Song of Solomon 8:1-7

English Standard Version

Longing for Her Beloved

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 none would despise me.
²I would lead you and ^(A)bring you
    into the house of my mother—
    she who used to teach me.
I would give you ^(B)spiced wine to drink,
    the juice of my pomegranate.
³^(C)His left hand is under my head,
    and his right hand embraces me!
⁴I ^(D)adjure you, O ^(E)daughters of Jerusalem,
    ^(F)that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

⁵^(G)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.

⁶Set me as a seal upon your heart,
    as ^(H)a seal upon your arm,
for ^(I)love is strong as death,
    ^(J)jealousy^[a] is fierce as the grave.^[b]
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
    the very ^(K)flame of the Lord.
⁷Many waters cannot quench love,
    neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
    all the wealth of his ^(L)house,
    he^[c] would be utterly despised.