Longing for Her Beloved
8
Oh that you were like a brother to mewho nursed at my mother’s breasts!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you,
and none would despise me.
2 I would lead you and (A)bring you
into the house of my mother—
she who used to teach me.
I would give you (B)spiced wine to drink,
the juice of my pomegranate.
3 ©His left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me!
4 I (D)adjure you, O (E)daughters of Jerusalem,
(F)that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
5 (G)Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
there she who bore you was in labor.
There your mother was in labor with you;
there she who bore you was in labor.
6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as (H)a seal upon your arm,
for (I)love is strong as death,
(J)jealousy[a] is fierce as the grave.[b]
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the very (K)flame of the Lord.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his (L)house,
he[c] would be utterly despised.
as (H)a seal upon your arm,
for (I)love is strong as death,
(J)jealousy[a] is fierce as the grave.[b]
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the very (K)flame of the Lord.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his (L)house,
he[c] would be utterly despised.
Final Advice
Others
8 We have a little sister,
and she (M)has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
we will enclose her with (N)boards of cedar.
and she (M)has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
we will enclose her with (N)boards of cedar.
She
10 (O)I was a wall,
and my (P)breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
as one who finds[d] peace.
and my (P)breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
as one who finds[d] peace.
11 Solomon had (Q)a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
he ®let out the vineyard to (S)keepers;
each one was to bring for its fruit (T)a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
and (U)the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
he ®let out the vineyard to (S)keepers;
each one was to bring for its fruit (T)a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
and (U)the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
He
13 (V)O you who dwell in the gardens,
with (W)companions listening for your voice;
(X)let me hear it.
with (W)companions listening for your voice;
(X)let me hear it.
She
14 (Y)Make haste, my beloved,
and be (Z)like a gazelle
or a young stag
on (AA)the mountains of spices.
and be (Z)like a gazelle
or a young stag
on (AA)the mountains of spices.
Footnotes
- Song of Solomon 8:6 Or ardor
- Song of Solomon 8:6 Hebrew as Sheol
- Song of Solomon 8:7 Or it
- Song of Solomon 8:10 Or brings out