Reflections on Song of Solomon 1

 Song of Solomon 01 (Contemporary English Version)

1. This is Solomon's most beautiful song.
   
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. We are happy for you! And we praise your love even more than wine. 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! Where do you feed your sheep and let them rest at noon?
   
8. My dearest, if you don't know, just follow the path of the sheep. Then feed your young goats near the shepherds' tents.
   
9. You move as gracefully as the pony that leads the chariot of the king.
   
10. Earrings add to your beauty, and you wear a necklace of precious stones.
    
11. Let's make you some jewelry of gold, woven with silver.
    
12. My king, while you were on your couch, my love was a magic charm.
    
13. My darling, you are perfume between my breasts;
    
14. you are flower blossoms from the gardens of En-Gedi.
    
15. My darling, you are lovely, so very lovely-- your eyes are those of a dove.
    
16. My love, you are handsome, truly handsome-- the fresh green grass will be our wedding bed
    
17. in the shade of cedar and cypress trees.

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Song of Solomon is a single song written by Solomon and might be considered his best song. There are various interpretations of its meaning, from a picture of Christ's love for the church to God's love for Israel to an understanding of a proper romantic love in courtship and marriage. It is this later understanding which is taken in these reflections.

The female lover, the beloved, anticipates the exhilaration of making love with her lover who all the women find attractive. She is anxious to be called into the king's chambers, perhaps to plead to be released to be with her lover. The beloved was self-conscious of her appearance for her brothers made her work the vineyards and the sun had darkened her skin. So she had not been able to care for herself, her own vineyard.

The beloved wishes to be with her lover and enquires of where to find him - "Where do you pasture your sheep?" She would rather be with him than as a veiled woman in the presence of other men. The lover responds telling her to follow the sheep and she will find him and can pasture nearby. The lover goes on to tell the beloved of her beauty to him, contrasting her self-consciousness about her dark skin. He tells her she is as attractive as if she were the only woman among many men. Her jewelry accentuated her beauty.

The beloved can think only of her lover even while sitting by the king on his couch. She has a sachet of myrrh around her neck to remind her of her lover through the night. The lover returns the praise, telling her of her beautiful eyes which were like doves. In the Jewish tradition, a bride with beautiful eyes also possessed a beautiful character.

The beloved again speaks of the handsomeness of her lover. He is not only handsome but also had a delightful personality. She envisioned them together with the grass as a bed and the cedars and cypress as a roof.