Song of Solomon 8
1 How I wish you were like a brother to me, one who nursed at my mother's breasts! Then if I met you on the street I could kiss you and no one would tell me off.
Bride to Groom: Who will give you to me as my brother, feeding from the breasts of my mother, so that I may discover you outside, and may kiss you, and so that now no one may despise me?
2 Then I could take you home to my mother's house, where she used to teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranate.
I will take hold of you and lead you into my mother’s house. There you will teach me, and I will give you a cup of spiced wine, and of new wine from my pomegranates.
3 He supports my head with his left hand, and holds me close with his right.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
4 Women of Jerusalem, swear to me that you won't disturb our love until the right time.
Groom to Chorus: I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, not to disturb or awaken the beloved, until she wills.
5 Who is this coming in from the wilderness holding her love close to her? Woman: I woke you up under the apple tree where your mother conceived you, and where she gave birth to you.
Chorus to Groom: Who is she, who ascends from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved? Groom to Bride: Under the apple tree, I awakened you. There your mother was corrupted. There she who bore you was violated.
6 Stamp my name as a seal on your heart, like a seal on your arm, for love is strong as death, passion as unyielding as the grave—its arrows flash like fire, a blazing flame of the Lord. (Sheol h7585)
Set me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm. For love is strong, like death, and envy is enduring, like hell: their lamps are made of fire and flames. (Sheol h7585)
7 Floods of water cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot submerge it. If a man offered everything he owned in order to buy love he would be completely rejected.
A multitude of waters cannot extinguish love, nor can a river overwhelm it. If a man were to give all the substance of his house in exchange for love, he would despise it as nothing.
8 We have a younger sister whose breasts are still small. What shall we do for our sister when someone asks to marry her?
Chorus: Our sister is little and has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is called upon?
9 If she is a wall, we will build a silver tower on it. But if she is a door, we will bar the way with cedar planks.
If she is a wall, let us build a rampart of silver upon it. If she is a door, let us join it together with boards of cedar.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So when he looks at me he's happy!
Bride to Chorus: I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers, since, in his presence, I have become like one who has discovered peace.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon which he leased to tenant farmers. Each of them paid him one thousand silver coins for the fruit it produced.
The peaceful one had a vineyard, in that which held the peoples. He handed it on to the caretakers; a man brought, in exchange for its fruit, a thousand pieces of silver.
12 But I own my vineyard, it is mine alone. One thousand silver coins are for you, Solomon, and two hundred for those who look after it.
Groom: My vineyard is before me. The thousand is for your peacefulness, and two hundred is for those who care for its fruit.
13 My darling, sitting there in the gardens with companions listening to you—please talk to me!
Bride to Groom: Your friends are attentive to those who have been dwelling in the gardens. Cause me to heed your voice.
14 Come quickly, my love! Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spices.
Flee away, my beloved, and become like the doe and the young stag upon the mountains of aromatic plants.
