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Oh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! Should I find thee without, I would kiss thee; And they would not despise me.

I would lead thee, bring thee into my mother's house; Thou wouldest instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.

His left hand would be under my head, And his right hand embrace me.

I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, … Why should ye stir up, why awake [my] love, till he please?

Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awoke thee under the apple-tree: There thy mother brought thee forth; There she brought thee forth [that] bore thee.

Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as Sheol: The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, Flames of Jah.

Many waters cannot quench love, Neither do the floods drown it: Even if a man gave all the substance of his house for love, It would utterly be contemned.

We have a little sister, And she hath no breasts: What shall we do for our sister In the day when she shall be spoken for?—

If she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret of silver; And if she be a door, We will enclose her with boards of cedar.

10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers; Then was I in his eyes as one that findeth peace.

11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon: He let out the vineyard unto keepers; Every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand silver-pieces.

12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: The thousand [silver-pieces] be to thee, Solomon; And to the keepers of its fruit, two hundred.

13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, The companions hearken to thy voice: Let me hear [it].

14 Haste, my beloved, And be thou like a gazelle or a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.

If only you were to me like a brother,
    who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
    I would kiss you,
    and no one would despise me.
I would lead you
    and bring you to my mother’s house(A)
    she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the nectar of my pomegranates.
His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.(B)
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(C)

Friends

Who is this coming up from the wilderness(D)
    leaning on her beloved?

She

Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived(E) you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love(F) is as strong as death,
    its jealousy[a](G) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.[b]
Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it[c] would be utterly scorned.(H)

Friends

We have a little sister,
    and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day she is spoken for?
If she is a wall,
    we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
    we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

She

10 I am a wall,
    and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
    like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard(I) in Baal Hamon;
    he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
    a thousand shekels[d](J) of silver.
12 But my own vineyard(K) is mine to give;
    the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.

He

13 You who dwell in the gardens
    with friends in attendance,
    let me hear your voice!

She

14 Come away, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle(L)
or like a young stag(M)
    on the spice-laden mountains.(N)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 8:6 Or ardor
  2. Song of Songs 8:6 Or fire, / like the very flame of the Lord
  3. Song of Songs 8:7 Or he
  4. Song of Songs 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms; also in verse 12
  5. Song of Songs 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms