Song of Solomon 8
1 I wish that you were my brother who (nursed at/drank milk from) my mother’s breasts [when you were a baby], [because, if you were my brother], if I saw you when you were outside [the house], I could kiss you, and no one would say that my doing that was wrong.
O that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breast of my mother! When I found thee abroad, I might kiss thee; And for it no one would deride me.
2 [No one would object if] I led you to my mother’s house, to where my mother, who taught me [many things], lives. I would like to take you to my mother’s house because I would [like to make love to you] [EUP], [and that would be as delightful as] [MET] juice [squeezed] from pomegranates.
I will lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, that thou mayst teach me; I will give thee spiced wine to drink, and the juice of my pomegranates.
3 You would put your left arm under my head and with your right arm hold me close.
His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraceth me.
4 [I would say to] you women of Jerusalem, “Solemnly promise me that you will not disturb us while we are making love until we are ready to quit.”
[[Lov.]] I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem! That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, Till she please!
5 Who is that [woman] who is coming up from the desert, (leaning on/clinging close to) the man who loves her? I woke you up [when you were] under the apple tree at the place where your mother conceived you, which is the same place where she gave birth to you.
[[Lad.]] Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? [[M.]] Under the apple-tree I awakened thee; There thy mother brought thee forth; There she that bore thee brought thee forth!
6 Keep me [close to you], like [SIM] a seal on your heart, [or] like [SIM] a bracelet on your arm. Our love [for each other] is as powerful as death, it is as enduring as the grave. [It is as though] our love [for each other] bursts into flames and burns like a hot fire. (Sheol h7585)
O set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm! For love is strong as death; True love is firm as the grave: Its flames are flames of fire, The fire of Jehovah. (Sheol h7585)
7 Nothing can extinguish our love [for each other], not [even] a flood. If a man tried to cause a woman to love him by saying he would give her everything that is in his house, she would refuse.
Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can floods drown it. Would a man give all the wealth of his house for love, It would be utterly contemned.
8 We have a younger sister, and her breasts are still small. So this is [RHQ] what we should do for her on the day that we promise [some young man] that he can marry her:
[[Br.]] We have a sister who is yet young; She is yet without breasts. What shall we do with our sister, When she shall be spoken for?
9 If [her chest is flat like] [MET] a wall, we will [decorate it by] putting silver [jewels that are like] [MET] towers on it. Or, if she is [flat like] [MET] a door, we will decorate her with bits/pieces of cedar wood.
If she be a wall, We will build upon it a silver tower; If she be an open gate, We will inclose her with planks of cedar.
10 My [chest was previously flat like] [MET] a wall, [but now] my breasts are [big] like [SIM] towers. So the one who loves me is delighted with me.
[[Sis.]] I am a wall, and my breasts like towers; Therefore am I become in his eyes as one that findeth peace.
11 [King] Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon, and he rented it to people for them to take care of it. He required each one to pay him 1,000 pieces of silver [each year] for the grapes [that they harvested].
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He let out the vineyard to keepers; Every one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
12 [But my body is like] [MET] my own vineyard, and Solomon, I am giving it to you. [You do not need to pay me] 1,000 pieces of silver [to enjoy my body], but I will give 200 pieces of silver to those who take care of me [MET].
My vineyard is before my eyes. Be thine the thousand, O Solomon! And two hundred to the keepers of its fruit!
13 You are staying in the gardens and my friends are listening to your voice; [so] allow me to hear it, [too.]
[[Lov.]] Thou that dwellest in the gardens! Friends listen to thy voice; Let me hear thee!
14 You who love me, come [to me] quickly; [run to me] [MET, EUP] as fast as [SIM] a gazelle or young deer runs across [MET] hills of spices.
Fly, my beloved! like a gazelle, or a young hind, Upon the mountains of spices.
