SONG OF SOLOMON
CHAPTER 8

¹ If only you were to me like a brother,
who was nursed at my mother's breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
I would kiss you,
and no one would despise me.
² I would lead you
and bring you to my mother's house-
she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the nectar of my pomegranates.
³ His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.
⁴ Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.

Friends
⁵ Who is this coming up from the desert
leaning on her lover?

Beloved
Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
⁶ Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy ^[1] unyielding as the grave. ^[2]
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame. ^[3]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of his house for love,
it ^[4] would be utterly scorned.

Friends
⁸ We have a young sister,
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
for the day she is spoken for?
⁹ If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

Beloved
¹⁰ I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.
¹¹ Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon;
he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels ^[5] of silver.
¹² But my own vineyard is mine to give;
the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon,
and two hundred ^[6] are for those who tend its fruit.

Lover
¹³ You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!

Beloved
¹⁴ Come away, my lover,
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
on the spice-laden mountains.

Footnotes

1. 8:6 Or ardor
2. 8:6 Hebrew Sheol
3. 8:6 Or / like the very flame of the LORD
4. 8:7 Or he
5. 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds (about 11.5 kilograms); also in verse 12
6. 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds (about 2.3 kilograms)

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Bible text from Gospelcom.net.  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

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