Song Of Songs 8

NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)

NASB — New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Verse 1

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.

“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.

Verse 2

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.

“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.

Verse 3

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

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

Verse 4

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

Friends

“^[a]I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
^[b]Do not arouse or awaken my love
Until ^[c]she pleases.”

Verse 5

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 labor gave you birth.

“^[d]Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning on her beloved?”

“^[e]Beneath the ^[f]apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.

Verse 6

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]

“Put me like a ^[g]seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
^[h]Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
^[i]The very flame of the Lord.

Verse 7

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

“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”

Verse 8

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?

“^[j]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?

Verse 9

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

“If 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.”

Verse 10

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

“^[k]I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.

Verse 11

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.

“Solomon 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.

Verse 12

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

“My very own vineyard is ^[l]at my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”

Verse 13

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

She

“^[m]O you who sit in the gardens,
My companions are listening for your voice—
Let me hear it!”

Verse 14

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

“^[n]^[o]Hurry, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle or a young ^[p]stag
On the mountains of spices.”