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 like my brother, who sucked the breasts of my mother. If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.

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 lead you, bringing you into my mother's house, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my 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. His right hand would embrace 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 adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

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 wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.

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)

Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD. (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.—

Many waters can't quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.

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 little sister. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is to be spoken for?

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 build on her a turret of silver. If she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

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 like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

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 vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels 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 own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon; two hundred for those who tend its fruit.

13 “Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions listen for thy voice: oh let me hear it.”

You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice.

14 Flee away, my friend, and be thou like the roebuck, or the fawn of the hinds, upon the mountain of spices.

Come away, my beloved. Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.