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.

Oh, that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I should find you without, I would kiss you, yes, and none would despise me.

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.

I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would cause you to drink spiced wine and of the juice of my pomegranates.

3 H is left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.

Oh, that his left hand were under my head and that his right hand embraced me!

4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you never stir up or awaken love until it pleases.

5 W ho 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.

Who is this who comes up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you; there your mother gave you birth, there she was in travail and bore you.

6 S et 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.

Set me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy is as hard and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead). Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame!

7 M any 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.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would offer all the goods of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned and 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 in marriage?

9 I f 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.

If she is a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose 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.

I am a wall, and my breasts are like the towers of it. Then was I in eyes as one to find peace.

11 S olomon 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.

Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; everyone was to bring him a thousand pieces of silver for its fruit.

12 M y vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

You, O Solomon, can have your thousand, and those who tend the fruit of it two hundred; but my vineyard, which is mine, is before me!

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

O you who dwell in the gardens, your companions have been listening to your voice—now cause me to hear it.

14 M ake haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

Make haste, my beloved, and come quickly, like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices!