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.

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(A)Who 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.

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
    as (B)a seal upon your arm,
for (C)love is strong as death,
    (D)jealousy[a] is fierce as the grave.[b]
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
    the very (E)flame of the Lord.
Many waters cannot quench love,
    neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
    all the wealth of his (F)house,
    he[c] would be utterly despised.

Final Advice

Others

We have a little sister,
    and she (G)has no 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 battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
    we will enclose her with (H)boards of cedar.

She

10 (I)I was a wall,
    and my (J)breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
    as one who finds[d] peace.

11 Solomon had (K)a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
    he (L)let out the vineyard to (M)keepers;
    each one was to bring for its fruit (N)a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
    you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
    and (O)the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

He

13 (P)O you who dwell in the gardens,
    with (Q)companions listening for your voice;
    (R)let me hear it.

She

14 (S)Make haste, my beloved,
    and be (T)like a gazelle
or a young stag
    on (U)the mountains of spices.

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 8:6 Or ardor
  2. Song of Solomon 8:6 Hebrew as Sheol
  3. Song of Solomon 8:7 Or it
  4. Song of Solomon 8:10 Or brings out