Song of Songs

The Song of Solomon, chapter 8, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 8 New English Translation

The Beloved's Wish Song

   1 (The Beloved to Her Lover) Oh, how I wish you were my little brother, nursing at my mother's breasts; if I saw you outside, I could kiss you - surely no one would despise me!
   2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother's house, the one who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.

Double Refrain: Embracing and Adjuration

   3 (The Beloved about Her Lover) His left hand caresses my head, and his right hand stimulates me.
   4 (The Beloved to the Maidens) I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem: "Do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!"

The Awakening of Love

   5 (The Maidens about His Beloved) Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? (The Beloved to Her Lover) Under the apple tree I aroused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who bore you was in labor of childbirth.

The Nature of True Love

   6 (The Beloved to Her Lover) Set me like a cylinder seal over your heart, like a signet on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion is as unrelenting as Sheol. Its flames burst forth, it is a blazing flame.
   7 Surging waters cannot quench love; floodwaters cannot overflow it. If someone were to offer all his possessions to buy love, the offer would be utterly despised.

The Brother's Plan and the Sister's Reward

   8 (The Beloved's Brothers) We have a little sister, and as yet she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
   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 boards of cedar.
   10 (The Beloved) I was a wall, and my breasts were like fortress towers. Then I found favor in his eyes.

Solomon's Vineyard and the Beloved's Vineyard

   11 (The Beloved to Her Lover) Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon; he leased out the vineyard to those who maintained it. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
   12 My vineyard, which belongs to me, is at my disposal alone. The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon, and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit. Epilogue: The Lover's Request and His Beloved's Invitation
   13 (The Lover to His Beloved) O you who stay in the gardens, my companions are listening attentively for your voice; let me be the one to hear it!
   14 (The Beloved to Her Lover) Make haste, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.

King James Version

   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.
   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.
   3 His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.
   4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
   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.
   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.
   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.
   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?
   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.
   10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.
   11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
   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.
   13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.
   14 ¶ Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.