Song of Solomon 1

Song of Solomon · Chapter 1

Song of Solomon 1:5

1The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.3Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.4Draw 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.5I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.6Look 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.7Tell 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?8If 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.9I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.10Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.11We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.12While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.13A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.14My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.15Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.16Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.17The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
5I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.I am dark, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.I am black, but comely, Oh ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
[am] blackשְׁחוֹרָ֤הshe-cho-RAHH7838
black

שָׁחֹר (sha.chor) black

Iאֲנִי֙'a-NIH0589
me

אֲנָא (a.na) I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis) Aramaic of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)

and lovelyוְֽנָאוָ֔הve-na-VAHH5000
lovely

נָאוֶה (na.eh) 1) comely, beautiful, seemly 1a) comely, beautiful 1b) seemly

O daughters ofבְּנ֖וֹתbe-NOTH1323G
daughter

בַּת (bat) : daughter 1) daughter 1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin 1a1) as polite address 1a2) as designation of women of a particular place 2) young women, women 1a3) as personification 1a4) daughter-villages 1a5) description of character Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םye-ru-sha-LIMH3389
Ariel

אֲרִיאֵל (a.ri.el) Ariel = "lion of God" or "lioness of God" Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

like [the] tents ofכְּאָהֳלֵ֣יke-'o-ho-LEIH0168G
tent

אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) : tent 1) tent 1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience 1b) dwelling, home, habitation 1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle) Also means: o.hel (אֹ֫הֶל ": home" H0168H)

Kedarקֵדָ֔רke-DARH6938
Kedar

קֵדָר (qe.dar) A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.13; son of: Ishmael (H3458); brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258) § Kedar = "dark" 1) a son of Ishmael n pr people 2) the descendants of Kedar

like [the] tent curtains ofכִּירִיע֖וֹתki-ri-'otH3407
curtain

יְרִיעָה (ye.ri.ah) curtain, drape

Solomonשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃she-lo-MOHH8010
Jedidiah

יְדִידְיָה (ye.did.yah) A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.5.14; son of: David (H1732) and Bathsheba (H1339); brother of: Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727) and Nathan (H5416); half-brother of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N); married to daughter_of_Pharaoh (H6547P) and Naamah (H5279A); …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.