Song of Solomon 8

1 Who doth make thee as a brother to me, Sucking the breasts of my mother? I find thee without, I kiss thee, Yea, they do not despise me,

I wish that you were like my brother, who nursed at my mother's breasts. Then whenever I met you outside, I could kiss you, and no one would despise me.

2 I lead thee, I bring thee in unto my mother's house, She doth teach me, I cause thee to drink of the perfumed wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate,

I would lead you and bring you into my mother's house— she who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink and some of the juice of my pomegranates.

3 His left hand [is] under my head, And his right doth embrace me.

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

4 I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, How ye stir up, And how ye wake the love till she please!

I want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, that you will not interrupt our lovemaking until it is over.

5 Who [is] this coming from the wilderness, Hasting herself for her beloved? Under the citron-tree I have waked thee, There did thy mother pledge thee, There she gave a pledge [that] bare thee.

Who is this who is coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? The woman speaking to the man I awakened you under the apricot tree; there your mother conceived you; there she gave birth to you, she delivered you.

6 Set me as a seal on thy heart, as a seal on thine arm, For strong as death is love, Sharp as Sheol is jealousy, Its burnings [are] burnings of fire, a flame of Jah! (Sheol h7585)

Set me as a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm, for love is as strong as death. Passionate devotion is as unrelenting as Sheol; its flames burst out; it is a blazing flame, a flame hotter than any other fire. (Sheol h7585)

7 Many waters are not able to quench the love, And floods do not wash it away. If one give all the wealth of his house for love, Treading down — they tread upon it.

Surging waters cannot quench love, nor can floods sweep it away. If a man gave all the possessions in his house for love, the offer would utterly be despised.

8 We have a little sister, and breasts she hath not, What do we do for our sister, In the day that it is told of her?

We have a little sister, and her breasts have not yet grown. What can we do for our sister on the day when she will be promised in marriage?

9 If she is a wall, we build by her a palace of silver. And if she is a door, We fashion by her board-work of cedar.

If she is a wall, we will build on her a tower of silver. If she is a door, we will adorn her with boards of cedar.

10 I [am] a wall, and my breasts as towers, Then I have been in his eyes as one finding peace.

I was a wall, but my breasts are now like fortress towers; so I am in his eyes as one who brings peace.

11 Solomon hath a vineyard in Baal-Hamon, He hath given the vineyard to keepers, Each bringeth for its fruit a thousand silverlings;

Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He gave the vineyard to those who would maintain it. Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

12 My vineyard — my own — is before me, The thousand [is] for thee, O Solomon. And the two hundred for those keeping its fruit. O dweller in gardens!

My vineyard, my very own, is before me; the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, and the two hundred shekels are for those who maintain its fruit.

13 The companions are attending to thy voice, Cause me to hear. Flee, my beloved, and be like to a roe,

You who live in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice; let me hear it.

14 Or to a young one of the harts on mountains of spices!

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