought me into his inner apartment. Let us rejoice and be gladdened by thee. We will love thy breasts better than wine: rectitude hath loved thee.
BrentonThey have drawn thee: we will run after thee, for the smell of thine ointments: the king has brought me into his closet: let us rejoice and be glad in thee; we will love thy breasts more than wine: righteousness loves thee.
Greekεἵλκυσάν σε· ὀπίσω σου εἰς ὀσμὴν μύρων σου δραμοῦμεν· εἰσήνεγκέ με ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον αὐτοῦ· ἀγαλλιασώμεθα καὶ εὐφρανθῶμεν ἐν σοί· ἀγαπήσομεν μαστούς σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον· εὐθύτης ἠγάπησέ σε.
KJVDraw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
JPSDraw me, we will run after thee; The king hath brought me into his chambers; We will be glad and rejoice in thee, We will find thy love more fragrant than wine! Sincerely do they love thee.
5
ThomsonI am brown but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem; like the tents of Kedar—like the curtains of Solomon.
BrentonI am black, but beautiful, ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
GreekΜέλαινά εἰμι ἐγὼ καὶ καλὴ, θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ὡς σκηνώματα Κηδὰρ, ὡς δέῤῥεις Σαλωμών.
KJVI am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
JPS’I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon.
6
ThomsonLook not on me, because I am of a dark complexion—Because the sun hath looked upon me. My mother’s children quarrelled with me—They made me a keeper in the vineyards. Mine own vineyard I did not watch.
BrentonLook not upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has looked unfavourably upon me: my mother's sons strove with me; they made me keeper in the vineyards; I have not kept my own vineyard.
GreekΜὴ βλέψητέ με ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι μεμελανωμένη, ὅτι παρέβλεψέ με ὁ ἥλιος· υἱοὶ μητρός μου ἐμαχέσαντο ἐν ἐμοὶ, ἔθεντό με φυλάκισσαν ἐν ἀμπελῶσιν, ἀμπελῶνα ἐμὸν οὐκ ἐφύλαξα.
KJVLook not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
JPSLook not upon me, that I am swarthy, That the sun hath tanned me; My mother’s sons were incensed against me, They made me keeper of the vineyards; But mine own vineyard have I not kept.’
7
ThomsonTell me thou whom my soul loveth, where thou tendest thy flock—Where thou causest it to rest at noon, perhaps I may be like a wanderer among the tents of thy companions.
BrentonTell me, thou whom my soul loves, where thou tendest thy flock, where thou causest them to rest at noon, lest I become as one that is veiled by the flocks of thy companions.
GreekἈπάγγειλόν μοι ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου, ποῦ ποιμαίνεις, ποῦ κοιτάζεις ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ, μήποτε γένωμαι ὡς περιβαλλομένη ἐπʼ ἀγέλαις ἑταίρων σου.
KJVTell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
JPSTell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, Where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; For why should I be as one that veileth herself Beside the flocks of thy companions?
8
ThomsonIf thou wouldst not make thyself known, O fairest of women; go out by thyself in the track of the flock; and feed thy kids by the shepherds’ tents.
BrentonIf thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherds' tents.
GreekἘὰν μὴ γνῷς σεαυτὴν ἡ καλὴ ἐν γυναιξὶν, ἔξελθε σὺ ἐν πτέρναις τῶν ποιμνίων, καὶ ποίμαινε τὰς ἐρίφους σου ἐπὶ σκηνώμασι τῶν ποιμένων.
KJVIf thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
JPSIf thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock And feed thy kids, beside the shepherds’tents.
9
ThomsonTo that steed of mine in Pharao’s chariot I have compared thee, my love!
BrentonI have likened thee, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao.
GreekΤῇ ἵππῳ μου ἐν ἅρμασε Φαραὼ ὡμοίωσά σε ἡ πλησίον μου.
KJVI have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.
JPSI have compared thee, O my love, To a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10
ThomsonWhat! thy cheeks are beautiful as a turtle dove’s: and thy neck as strings of pearls.
BrentonHow are thy cheeks beautiful as those of a dove, thy neck as chains!
GreekΤί ὡραιώθησαν σιαγόνες σου ὡς τρυγόνος, τράχηλός σου ὡς ὁρμίσκοι;
KJVThy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
JPSThy cheeks are comely with circlets, Thy neck with beads.
11
ThomsonWe will make for thee suitable figures of gold with spangles of silver.
BrentonWe will make thee figures of gold with studs of silver.
GreekὉμοιώματα χρυσίου ποιήσομέν σοι μετὰ στιγμάτων τοῦ ἀργυρίου.
KJVWe will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.
JPSWe will make thee circlets of gold With studs of silver.
12
ThomsonWhile the king was at his banquet, my spikenard sent forth its odour.
BrentonSo long as the king was at table, my spikenard gave forth its smell.
GreekἝως οὗ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν ἀνακλίσει αὐτοῦ· νάρδος μου ἔδωκεν ὀσμὴν αὐτοῦ.
KJVWhile the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.
JPSWhile the king sat at his table, My spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13
Thomson—
BrentonMy kinsman is to me a bundle of myrrh; he shall lie between my breasts.
GreekἈπόδεσμος τῆς στακτῆς ἀδελφιδός μου ἐμοὶ, ἀυαμέσου τῶν μαστῶν μου αὐλισθήσεται.
KJVA bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
JPSMy beloved is unto me as a bag of myrrh, That lieth betwixt my breasts.
14
ThomsonMy dear brother is to me a cluster of the cypress, in the vineyards of Engaddi.
BrentonMy kinsman is to me a cluster of camphor in the vineyards of Engaddi.
GreekΒότρυς τῆς κύπρου ἀδελφιδός μου ἐμοὶ, ἐν ἀμπελῶσιν Ἐνγαδδί.
KJVMy beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.
JPSMy beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna In the vineyards of En-gedi.
15
ThomsonBehold thou art fair, my love; behold thou art fair. Thine eyes are doves.
BrentonBehold, thou art fair, my companion; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are doves.
GreekἸδοὺ εἶ καλὴ ἡ πλησίον μου, ἰδοὺ εἶ καλὴ· ὀφθαλμοί σου περιστεραί.
KJVBehold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.
JPSBehold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are as doves. .
16
ThomsonBehold thou art comely, my dear brother—beautiful indeed! Near our bed thou wast shaded.
BrentonBehold, thou art fair, my kinsman, yea, beautiful, overshadowing our bed.
GreekἸδοὺ εἶ καλὸς ἀδελφιδός μου, καί γε ὡραῖος πρὸς κλίνῃ ἡμῶν σύσκιος·
KJVBehold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
JPSBehold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; Also our couch is leafy.
17
ThomsonThe beams of our houses are cedar. Cypress our vaulted ceilings.
BrentonThe beams of our house are cedars, our ceilings are of cypress.
GreekΔοκοὶ οἴκων ἡμῶν κέδροι, φατνώματα ἡμῶν κυπάρισσοι.
KJVThe beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
JPSThe beams of our houses are cedars, And our panels are cypresses.