The Lovers Speak
1“Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.
2I would lead you and bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.
And his right hand embrace me.”
The Groom
4“Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem:
Lit Why should you disturb or
Do not disturb or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”
The Chorus
5“Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
Leaning on her beloved?”
“Beneath the apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother went into labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave birth to you.
6Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Or Its passion is as inflexible
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flames are flames of fire,
Another reading is A vehement flame
The flame of the Lord.
7Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers flood over it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”
The Chorus
8“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?
9If she is a wall,
We will build on her a battlement of silver;
But if she is a door,
We will barricade her with planks of cedar.”
The Bride
10“I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.
11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers.
Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
12My very own vineyard is Lit before meat my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”
The Groom
13“You who sit in the gardens:
My companions are listening for your voice—
Let me hear it!”
The Bride
14“Lit FleeHurry, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle or a young Lit of the stagsstag
On the mountains of balsam trees!”
New American Standard Bible
Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020
by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
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