1 O h that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! Should I find thee without, I would kiss thee; And they would not 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.

2 I would lead thee, bring thee into my mother's house; Thou wouldest instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.

“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.

3 H is left hand would be under my head, And his right hand embrace me.

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

4 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, … Why should ye stir up, why awake love, till he please?

“ I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases.”

5 W ho is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awoke thee under the apple-tree: There thy mother brought thee forth; There she brought thee forth bore thee.

“ Who is this coming up from the wilderness Leaning on her beloved?” “ Beneath the apple tree I awakened you; There your mother was in labor with you, There she was in labor and gave you birth.

6 S et me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as Sheol: The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, Flames of Jah.

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

7 M any waters cannot quench love, Neither do the floods drown it: Even if a man gave all the substance of his house for love, It would utterly be contemned.

“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.”

8 W e 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?—

“ 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?

9 I f she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret of silver; And if she be a door, We will enclose her with boards of cedar.

“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.”

10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers; Then was I in his eyes as one that findeth peace.

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

11 S olomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon: He let out the vineyard unto keepers; Every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand silver-pieces.

“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.

12 M y vineyard, which is mine, is before me: The thousand be to thee, Solomon; And to the keepers of its fruit, two hundred.

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

13 T hou that dwellest in the gardens, The companions hearken to thy voice: Let me hear.

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

14 H aste, my beloved, And be thou like a gazelle or a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.

“ Hurry, my beloved, And be like a gazelle or a young stag On the mountains of spices.”