Song of Songs 8
8
Wishing
[Woman]
1If only you were as my brother—
the one who nursed at my mother’s breast.
I would find you in the street and kiss you,
and no one would shame me for it.
2I would lead you, I would bring you
to my mother’s house;
she would teach me what to do.#8.2 Or you would teach me; LXX, Syr to my mother's house, and to the chamber of the one who conceived me (cf 3:4)
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
some of my fresh pomegranate juice.
3His left arm is beneath my head,
and his right embraces me!
4Make a solemn pledge,
daughters of Jerusalem,
never to rouse, never to arouse love
until it desires.
Love, strong and invaluable
[Daughters of Jerusalem]
5Who is this coming up from the wilderness
leaning against her lover?
[Woman]
Under the apple tree I aroused you—
there, where your mother labored with you,
there where, laboring, she bore you.
6Set me as a seal over your heart,
as a seal upon your arm,
for love is as strong as death,
passionate love unrelenting as the grave.#8.6 Heb Sheol
Its darts are darts of fire—
divine flame!
7Rushing waters can’t quench love;
rivers can’t wash it away.
If someone gave
all his estate in exchange for love,
he would be laughed to utter shame.
[The Woman’s Brothers]
8Our sister is small;
she has no breasts.
What will we do for our sister
on the day that she is spoken for?
9If she is a city wall,
then we will build a turret of silver on her.#8.9 Or on it (the city wall)
And if she is a door,
then we will barricade her#8.9 Or it (the door) with a panel of cedar.
[Woman]
10I’m a city wall,
and my breasts are the towers.
So now I’m in his eyes
as one who brings peace.
[Man]
11Solomon had a vineyard
in Baal-hamon.
He gave charge of the vineyard to keepers;
one would bring in exchange for its fruit
a thousand pieces of silver.
12My vineyard, my very own, is before me.
You can have the thousand, Solomon#8.12 Cf 1 Kgs 11:3—
with two hundred for those who tend the fruit!
13You who sit in the gardens,
my companions are listening for your voice.
Let me hear it!
[Woman]
14“Take flight, my love,
and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
on the mountains of spice!”
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Song of Songs 8: CEB
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Song of Songs 8
8
If Only You and I …
She Speaks:
1If you were my brother,
I could kiss you
whenever we happen to meet,
and no one would say
I did wrong.
2I could take you to the home
of my mother,
who taught me all I know.#8.2 who … know: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
I would give you delicious wine
and fruit juice as well.
3Put your left hand under my head
and embrace me
with your right arm.
4Young women of Jerusalem,
promise me never to awaken love
before it is ready.
Their Friends Speak:
5Who is this young woman
coming in from the desert
and leaning on the shoulder
of the one she loves?
She Speaks:
I stirred up your passions
under the apple tree
where you were born.
6Always keep me in your heart
and wear this bracelet
to remember me by.
The passion of love
bursting into flame
is more powerful than death,
stronger than the grave.
7Love cannot be drowned
by oceans or floods.
It cannot be bought—
any offer would be scorned
no matter how great.
Their Friends Speak:
8We have a little sister
whose breasts
are not yet formed.
If someone asks to marry her,
what should we do?
9She isn't a wall
that we can defend
behind a silver shield.
Neither is she a room
that we can protect
behind a wooden door.
She Speaks:
10I am a wall around a city,
my breasts are towers,
and just looking at me
brings him great pleasure.
11Solomon has a vineyard
at Baal-Hamon,
which he rents to others
for a thousand pieces
of silver each.
12My vineyard is mine alone!
Solomon can keep his silver
and the others can keep
their share of the profits.
He Speaks:
13You are in the garden
with friends all around.
Let me hear your voice!
She Speaks:
14Hurry to me, my darling!
Run faster than a deer
to mountains of spices.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.