Song of Solomon 8
World English Bible
8 Oh that you were like my brother,
who nursed from the breasts of my mother!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you;
yes, and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother,
who would instruct me.
I would have you drink spiced wine,
of the juice of my pomegranate.
3 His left hand would be under my head.
His right hand would embrace me.
4 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,
that you not stir up, nor awaken love,
until it so desires.
Friends
5 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?
Beloved
Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother conceived you.
There she was in labor and bore you.
6 Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm;
for love is strong as death.
Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol.[a]
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a very flame of Yahweh.[b]
7 Many waters can’t quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love,
he would be utterly scorned.
Brothers
8 We have a little sister.
She has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
in the day when she is to be spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build on her a turret of silver.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
Beloved
10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers,
then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon.
He leased out the vineyard to keepers.
Each was to bring a thousand shekels[c] of silver for its fruit.
12 My own vineyard is before me.
The thousand are for you, Solomon,
two hundred 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 beloved!
Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!
Song of Songs 8
Modern English Version
8 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 no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you and bring you
into the house of my mother,
she who used to instruct me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the juice of my pomegranates.
3 His left hand is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me!
4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
do not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
Friends of the Woman
5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning upon her beloved?
The Woman
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 a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death,
passion fierce as the grave.
Its fires of desire are as ardent flames,
a most intense flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his house,
it would be utterly condemned.
Brothers of the Woman
8 We have a little sister,
and she has no breasts.
What will we do for our sister
on the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build upon her a battlement of silver;
but if she is a door,
we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
The Woman
10 I was a wall,
and my breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
as one who finds peace.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon;
he leased the vineyard to keepers;
each man was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
The Man
13 O you who dwell in the gardens,
my companions listen for your voice;
let me hear it!
The Woman
14 Make haste, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle or a young stag
on the mountains of spices!
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.