O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.

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.

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

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.

Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

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

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?

If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace 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 towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.

11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; 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, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to 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.

O, 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.
I would lead you
    and bring you into my mother’s house—
    she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink
    from the nectar of my pomegranate.
O that his left hand were under my head,
    and his right hand embraced me.

I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem,
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so delights.

Protecting Love

Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her lover?
Under the apple tree I roused you.
    There your mother travailed with you.
There she who was in labor gave you birth.
Set me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
    jealousy as cruel as Sheol.
Its flames are bolts of fire,
    the flame of Adonai.
Many waters cannot quench love,
    nor rivers wash it away.
If one gave all the wealth of his house for love,
    it would be utterly despised.

We have a little sister,
    still without breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day when she is spoken for?
If she is a wall,
    we will build on her a turret of silver.
If she is a door,
    we will fence her in with cedar plank.

10 I am a wall,
    and my breasts like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
    as one bringing shalom.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon.
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers.
Each was to bring for his fruit
    a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My very own vineyard is before me.
The thousand are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred for those
    who tend the fruit.

13 You who abide in the gardens,
    friends are listening for your voice.
Let me hear it!

14 Come quickly, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!

The Lovers Speak

“Oh, that you were like a brother to me,
Who nursed at the breasts of my mother.
If I found you out of doors, I would kiss you;
No one would blame me or despise me, either.(A)

“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.

“Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.”(B)

(The Bridegroom)


“I command you to take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,
That you do not rouse nor awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

(The Chorus)


“Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning upon her beloved?”

(The Shulammite Bride)

“Under the apple tree I awakened you [to my love];
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.

“Put me like a seal on your heart,
Like a seal on your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead).
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
[A most vehement flame] the very flame of the [a]Lord!(C)

“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can rivers drown it.
If a man would offer all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly scorned and despised.”

(The Chorus)


“We have a little sister
And she has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
On the day when she is spoken for [in marriage]?

“If she is a wall (discreet, womanly),
We will build on her a turret (dowry) of silver;
But if she is a door (bold, flirtatious),
We will enclose her with planks of cedar.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

10 
“I was a wall, and my breasts were like the towers.
Then I became in the king’s eyes
As one [to be respected and allowed] to find peace.
11 
“Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers;
Each one was to bring him a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
12 
“My very own vineyard is at my disposal;
The thousand [shekels of silver] are for you, O Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who tend the fruit.”

(The Bridegroom)

13 
“O you who sit in the gardens,
My companions are listening for your voice—
Let me hear it.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

14 
“Hurry, my beloved and come quickly,
Like a gazelle or a young stag [taking me home]
On the mountains of spices.”

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 8:6 Heb YHWH (Yahweh).