Song of Solomon 8
New American Standard Bible
The Lovers Speak
8 “Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.
2 I would lead you and (A)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.
3 Let (B)his left hand be under my head,
And his right hand embrace me.”
The Groom
4 “(C)Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem:
[a]Do not disturb or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”
The Chorus
5 “(D)Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
Leaning on her beloved?”
The Bride
“Beneath the (E)apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother went into labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave birth to you.
6 Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a (F)seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
[b](G)Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flames are flames of fire,
[c]The flame of the Lord.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers flood over it;
(H)If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”
The Chorus
8 “We have a little sister,
And she (I)has no breasts;
What shall we do for our sister
On the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
We will build on her a battlement of silver;
But if she is a door,
We will barricade her with (J)planks of cedar.”
The Bride
10 “I was a wall, and (K)my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.
11 Solomon had a (L)vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He (M)entrusted the vineyard to (N)caretakers.
Each one was to bring a (O)thousand shekels of silver for its (P)fruit.
12 My very own vineyard is [d]at my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”
The Groom
The Bride
14 “[e]Hurry, my beloved,
And be (S)like a gazelle or a young [f]stag
On the (T)mountains of balsam trees!”
Footnotes
- Song of Solomon 8:4 Lit Why should you disturb or
- Song of Solomon 8:6 Or Its passion is as inflexible
- Song of Solomon 8:6 Another reading is A vehement flame
- Song of Solomon 8:12 Lit before me
- Song of Solomon 8:14 Lit Flee
- Song of Solomon 8:14 Lit of the stags
Song of Solomon 8
New Life Version
8 “O that you were like a brother to me, who nursed from my mother’s breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would hate me. 2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, who used to teach me. I would give you wine with spices to drink, made from my pomegranates. 3 Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand hold me close.”
King Solomon
4 “I tell you, O daughters of Jerusalem. You must not wake up my love, until it is pleasing to her.”
The Sixth Song
Women of Jerusalem
5 “Who is this coming up from the desert, resting on her loved one?”
The Woman
“I woke you up under the fruit tree. There your mother suffered and gave birth to you. 6 Put me over your heart and on your arm, never to be taken off. For love is as strong as death. Jealousy is as hard as the grave. Its bright light is like the light of fire, the very fire of the Lord. 7 Many waters cannot put out love. Rivers cannot cover it. If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, it would all be hated.”
The Woman’s Brothers
8 “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What should we do for our sister on the day when she is promised in marriage? 9 If she is a wall, we should build on her a tower of silver. But if she is a door, we should cover her with strong pieces of cedar wood.”
The Woman
10 “I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers. Then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace.”
The Woman’s Brothers
11 “Solomon has a grape-field at Baal-hamon. He put the grape-field into the care of certain men. Each one was to bring 1,000 pieces of silver for its fruit. 12 My own grape-field is for myself. The 1,000 pieces of silver are for you, Solomon. And 200 are for those who take care of its fruit.”
13 “O you who sit in the gardens, my friends are listening for your voice. Let me hear it.”
The Woman
14 “Hurry, my love. Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spices.”
Song of Solomon 8
King James Version
8 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.
2 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.
3 His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.
4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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?
9 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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