If only I could treat you like my brother,[a]
one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,
I would find you in public and kiss you,
and no one would scorn me.
I would lead you, I would take you,
to the house of my mother(A) who taught me.[b]
I would give you spiced wine to drink
from the juice of my pomegranate.
May his left hand be under my head,
and his right arm embrace me.(B)
Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you,
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time.(C)

Young Women

Who is this(D) coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on the one she loves?

Woman

I awakened you under the apricot tree.(E)
There your mother conceived you;
there she conceived and gave you birth.
Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm.(F)
For love is as strong as death;(G)
jealousy is as unrelenting as Sheol.
Love’s flames are fiery flames(H)
an almighty flame![c]
A huge torrent cannot extinguish love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If a man were to give all his wealth[d] for love,(I)
it would be utterly scorned.

Brothers

Our sister is young;
she has no breasts.(J)
What will we do for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
If she is a wall,
we will build a silver barricade on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with cedar planks.(K)

Woman

10 I am[e] a wall
and my breasts like towers.
So to him I have become
like one who finds[f] peace.[g]

11 Solomon owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon.(L)
He leased the vineyard to tenants.(M)
Each was to bring for his fruit
one thousand pieces of silver.(N)
12 I have my own vineyard.[h](O)
The one thousand are for you, Solomon,
but two hundred for those who take care of its fruits.

Man

13 You[i] who dwell in the gardens,
companions(P) are listening for your voice;
let me hear you!(Q)

Woman

14 Run away with me,[j] my love,
and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
on the mountains of spices.(R)

Footnotes

  1. 8:1 Lit Would that you were like a brother to me
  2. 8:2 LXX adds and into the chamber of the one who bore me
  3. 8:6 Or the blaze of the Lord
  4. 8:7 Lit all the wealth of his house
  5. 8:10 Or was
  6. 8:10 Or brings
  7. 8:10 In Hb, the word for peace sounds similar to Solomon and Shulammite.
  8. 8:12 Lit My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; Sg 1:6
  9. 8:13 In Hb, the word for You is feminine.
  10. 8:14 Lit Flee

If only you were to me like a brother,
    who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
    I would kiss you,
    and no one would despise me.
I would lead you
    and bring you to my mother’s house(A)
    she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the nectar of my pomegranates.
His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.(B)
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(C)

Friends

Who is this coming up from the wilderness(D)
    leaning on her beloved?

She

Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived(E) you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love(F) is as strong as death,
    its jealousy[a](G) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.[b]
Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it[c] would be utterly scorned.(H)

Friends

We have a little sister,
    and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day she is spoken for?
If she is a wall,
    we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
    we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

She

10 I am a wall,
    and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
    like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard(I) in Baal Hamon;
    he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
    a thousand shekels[d](J) of silver.
12 But my own vineyard(K) is mine to give;
    the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.

He

13 You who dwell in the gardens
    with friends in attendance,
    let me hear your voice!

She

14 Come away, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle(L)
or like a young stag(M)
    on the spice-laden mountains.(N)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 8:6 Or ardor
  2. Song of Songs 8:6 Or fire, / like the very flame of the Lord
  3. Song of Songs 8:7 Or he
  4. Song of Songs 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms; also in verse 12
  5. Song of Songs 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms