Song of Songs 8
8
1If you were a baby, like my little brother nursing at his mother’s breasts,
and if I found you outside,
I could kiss you,
and no one would say it was wrong.
2I would lead you into my mother’s house,
to the room of she who taught me.
I would give you spiced wine
squeezed from my pomegranate.
She Speaks to the Women
3His left arm is under my head,
and his right hand holds me.
4Women of Jerusalem, promise me,
don’t awaken love,
don’t arouse love, until I am ready.#8:4 until I am ready Literally, “until it desires.”
The Women of Jerusalem Speak
5Who is this woman
coming from the desert, leaning on her lover?
She Speaks to Him
I woke you under the apple tree,
where your mother gave birth to you,
where you were born.
6Keep me near you like a seal you wear over your heart,
like a signet ring you wear on your hand.
Love is as strong as death.
Passion is as strong as the grave.#8:6 the grave Or “Sheol,” the place where dead people go.
Its sparks become a flame,
and it grows to become a great fire#8:6 great fire Or “the flame of the Lord.”!
7A flood cannot put out love.
Rivers cannot drown love.
Would people despise a man for giving
everything he owns for love?
Her Brothers Speak
8We have a little sister,
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What should we do for our sister
when a man comes asking to marry her?
9If she were a wall,
we would put silver trim#8:9 trim Or “supports.” Often horizontal beams and towers were built into walls to strengthen and support them. But here, this seems to be a decoration. around her.
If she were a door,
we would put a cedar board around her.
She Answers Her Brothers
10I am a wall,
and my breasts are my towers.
And he is satisfied with me!#8:10 he is satisfied with me Literally, “in his eyes I find peace.” In Hebrew this is also like the names “Solomon” and “Shulamith.”
He Speaks
11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon.
He put men in charge of the vineyard.
Each man brought in grapes
worth 1000 shekels#8:11 1000 shekels About 25 pounds (11.5 kg). Also in verse 12. of silver.
12Solomon, you can keep your 1000 shekels.
Give 200 shekels to each man for the grapes he brought.
But I will keep my own vineyard.
He Speaks to Her
13There you are, sitting in the garden.
Friends are listening to your voice.
Let me hear it too!
She Speaks to Him
14Hurry, my lover!
Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spice.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Song of Solomon 8
8
1O that you were like a brother to me,
that nursed at my mother's breast!
If I met you outside, I would kiss you,
and none would despise me.
2I would lead you and bring you
into the house of my mother,
and into the chamber of her that conceived me.#8.2 Gk Syr: Heb mother; she (or you ) will teach me
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the juice of my pomegranates.
3O that his left hand were under my head,
and that his right hand embraced me!
4I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
that you stir not up nor awaken love
until it please.
5Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning upon her beloved?
Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in travail with you,
there she who bore you was in travail.
6Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death,
jealousy is cruel as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a most vehement flame.
7Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his house,
it would be utterly scorned.
8We have a little sister,
and she has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister,
on the day when she is spoken for?
9If she is a wall,
we will build upon her a battlement of silver;
but if she is a door,
we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
10I was a wall,
and my breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
as one who brings#8.10 Or finds peace.
11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
he let out the vineyard to keepers;
each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
12My vineyard, my very own, is for myself;
you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
13O you who dwell in the gardens,
my companions are listening for your voice;
let me hear it.
14Make haste, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
upon the mountains of spices.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America