Song of Solomon 8
1 O that you were to me like a brother who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
I would that you, O my kinsman, were he that sucked the breasts of my mother; when I found you without, I would kiss you; yes, they should not despise me.
2 I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
I would take you, I would bring you into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me; I would make you to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranates.
3 His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.
His left hand [should be] under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.
4 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
I have charged you, you daughters of Jerusalem, by the virtues of the field, that you stir not up, nor awake [my] love, until he please.
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth.
Who is this that comes up all white, leaning on her kinsman? I raised you up under an apple tree; there your mother brought you forth; there she that bore you brought you forth.
6 Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. (Sheol h7585)
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave, her shafts are shafts of fire, [even] the flames thereof. (Sheol h7585)
7 Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.
Much water will not be able to quench love, and rivers shall not drown it; if a man would give all his substance for love, [men] would utterly despise it.
8 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?
Our sister is little, and has no breasts; what shall we do for our sister, in the day wherein she shall be spoken for?
9 If she is a wall, we will build a tower of silver upon her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
If she is a wall, let us build upon her silver bulwarks; and if she is a door, let us carve for her cedar panels.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings peace.
I am a wall, and my breasts are as towers; I was in their eyes as one that found peace.
11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver.
Solomon had a vineyard in Beelamon; he let his vineyard to keepers; every one was to bring for its fruit a thousand [pieces] of silver.
12 But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.
My vineyard, even mine, is before me; Solomon [shall have] a thousand, and they that keep its fruit two hundred.
13 You who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!
You that dwell in the gardens, the companions listen to your voice: make me hear [it].
14 Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
Away, my kinsman, and be like a doe or a fawn on the mountains of spices.
