The Maiden’s Fanciful Wish

8 ⌊How I wish that you were my little brother⌋,a b

who nursed ⌊upon my mother’s breasts⌋!c

If ⌊I met you outside⌋,d I would kiss you,

⌊and no one would despise me⌋!e

2 ⌊I would surely bring you⌋f g to the house of my mother,

⌊who would surely teach me⌋;h

⌊I would give you spiced wine to drink⌋,i

the ⌊sweet wine⌋j of my pomegranates.k

Double Refrain: Embrace and Adjuration

3 His left hand is under my head,

and his right hand embracesl me.

4 I adjure you, ⌊O maidens of Jerusalem⌋,m

do notn arouse or awaken love until it pleases!o

Up from the Wilderness and under the Apple Tree

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,

leaning upon her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you;

there your mother ⌊conceived you⌋;p

there she who was in labor gave birth to you.

The Nature of Genuine Romantic Love

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,

as a seal upon your arm;

for love is strong as death;

passion is fierce as Sheol;

its flashes are flashes of fire;

it is a blazing flame.

7 Many waters cannot quench love;

rivers cannot sweep it away.q

If a man were to give all the wealth of his house ⌊for love⌋,r

he would be utterly scorned.s

The Maiden’s Virtuous Chastity and Voluptuous Beauty

8 ⌊We have a little sister⌋,t

⌊and she does not yet have any breasts⌋.u

What should we do for our sister

⌊on the day when she is betrothed⌋?v w

9 If she is a wall,

⌊we will adorn her with a turret of silver⌋;x y

but if she is a door,

we will barricade her with boards of cedar.z

10 I was a wall, and my breasts were like the towers,

⌊so my betrothed viewed me with great delight⌋.a

Solomon’s Vineyard and the Maiden’s Gift

11 ⌊Solomon had a vineyard⌋b at Baal-hamon;

⌊he entrusted his vineyard to the keepers⌋;c

⌊people paid a thousand silver pieces for its fruit⌋.d

12 ⌊My own “vineyard” belongs to me⌋;e

the “thousand” are for you, O Solomon,

⌊and “two hundred” for those who tend its fruit⌋.f

Closing Words of Mutual Love

13 O you who dwell in the garden,

my companions are listening to your voice.

Let me hear it!

14 Flee, my beloved!

⌊Be like a gazelle⌋g or ⌊a young stag⌋h

upon ⌊the perfumed mountains⌋!i