Song of Solomon 7:12–8:4

12 Let us go early to the vineyards

to see if the vines have budded,

if their blossoms have opened,

and if the pomegranates are in bloom—

there I will give you my love.

13 The mandrakes send out their fragrance,

and at our door is every delicacy,

both new and old,

that I have stored up for you, my beloved.

1 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.

2 I would lead you

and bring you to my mother’s house—

she who has taught me.

I would give you spiced wine to drink,

the nectar of my pomegranates.

3 His left arm is under my head

and his right arm embraces me.

4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:

Do not arouse or awaken love

until it so desires.

12 Let us get up early to the vineyards;

Let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear,

And the pomegranates bud forth:

There will I give thee my loves.

13 The mandrakes give a smell,

And at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits,

New and old,

Which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.

1 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.

12 Let us get up early and go to the vineyards

to see if the grapevines have budded,

if the blossoms have opened,

and if the pomegranates have bloomed.

There I will give you my love.

13 There the mandrakes give off their fragrance,

and the finest fruits are at our door,

new delights as well as old,

which I have saved for you, my lover.

1 Oh, I wish you were my brother,

who nursed at my mother’s breasts.

Then I could kiss you no matter who was watching,

and no one would criticize me.

2 I would bring you to my childhood home,

and there you would teach me.

I would give you spiced wine to drink,

my sweet pomegranate wine.

3 Your left arm would be under my head,

and your right arm would embrace me.

4 Promise me, O women of Jerusalem,

not to awaken love until the time is right.

12 Let us get up early to the vineyards;

Let us see if the vine has budded,

Whether the grape blossoms are open,

And the pomegranates are in bloom.

There I will give you my love.

13 The mandrakes give off a fragrance,

And at our gates are pleasant fruits,

All manner, new and old,

Which I have laid up for you, my beloved.

1 Oh, that you were like my brother,

Who nursed at my mother’s breasts!

If I should find you outside,

I would kiss you;

I would not be despised.

2 I would lead you and bring you

Into the house of my mother,

She who used to instruct me.

I would cause you to drink of spiced wine,

Of the juice of my pomegranate.

3 His left hand is under my head,

And his right hand embraces me.

4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

Do not stir up nor awaken love

Until it pleases.

12 Let’s go early to the vineyards

and see if the buds are on the vines.

Let’s see if the blossoms have already opened

and if the pomegranates have bloomed.

There I will give you my love.

13 The mandrake flowers give their sweet smell,

and all the best fruits are at our gates.

I have saved them for you, my lover,

the old delights and the new.

1 I wish you were like my brother

who fed at my mother’s breasts.

If I found you outside,

I would kiss you,

and no one would look down on me.

2 I would lead you and bring you

to my mother’s house;

she is the one who taught me.

I would give you a drink of spiced wine

from my pomegranates.

3 My lover’s left hand is under my head,

and his right arm holds me tight.

4 Women of Jerusalem,

promise not to awaken

or excite my feelings of love

until it is ready.

12 Let us get up early to the vineyards;

Let us see whether the vine hath budded,

And its blossom is open,

And the pomegranates are in flower:

There will I give thee my love.

13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance;

And at our doors are all manner of precious fruits, new and old,

Which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.

1 Oh that thou wert as my brother,

That sucked the breasts of my mother!

When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee;

Yea, and none would despise me.

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 adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

That ye stir not up, nor awake my love,

Until he please.

12 We will go up early to the vineyards, We will see if the vine hath budded, If the blossom is opening, And the pomegranates are in bloom: There will I give thee my loves. 13 The mandrakes yield fragrance; And at our gates are all choice fruits, new and old: I have laid them up for thee, my beloved.

1 Oh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! Should I find thee without, I would kiss thee; And they would not despise me. 2 I would lead thee, bring thee into my mother’s house; Thou wouldest instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate. 3 His left hand would be under my head, And his right hand embrace me. 4 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, …Why should ye stir up, why awake my love, till he please?

