Song of Solomon 4
What Happens in This Chapter
In this chapter a man praises the woman he loves, using pictures from farms, towers, and gardens. He calls her his sister and his bride, and asks her to come with him from the mountains of Lebanon. He says her love is better than wine, and calls her a locked garden full of spices. At the end she calls the wind to blow over the garden and invites him in.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
1Look at you. You are lovely, my darling. You are so lovely! Behind your veil, your eyes are gentle like doves. Your hair flows down like a flock of goats coming down Mount Gilead.
2Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
2Your teeth are white, like sheep just washed and newly cut. Every tooth has its matching pair. Not one is missing.
3Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.
3Your lips are like a bright red ribbon. Your mouth is lovely. Behind your veil, the side of your face is like a slice of red pomegranate.
4Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
4Your neck stands tall like the tower of David, built with rows of stone. A thousand shields hang on that tower. They are the shields of strong soldiers.
5Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.
5Your breasts are like two baby deer, twins that eat among the lilies.
6Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
6Before the day comes and the shadows run away, I will go away. I will go to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense.
Myrrh and frankincense are sweet-smelling sap that comes from trees. People burned them or wore them like perfume.
7Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.
7You are lovely all the way through, my darling. There is nothing wrong in you.
8Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.
8Come with me from Lebanon, my bride. Come with me from Lebanon! Come down from the top of Amana. Come down from the tops of Senir and Hermon. Come away from the caves of lions and the hills of leopards.
9Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
9You have taken my heart, my sister, my bride. One look from your eyes took my heart. One jewel on your neck took my heart.
In love songs like this one, "my sister" was a warm, loving name for the woman. It does not mean they are family.
10How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!
10How sweet your love is, my sister, my bride! Your love is much better than wine. Your perfume smells better than every spice.
11Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
11Your lips drip sweetness, my bride, like honey from a honeycomb. Honey and milk are under your tongue. Your clothes smell like the trees of Lebanon.
12A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
12You are a garden with a locked gate, my sister, my bride. You are a spring closed in. You are a fountain sealed shut.
13Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,
13The plants growing in you are an orchard of pomegranates with the very best fruit. Henna and nard grow there too.
Henna, nard, saffron, calamus, cinnamon, myrrh, and aloes are plants people used to make perfume and sweet smells.
14Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:
14Nard and saffron grow there, and calamus and cinnamon, and every kind of frankincense tree. Myrrh and aloes grow there, with all the finest spices.
15A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.
15You are a spring in a garden. You are a well of fresh water. You are a stream flowing down from Lebanon.
16Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
16Wake up, north wind! Come here, south wind! Blow across my garden and carry its sweet smells out. Let the one I love come into his garden. Let him eat its best fruit.
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