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.

2 I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, Who would instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.

3 His left hand should be under my head, And his right hand should embrace me.

4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, Until he please.

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 that brought thee 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 Sheol; The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, A very flame of Jehovah.

7 Many waters cannot quench love, Neither can floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, He would utterly be contemned.

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?

9 If she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret of silver: And if she be a door, We will inclose her with boards 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.

11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He let out the vineyard unto keepers; Every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces 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.

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

14 Make haste, my beloved, And be thou like to a roe or to a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.

Song of Solomon 8

The Beloved’s Wish Song

1 Oh, how I wish you weret my little brother,t
nursing at my mother’s breasts;
if I sawt you outside, I could kiss you –
surelyt no one would despise me!s

2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house,
the one who taught me.st
I would give yous spiced winest to drink,s
the nectar of my pomegranates.ss

Double Refrain: Embracing and Adjuration

3 His left hand caresses my head,
and his right hand stimulates me.t

4 I admonish you, O maidenst of Jerusalem:
“Do nott arouse or awaken love until it pleases!”

The Awakening of Love

5 Who is this coming up from the desert,
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I aroused you;s
there your mother conceived you,
there she who bore you was in labor of childbirth.t

The Nature of True Love

6 Set me like a cylinder seals over your heart,ts
like a signett on your arm.t
For love is as strong as death,s
passiont is as unrelentingt as Sheol.
Its flames burst forth,t
it is a blazing flame.t

7 Surging waters cannot quench love;
floodwaterst cannot overflow it.
If someone were to offer all his possessionst to buy love,t
the offert would be utterly despised.t

The Brother’s Plan and the Sister’s Reward

8 We have a little sister,
and as yet she has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day when she is spoken for?s

9 If she is a wall,s
we will build on her a battlements of silver;
but if she is a door,
we will barricades her with boardst of cedar.s

10 I was a wall,
and my breasts were like fortress towers.s
Then I found favort in his eyes.t

Solomon’s Vineyard and the Beloved’s Vineyard

11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon;
he leased outt the vineyard to those who maintained it.
Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

12 My vineyard,s which belongs to me,t is at my disposal alone.t
The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon,
and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit.

Epilogue: The Lover’s Request and His Beloved’s Invitation

13 O you who stay in the gardens,
my companions are listening attentivelyt for your voice;
let me be the one tos hear it!t

14 Make haste, my beloved!
Be like a gazelle or a young stag
on the mountains of spices.