Song Of Solomon 8

AMP — Amplified Bible (AMP)

NIVUK — New International Version - UK Bible (NIVUK)

Verse 1

“Oh, that you were like a brother to me,
Who nursed at the breasts of my mother.
If I found you out of doors, I would kiss you;
No one would blame me or despise me, either.

If only you were to me like a brother,
    who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
    I would kiss you,
    and no one would despise me.

Verse 2

“I 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.

I would lead you
    and bring you to my mother’s house –
    she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the nectar of my pomegranates.

Verse 3

“Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.”

(The Bridegroom)

His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.

Verse 4

“I command you to take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,
That you do not rouse nor awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

(The Chorus)

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.

Friends

Verse 5

“Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning upon her beloved?”

(The Shulammite Bride)

“Under the apple tree I awakened you [to my love];
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.

Who is this coming up from the wilderness
leaning on her beloved?

She

Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived you,
there she who was in labour gave you birth.

Verse 6

“Put me like a seal on your heart,
Like a seal on your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead).
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
[A most vehement flame] the very flame of the ^[a]Lord!

Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
    its jealousy^[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.^[b]

Verse 7

“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can rivers drown it.
If a man would offer all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly scorned and despised.”

(The Chorus)

Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it^[c] would be utterly scorned.

Friends

Verse 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 [in marriage]?

We have a little sister,
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?

Verse 9

“If she is a wall (discreet, womanly),
We will build on her a turret (dowry) of silver;
But if she is a door (bold, flirtatious),
We will enclose her with planks of cedar.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

She

Verse 10

“I was a wall, and my breasts were like the towers.
Then I became in the king’s eyes
As one [to be respected and allowed] to find peace.

I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.

Verse 11

“Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers;
Each one was to bring him a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon;
he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels^[d] of silver.

Verse 12

“My very own vineyard is at my disposal;
The thousand [shekels of silver] are for you, O Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who tend the fruit.”

(The Bridegroom)

But my own vineyard is mine to give;
the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred^[e] are for those who tend its fruit.

He

Verse 13

“O you who sit in the gardens,
My companions are listening for your voice—
Let me hear it.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!

She

Verse 14

“Hurry, my beloved and come quickly,
Like a gazelle or a young stag [taking me home]
On the mountains of spices.”

Come away, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
on the spice-laden mountains.