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!
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 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 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 under my head, then, his right hand, embraceth me.
His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces 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!
O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
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 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 [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 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, nor shall, floods, overwhelm it, —If a man would give all the substance of his house, for love, they would, utterly despise, him.
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 [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, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is 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 a tower of silver upon her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels 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 are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings 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 in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver.
12 Mine own vineyard, is before me, —The thousand belong to thee, O Solomon, and two hundred to the keepers of the fruit thereof.
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 [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, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!
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, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
