1O 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.2I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother' house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.3His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.4I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.5Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.6Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.8We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?9If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.10I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.11Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.12My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.13Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it .14Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.
1Oh 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.2I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother— she who used to teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranate. (Pr 9:2; Pr 9:5; So 3:4)3His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me! (So 2:6)4I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. (So 1:5; So 2:7)5Who 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. (So 3:6)6Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy[1] is fierce as the grave.[2] Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord. (Ex 34:14; De 4:24; Job 1:16; Isa 49:16; Jer 22:24; Hag 2:23; Ro 8:35)7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he[3] would be utterly despised. (Pr 6:35)
Final Advice
8Others: We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? (Eze 16:7)9If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver, but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. (1Ki 6:15)10She: I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who finds[4] peace. (So 4:5; So 4:12; So 7:3)11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver. (Ec 2:4; So 1:6; Isa 7:23; Mt 21:33)12My vineyard, my very own, is before me; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred. (Pr 27:18)13He: O you who dwell in the gardens, with companions listening for your voice; let me hear it. (So 1:7; So 2:14; So 5:1)14She: Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. (So 2:9; So 4:6; Re 22:17; Re 22:20)