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| Song of Solomon, Sir William Russell-Flint, 1909 |
It is not generally realised how much the Old Testament's Song of Solomon pervades modern culture. It contains some of the most beautiful love poetry ever written:
The Song of Songs,
which is Solomon’s
Let him kiss me with the
kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
Because of the savour of
thy good ointments thy name is an ointment poured forth; therefore do the
virgins love you.
Draw 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.
I am black but comely, O
ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Look 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 my own
vineyard have I not kept.
Tell me, O thou whom my
soul loveth, where thou feedest, wherefeedest, 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?
If thou know not, O thou
fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feedthy
kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
I have compared thee, O
my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.
Thy cheeks are comely
with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
We will make thee
borders of gold with studs of silver.
While the king sitteth
at his table, my spikenard (1) sendeth forth the small thereof.
A bundle of myrrh is my
well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
My beloved is unto me as
a cluster of camphire (2) in the vineyards of Engedi.
Behold, thou art fair,
my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast dove’s eyes.
Behold; thou art fair,
my beloved, yea, pleasant; also our bed is green.
The beams of our house
are cedar and our rafters of fir.
(1) Spikenard is an aromatic herb and a member of the ginseng
family.
( (2) Camphire is an archaic name for henna.
It is important to know that this is just the first chapter and that the 'voice' of the poem switches from person to person. Biblical scholars argue whether or not this was written by Solomon or for him. Here are just a few of the references that have been made:
- Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy's 1985 song Kiss Me quotes directly from the Song of
Solomon.
- · Toni Morrison's novel Song of Solomon was
instrumental in her winning a Nobel Prize.
- ·
Chapter 2, verse 15 (not reproduced here) provided
the title for Lillian Hellman’s 1939 play Little Foxes.
- ·
Also the opening line of Chapter 2 provides the
name 'Rose of Sharon' used by Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath.
- ·
Countless number of (mostly obscure) rock groups
have taken their names and song titles from Song of Solomon.
- ·
One of Kate Bush's songs from The Red
Shoes is Song of Solomon
- ·
In his poem When I Hear You Sing, Leonard
Cohen refers to the Song of Solomon.
- ·
Many writers and composers through history have
taken inspiration from this work. They include Geoffrey Chaucer, JS Bach
and up to Steeleye Span and Neil Diamond (in Holly Holy).
I find it amazing how these ancient lines reach out across the millennia and still have resonance today. Be inspired by this poetry and remember that love is better than hate!