12 Let’s go to the vineyards early. 

Let’s see if the vines have budded, 

if the grape blossoms have opened, 

if the pomegranates are in bloom. 

There I will give you my love. 

13 The mandrakesgive off a fragrance, 

and at our door are all kinds of precious fruits. 

I have saved new and old things 

for you alone, my beloved. 

1 If only you were my brother, 

one who nursed at my mother’s breasts. 

If I saw you on the street, 

I would kiss you, and no one would look down on me. 

2 I would lead you. 

I would bring you into my mother’s house. 

(She is the one who was my teacher.) 

I would give you some spiced wine to drink, 

some juice squeezed from my pomegranates. 

3 His left hand is under my head. 

His right hand caresses me. 

4 Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me 

that you will not awaken love 

or arouse love before its proper time! 

12 Let’s go early to the vineyards;

let’s see if the vine has budded,

if the blossom has opened,

if the pomegranates are in bloom.

There I will give you my love.

13 The mandrakes give off a fragrance,

and at our doors is every delicacy—

new as well as old.

I have treasured them up for you, my love.

1 If only I could treat you like my brother,

one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,

I would find you in public and kiss you,

and no one would scorn me.

2 I would lead you, I would take you,

to the house of my mother who taught me.

I would give you spiced wine to drink

from my pomegranate juice.

3 His left hand is under my head,

and his right arm embraces me.

4 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you:

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.

12 let us go out early to the vineyards;

let us see whether the vines have budded,

whether the grape blossoms have opened

and the pomegranates are in bloom.

There I will give you my love.

13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance,

and over our doors are all choice fruits,

new as well as old,

which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.

1 O that you were like a brother to me,

who nursed at my mother’s breast!

If I met you outside, I would kiss you,

and no one would despise me.

2 I would lead you and bring you

into my mother’s house

and into the chamber of the one who bore me.

I would give you spiced wine to drink,

from the juice of my pomegranates.

3 O that his left hand were under my head

and that his right hand embraced me!

4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

do not stir up or awaken love

until it is ready!

12 Let us rise early to go to the vineyards;

let us see whether the vine has budded,

whether the grape blossom has opened,

and whether the pomegranates are in bloom;

there I will give my love to you.

13 The mandrakes give off their fragrance,

and over our doorway is every kind of delicious fruit;

both fresh and dried fruit I have stored up for you, O my beloved.

1 How I wish that you were my little brother,

who nursed upon my mother’s breasts!

If I met you outside, I would kiss you,

and no one would despise me!

2 I would surely bring you to the house of my mother,

who would surely teach me;

I would give you spiced wine to drink,

the sweet wine of my pomegranates.

3 His left hand is under my head,

and his right hand embraces me.

4 I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,

do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!

12 Let’s go out to the vineyards early.

Let’s go and see if the vines have budded.

Let’s find out whether their flowers have opened.

Let’s see if the pomegranate trees are blooming.

I’ll make love to you in the vineyards.

13 The mandrake flowers give off their strong smell.

All of the best things are waiting for us,

new and old alike.

I’ve stored them up for you, my love.

1 “I wish you were like a brother to me.

I wish my mother’s breasts had nursed you.

Then if I found you outside,

I could kiss you.

No one would look down on me.

2 I’d bring you to my mother’s house.

She taught me everything I know.

I’d give you spiced wine to drink.

It’s the juice of my pomegranates.

3 Your left arm is under my head.

Your right arm is around me.

4 Women of Jerusalem, take an oath and make me a promise.

Don’t stir up love.

Don’t wake it up until it’s ready.”

The other women say,

12 “Let us rise early and go to the vineyards;

Let us see whether the vine has budded

And its blossoms have opened,

And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.

There I will give you my love.

13 “The mandrakes have given forth fragrance;

And over our doors are all choice fruits,

Both new and old,

Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

1 “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 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 his left hand be under my head

And his right hand embrace me.”

4 “I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,

Do not arouse or awaken my love

Until she pleases.”