Song of Solomon 8

Longing for Her Beloved

1 Oh that you were like a brother to me
who nursed at my mother’s breasts!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you,
and none would despise me.
2I would lead you and ^abring you
into the house of my mother—
she who used to teach me.
I would give you ^bspiced wine to drink,
the juice of my pomegranate.
3 ^cHis left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me!
4I ^dadjure you, O ^edaughters of Jerusalem,
^fthat you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
5 ^gWho is that coming up from the wilderness,
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.
6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as ^ha seal upon your arm,
for ⁱlove is strong as death,
^jjealousy ▼

▼Or ardor

is fierce as the grave. ▼

▼Hebrew as  Sheol

Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the very ^mflame of the Lord.
7Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his ⁿhouse,
he ▼

▼Or it

would be utterly despised.

Final Advice

Others

8 We have a little sister,
and she ^phas no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day when she is spoken for?
9If she is a wall,
we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
we will enclose her with ^qboards of cedar.

She

10 ^rI was a wall,
and my ^sbreasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
as one who finds ▼

▼Or brings out

peace.
11 Solomon had ^ua vineyard at Baal-hamon;
he ^vlet out the vineyard to ^wkeepers;
each one was to bring for its fruit ^xa thousand pieces of silver.
12My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
and ^ythe keepers of the fruit two hundred.

He

13 ^zO you who dwell in the gardens,
with ^aacompanions listening for your voice;
^ablet me hear it.

She

14 ^acMake haste, my beloved,
and be ^adlike a gazelle
or a young stag
on ^aethe mountains of spices.