Song of Solomon 8

8TH CHAPTER

¹If 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. 

²I 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. 

³His left hand is under my head. 

His right hand caresses me. 

⁴Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me 

that you will not awaken love 

or arouse love before its proper time! 

The Young Woman’s Love for Her Beloved

^[THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN^[

⁵Who is this young woman coming from the wilderness 

with her arm around her beloved? 

^[BRIDE^[

Under the apple tree I woke you up. 

There your mother went into labor with you. 

There she went into labor 

and gave birth to you! 

⁶Wear me as a signet ring on your heart, 

as a ring on your hand. 

Love is as overpowering as death. 

Devotion is as unyielding as the grave. 

Love’s flames are flames of fire, 

flames that come from the Lord. 

⁷Raging water cannot extinguish love, 

and rivers will never wash it away. 

If a man exchanged all his family’s wealth for love, 

people would utterly despise him. 

The Young Woman with Her Family and Her Beloved

^[THE BROTHERS^[

⁸We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. 

What will we do for our sister on the day she becomes engaged? 

⁹If she is a wall, we will build a silver barrier around her. 

If she is a door, we will barricade her with cedar boards. 

^[BRIDE^[

¹⁰I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. 

So he considers me to be one who has found peace.^a

¹¹Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. 

He entrusted that vineyard to caretakers. 

Each one was to bring 25 pounds of silver 

in exchange for its fruit. 

¹²My own vineyard is in front of me. 

That 25 pounds is yours, Solomon, 

and 5 pounds go to those who take care of its fruit. 

^[GROOM^[

¹³Young woman living in the gardens, 

while your friends are listening to your voice, 

let me hear.… 

^[BRIDE^[

¹⁴Come away quickly, my beloved. 

Run like a gazelle or a young stag 

on the mountains of spices.