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Who shall give thee to me for my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother, that I may find thee without, and kiss thee, and now no man may despise me?

I will take hold of thee, and bring thee Into my mother's house: there thou shalt teach me, and I will give thee a cup of spiced wine and new wine of my pomegranates.

His left hand under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up, nor awake my love till she please.

Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I raised thee up: there thy mother was corrupted, there she was defloured that bore thee.

Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames.

Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing.

Our sister is little, and hath no breasts. What shall we do to our sister in the day when she is to be spoken to?

If she be a wall: let us build upon it bulwarks of silver: if she be a door, let us join it together with boards or cedar.

10 I am a wall: and my breasts are as a tower since I am become in his presence as one finding peace.

11 The peaceable had a vineyard, in that which hath people: he let out the same to keepers, every man bringeth for the fruit thereof a thousand pieces of silver.

12 My vineyard is before me. A thousand are for thee, the peaceable, and two hundred for them that keep the fruit thereof.

13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken: make me hear thy voice.

14 Flee away, O my beloved, and be like to the roe, and to the young hart upon the mountains of aromatical 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