Song of Solomon 8

1Oh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! WhenI should find thee without, I would kiss thee; Yea, and none would despise me.

1Oh that you were my brother, who took milk from my mother's breasts! When I came to you in the street, I would give you kisses; yes, I would not be looked down on.

2I 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.

2I would take you by the hand into my mother's house, and she would be my teacher. I would give you drink of spiced wine, drink of the pomegranate.

3His left handshould beunder my head, And his right hand should embrace me.

3His left hand would be under my head, and his right hand about me.

4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, Until he please.

4I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not let love be moved till it is ready.

5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee: There thy mother was in travail with thee, There was she in travail that brought thee forth.

5Who is this, who comes up from the waste places, resting on her loved one? It was I who made you awake under the apple-tree, where your mother gave you birth; there she was in pain at your birth.

6 Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as Sheol; The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, A very flame of Jehovah.

6Put me as a sign on your heart, as a sign on your arm; love is strong as death, and wrath bitter as the underworld: its coals are coals of fire; violent are its flames.

7Many waters cannot quench love, Neither can floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, He would utterly be contemned.

7Much water may not put out love, or the deep waters overcome it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be judged a price not great enough.

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?

8We have a young sister, and she has no breasts; what are we to do for our sister in the day when she is given to a man?

9 If she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret of silver: And if she be a door, We will inclose her with boards of cedar.

9If she is a wall, we will make on her a strong base of silver; and if she is a door, we will let her be shut up with cedar-wood.

10 I am a wall, and my breasts like the towersthereof Then was I in his eyes as one that found peace.

10I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers; then was I in his eyes as one to whom good chance had come.

11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He let out the vineyard unto keepers; Every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.

11Solomon had a vine-garden at Baal-hamon; he let out the vine-garden to keepers; every one had to give a thousand bits of silver for its fruit.

12My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: Thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, And those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

12My vine-garden, which is mine, is before me: you, O Solomon, will have the thousand, and those who keep the fruit of them two hundred.

13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, The companions hearken for thy voice: Cause me to hear it.

13You who have your resting-place in the gardens, the friends give ear to your voice; make me give ear to it.

14 Make haste, my beloved, And be thou like to a roe or to a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.

14Come quickly, my loved one, and be like a roe on the mountains of spice.