Song of Solomon 8

1 Oh that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, and none would despise 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 lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, that thou mightest instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the 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 should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.

His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.

4 'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem: Why should ye awaken, or stir up love, until it please?'

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.

5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee; there thy mother was in travail with thee; there was she in travail and brought thee forth.

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 Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave; the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD. (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, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would utterly be contemned.

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 We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall 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 she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards 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 I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof; then was I in his eyes as one that found peace.

I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings peace.

11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he gave over the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof brought in a thousand pieces of silver.

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 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

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 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice: 'Cause me to hear it.'

You who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!

14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a gazelle or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

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