18 Let your fountain be blessed,

and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe.

Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;

be intoxicated always in her love.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman

and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?

18 Let thy fountain be blessed:

And rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe;

Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times;

And be thou ravished always with her love.

20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,

And embrace the bosom of a stranger?

18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.

Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.

Let her breasts satisfy you always.

May you always be captivated by her love.

20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,

or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

And rejoice with the wife of your youth.

19 As a loving deer and a graceful doe,

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

And always be enraptured with her love.

20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,

And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?

18 Be happy with the wife you married when you were young.

She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water.

19 She is as lovely and graceful as a deer.

Let her love always make you happy;

let her love always hold you captive.

20 My son, don’t be held captive by a woman who takes part in adultery.

Don’t fondle a woman who is not your wife.

18 Let thy fountain be blessed;

And rejoice in the wife of thy youth.

19 As a loving hind and a pleasant doe,

Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times;

And be thou ravished always with her love.

20 For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,

And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

18 Let thy fountain be blessed; and have joy of the wife of thy youth. 19 As a lovely hind and a graceful roe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times: be thou ravished continually with her love. 20 And why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

18 Let your own fountain be blessed, 

and enjoy the girl you married when you were young, 

19 a loving doe and a graceful deer.

Always let her breasts satisfy you. 

Always be intoxicated with her love. 

20 Why should you, my son, 

be intoxicated with an adulterous woman 

and fondle a loose woman’s breast? 

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.

19 A loving doe, a graceful fawn—

let her breasts always satisfy you;

be lost in her love forever.

20 Why, my son, would you be infatuated

with a forbidden woman

or embrace the breast of a stranger?

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe.

May her breasts satisfy you at all times;

may you be intoxicated always by her love.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, by another woman

and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?

18 May your fountain be blessed,

and rejoice in the wife of your youth.

19 She is a deer of love and a doe of grace;

may her breasts satisfy you always;

by her love may you be intoxicated continually.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my child, by a strange woman,

and embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

18 May your fountain be blessed.

May the wife you married when you were young make you happy.

19 She is like a loving doe, a graceful deer.

May her breasts always satisfy you.

May you always be captured by her love.

20 My son, why be captured by a woman who commits adultery?

Why hug the wife of another man?

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

19 As a loving hind and a graceful doe,

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

Be exhilarated always with her love.

20 For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress

And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?