Song of Solomon 8
1 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.
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.
2 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.
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.
3 His left hand would be under my head, And his right hand embrace me.
His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.
4 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, ...Why should ye stir up, why awake [my] love, till he please?
O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
5 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.
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.
6 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. (Sheol h7585)
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)
7 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.
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.
8 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? —
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?
9 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.
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.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers; Then was I in his eyes as one that findeth peace.
I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings 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.
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.
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.
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.
13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, The companions hearken to thy voice: Let me hear [it].
You who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!
14 Haste, my beloved, And be thou like a gazelle or a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.
Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
