Love Is Better than Wine

Song of Solomon 1: 1-7

1 This is Solomon’s
    most beautiful song.

She Speaks:

² Kiss me tenderly!
Your love is better than wine,
³     and you smell so sweet.
All the young women adore you;
the very mention of your name
    is like spreading perfume.
⁴ Hurry, my king! Let’s hurry.
⁵     Take me to your home.

The Young Women Speak:

We are happy for you!
And we praise your love
    even more than wine.

She Speaks:

Young women of Jerusalem,
it is only right
    that you should adore him.
My skin is dark and beautiful,
like a tent in the desert
    or like Solomon’s curtains.
⁶ Don’t stare at me
just because the sun
    has darkened my skin.
My brothers were angry with me;
they made me work in the vineyard,
    and so I neglected
    my complexion.

Don’t let the other shepherds
    think badly of me.

⁷ I’m not one of those women
who shamelessly follow
    after shepherds

My darling, I love you!