Song of Solomon 8
1 Oh that thou hadst been a very brother to me, who had sucked the breasts of my own mother, —Had I found thee without, I had kissed thee, Yea, folk would not have despised me!
Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.
2 I would have guided thee—brought thee into the house of my mother, Thou wouldst have instructed me, —I would have let thee drink of spiced wine, of the pressed-out juice of my pomegranate.
I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
3 His left hand under my head, then, his right hand, embraceth me.
His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.
4 I [HE] adjure you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, —Why will ye wake, and why will ye arouse the dear love until she please!
I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
5 [THEY] Who is this, coming up out of the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? [HE] Under the apple-tree, I roused thee, where thy mother, was in pain with thee, where she was in pain who gave thee birth!
Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Beloved Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.
6 [SHE] Set me as a seal, upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm, For, mighty as death, is love, Exacting as hades, is jealousy, —The flames thereof, are flames of fire, The flash of Yah! (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 (Sheol h7585). Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD.
7 Many waters, cannot quench love, nor shall, floods, overwhelm it, —If a man would give all the substance of his house, for love, they would, utterly despise, him.
Many waters cannot 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 [THEY] A sister, have we, a little one, and, breasts, hath she none, What shall we do for our sister, in the day when she may 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, a wall, she is, we will build upon it a battlement of silver, —but if, a door, she is, we will close it up with a plank 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 [SHE] I, was a wall, and, my breasts, like towers, —Then, became I, in his eyes, one who did indeed find good content.
I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.
11 A vineyard, had Solomon, as the owner of abundance, He put out the vineyard to keepers, —Every man, was to bring in, for the fruit thereof, a thousand silverlings:
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 Mine own vineyard, is before me, —The thousand belong to thee, O Solomon, and two hundred to the keepers of the fruit thereof.
My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon, two hundred for those who tend its fruit.
13 [HE] O thou fair dweller in the gardens, the companions are giving heed to thy voice, Let me hear it.
You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!
14 [SHE] Come quickly, my beloved, and resemble thou a gazelle, or a young stag, upon the mountains of balsam-trees.
Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!
