Maiden's Fanciful Wish
1 O that thou wert as my brother, that was nourished at the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yes, I should not be despised.
1 O 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.
1 “Oh that you were like a brother to meWho nursed at my mother’s breasts.If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;No one would despise me, either.
1 If only I could treat you like my brother,(a)one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,I would find you in public and kiss you,and no one would scorn me.
1 If only you were like a brother to me, like one who nursed at my mother's breasts. If I found you outside I would kiss you, and no one would view me with contempt.
2 I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.
2 I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.
2 “I would lead you and (A)bring youInto the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.
2 I would lead you, I would take you,to the house of my mother(A) who taught me.(b)I would give you spiced wine to drinkfrom my pomegranate juice.
2 I would lead you, I would bring you to the house of my mother who used to teach me. I would give you some spiced wine to drink, from the juice of my pomegranates.
Double Refrain: Embrace And Adjuration
4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not, nor awake my love, until he please.
4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
4 “(a)(C)I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,(b)Do not arouse or awaken my loveUntil (c)she pleases.”
4 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you:do not stir up or awaken loveuntil the appropriate time.(C)
4 Swear to me, young women of Jerusalem, that you won't awaken or arouse love before its proper time!
Up From The Wilderness And Under The Apple Tree
5 Who 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 bore thee.
5 Who 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.
5 “(d)(D)Who is this coming up from the wildernessLeaning on her beloved?” “(e)Beneath the (f)(E)apple tree I awakened you;There your mother was in labor with you,There she was in labor and gave you birth.
5 Y Who is this(D) coming up from the wilderness,leaning on the one she loves?W I awakened you under the apricot tree.(E)There your mother conceived you;there she conceived and gave you birth.
5 Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? Under theapple tree I awakened you. There your mother had gone into labor with you; there she went into labor and gave birth to you.
The Nature Of Genuine Romantic Love
6 Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals of it are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
6 Set 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.
6 “Put me like a (g)seal over your heart,Like a (F)seal on your arm.For love is as strong as death,(h)(G)Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;Its flashes are flashes of fire,(i)The very flame of the Lord.
6 Set me as a seal on your heart,as a seal on your arm.(F)For love is as strong as death;(G)ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol.Love’s flames are fiery flames(H)—the fiercest of all.(c)
6 Set me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion as intense as Sheol. The flames of love are flames of fire, a blaze that comes from the LORD.
7 Many 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.
7 Many 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.
7 “Many waters cannot quench love,Nor will rivers overflow it;(H)If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,It would be utterly despised.”
7 Mighty waters cannot extinguish love;rivers cannot sweep it away.If a man were to give all his wealth(d) for love,(I)it would be utterly scorned.
7 Mighty bodies of water cannot extinguish love, rivers cannot put it out. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, he would surely be viewed with contempt.
Maiden's Virtuous Chastity And Voluptuous Beauty
8 We 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?
8 We 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?
8 “(j)We have a little sister,And she (I)has no breasts;What shall we do for our sisterOn the day when she is spoken for?
8 B Our sister is young;she has no breasts.(J)What will we do for our sisteron the day she is spoken for?
8 We have a little sister, and she has not yet reached maturity. What will we do for our sister to prepare her for her engagement?
9 If she is a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she is a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.
9 If 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.
9 “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 (J)planks of cedar.”
9 If she is a wall,we will build a silver parapet on it.If she is a door,we will enclose it with cedar planks.(e)(K)
9 If she's a wall, on her we will build a battlement of silver. If she's a door, we will enclose her with planks of cedar.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favor.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.
10 “(k)I was a wall, and (K)my breasts were like towers;Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.
10 W I am(f) a walland my breasts like towers.So in his eyes I have becomelike one who finds peace.(g)
10 I was a wall and my breasts were like towers. Then I became like one who finds peace in his eyes.
Solomon's Vineyard And The Maiden's Gift
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; every one for the fruit of it was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
11 Solomon 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.
11 “Solomon had a (L)vineyard at Baal-hamon;He (M)entrusted the vineyard to (N)caretakers.Each one was to bring a (O)thousand shekels of silver for its (P)fruit.
11 Solomon owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon.(L)He leased the vineyard to tenants.(M)Each was to bring for his fruit1,000 pieces of silver.(N)
11 Solomon has a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers each one is to bring 1,000 pieces of silver in exchange for its fruit.
12 My vineyard which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit of it two hundred.
12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
12 “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.”
12 I have my own vineyard.(h)(O)The 1,000 are for you, Solomon,but 200 for those who guard its fruits.
12 My vineyard belongs to me and is at my disposal. The 1,000 are for you, Solomon, and 200 are for those who take care of its fruit.
Closing Words Of Mutual Love
13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.
13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.
13 “(m)O you who sit in the gardens,My (Q)companions are listening for your voice—(R)Let me hear it!”
13 You who sit in the gardens, companions are listening for your voice, but let me hear it.
14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.
14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.
14 “(n)(o)Hurry, my beloved,And be (S)like a gazelle or a young (p)stagOn the (T)mountains of spices.”
14 Come quickly, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.