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,

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 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, 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 [is] under my head, And his right doth embrace me.

His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.

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

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

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 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 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 on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD. (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.

Many waters can’t 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 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. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is to be spoken for?

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 turret of silver. If she is a door, we will enclose 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 am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found 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 leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each 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 own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon, two hundred for those who tend 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 dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!

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

Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!