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The Young Woman’s Brothers

We have a little sister
    too young to have breasts.
What will we do for our sister
    if someone asks to marry her?
If she is a virgin, like a wall,
    we will protect her with a silver tower.
But if she is promiscuous, like a swinging door,
    we will block her door with a cedar bar.

Young Woman

10 I was a virgin, like a wall;
    now my breasts are like towers.
When my lover looks at me,
    he is delighted with what he sees.

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The Loved One’s Brothers

We[a] have a little sister,
    and she has not yet reached maturity.[b]
What will we do for our sister
    to prepare her for[c] her engagement?[d]
If she’s a wall,
    on her we will build a battlement of silver.
If she’s a door,
    we will enclose her with planks of cedar.

The Loved One

10 I was a wall and my breasts were like towers.
    Then I became like one who finds peace[e] in his eyes.

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 8:8 I.e. the bride’s brothers
  2. Song of Solomon 8:8 Lit. has no breasts
  3. Song of Solomon 8:8 Lit. sister on the day when she’s spoken for
  4. Song of Solomon 8:8 Or marriage
  5. Song of Solomon 8:10 Or contentment