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Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I am black, but fair, as the tabernacles of Kedar, as the skins of Solomon. (Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I am black, and beautiful, like the tents of Kedar, and like Solomon’s curtains.)

Do not ye behold me, that I am black, for the sun hath discoloured me; the sons of my mother fought against me, they set me a keeper in vineries; I kept not my vinery. (Do not ye look down upon me, because I am black, for the sun hath coloured me, that is, it hath tanned me; the sons of my mother fought against me, and they made me the guardian of the vineyards; and so I could not look after my own vineyard.)

Thou spouse, whom my soul loveth, show to me, where thou pasturest, (yea,) where thou restest in midday; lest I begin to wander, after the flocks of thy fellows.

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Dark am I, yet lovely,(A)
    daughters of Jerusalem,(B)
dark like the tents of Kedar,(C)
    like the tent curtains of Solomon.[a]
Do not stare at me because I am dark,
    because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
    and made me take care of the vineyards;(D)
    my own vineyard I had to neglect.
Tell me, you whom I love,
    where you graze your flock
    and where you rest your sheep(E) at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled(F) woman
    beside the flocks of your friends?

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 1:5 Or Salma