Song of Solomon 8

The Lovers Speak

1 "Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother's breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.

2 "I would lead you and bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.

3 "Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me."

4 "tI want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
Do not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases."

5 "tWho is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning on her beloved?"

"tBeneath the apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.

6 "Put me like a tseal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the LORD.

7 "Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised."

8 "tWe have a little sister,
And she 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 barricade her with planks of cedar."

10 "tI was a wall, and my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.

11 "Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers.
Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

12 "My very own vineyard is at my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit."

13 "tO you who sit in the gardens,
My companions are listening for your voice-
Let me hear it!"

14 "tHurry, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle or a young stag
On 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.