Song of Solomon 8
1 Oh that some one would make thee as my brother that hath sucked my mother's breasts! should I then find thee without, I would kiss thee; and yet, people would not despise me.
Oh that you were my brother, who took milk from my mother's breasts! When I came to you in the street, I would give you kisses; yes, I would not be looked down on.
2 I would lead thee, I would bring thee into my mother's house, thou shouldst teach me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the sweet juice of my pomegranate.
I would take you by the hand into my mother's house, and she would be my teacher. I would give you drink of spiced wine, drink of the pomegranate.
3 Oh that his left hand might be under my head, and that his right hand might embrace me.
His left hand would be under my head, and his right hand about me.
4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, why will ye awaken, and why will ye excite my love, until it please [to come of itself]?—
I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not let love be moved till it is ready.
5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her friend?—Under the apple-tree have I waked thee up; there thy mother brought thee forth; there brought thee forth she that bore thee.
Who is this, who comes up from the waste places, resting on her loved one? It was I who made you awake under the apple-tree, where your mother gave you birth; there she was in pain at your birth.
6 Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm; for strong as death is love; violent like the nether world is jealousy; its heat is the heat of fire, a flame of God. (Sheol h7585)
Put me as a sign on your heart, as a sign on your arm; love is strong as death, and wrath bitter as the underworld: its coals are coals of fire; violent are its flames. (Sheol h7585)
7 Many waters are not able to quench love, nor can the rivers flood it away: if a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, men would utterly despise him.—
Much water may not put out love, or the deep waters overcome it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be judged a price not great enough.
8 We have a little sister, and she hath yet no breasts: what shall we do for our sister on the day when she shall be spoken for?
We have a young sister, and she has no breasts; what are we to do for our sister in the day when she is given to a man?
9 If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.—
If she is a wall, we will make on her a strong base of silver; and if she is a door, we will let her be shut up with cedar-wood.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favor.
I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers; then was I in his eyes as one to whom good chance had come.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Ba'al-hamon; he had given up the vineyard unto the keepers; every one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
Solomon had a vine-garden at Baal-hamon; he let out the vine-garden to keepers; every one had to give a thousand bits of silver for its fruit.
12 My vineyard, which was mine, was before me: thine, O Solomon, be the thousand, and let two hundred be for those that keep its fruit.—
My vine-garden, which is mine, is before me: you, O Solomon, will have the thousand, and those who keep the fruit of them two hundred.
13 “Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions listen for thy voice: oh let me hear it.”
You who have your resting-place in the gardens, the friends give ear to your voice; make me give ear to it.
14 Flee away, my friend, and be thou like the roebuck, or the fawn of the hinds, upon the mountain of spices.
Come quickly, my loved one, and be like a roe on the mountains of spice.
