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She has difficulty in being fully transparent before her beloved and even those around her, and says , "Do not look upon me.." - she feels ashamed because of her upbringing and the way life has treated her (the sun has been beating down on her making her complexion darker than normal). See the hebrew word for ' look' and you'll find that she literally says "Do not shepherd / feed me", she feels unworthy of his attention and care. Indeed, as she says this to the Daughters of Jerusalem, she feels unworthy to be shepherded at all by anyone. Why ?
“I am dark” - She was aware of her sin in his presence. We become aware of our own sinfulness on coming closer to God.
“But lovely” - She has a glimmer of hope as she speaks out her mixed feelings. Her Beloved keeps coming to her and caring for her so she must have some comeliness. Due to what He has been doing in our lives we can see that He has made something beautiful of us. (Look up the hebrew and notice it's full meaning).
There is a mixture in her life - the ‘ Tents of Kedar (dark)’ speak of areas of backsliding in us, the ‘ Curtains of Solomon’ speaks of the Glory of God in us because of our healthy fear of Him.
She has been darkened (stained with sin) bacause she’s been tended the wrong vineyard.
VINEYARD = Either own life or area of ministry (Church)
She has been living under the expectations of others ( Mother's sons) and not tending her own vineyard (she eventually does in 8:12). Her siblings have forced her into an area of responsibility that is not her rightful one!
What does this speak to you ? Can this happen in your Christian life ? Take time to pray for the Lord to reveal any 'vineyards' you've been pressurized wrongly into working in. Pray for Him to reveal His vineyard for you to be throwing your life into.