Longing for Her Beloved

Oh that you were like a brother to me
    who nursed at my mother's breasts!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you,
    and none would despise me.
I would lead you and (A)bring you
    into the house of my mother—
    she who used to teach me.
I would give you (B)spiced wine to drink,
    the juice of my pomegranate.
(C)His left hand is under my head,
    and his right hand embraces me!
I (D)adjure you, O (E)daughters of Jerusalem,
    (F)that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

(G)Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
    leaning on her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
    there she who bore you was in labor.

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
    as (H)a seal upon your arm,
for (I)love is strong as death,
    (J)jealousy[a] is fierce as the grave.[b]
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
    the very (K)flame of the Lord.
Many waters cannot quench love,
    neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
    all the wealth of his (L)house,
    he[c] would be utterly despised.

Final Advice

Others

We have a little sister,
    and she (M)has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day when she is spoken for?
If she is a wall,
    we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
    we will enclose her with (N)boards of cedar.

She

10 (O)I was a wall,
    and my (P)breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
    as one who finds[d] peace.

11 Solomon had (Q)a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
    he (R)let out the vineyard to (S)keepers;
    each one was to bring for its fruit (T)a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
    you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
    and (U)the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

He

13 (V)O you who dwell in the gardens,
    with (W)companions listening for your voice;
    (X)let me hear it.

She

14 (Y)Make haste, my beloved,
    and be (Z)like a gazelle
or a young stag
    on (AA)the mountains of spices.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 8:6 Or ardor
  2. Song of Solomon 8:6 Hebrew as Sheol
  3. Song of Solomon 8:7 Or it
  4. Song of Solomon 8:10 Or brings out

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