1 O h that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.

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 you, bringing you into my mother’s house, who would instruct me. I would have you drink 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 would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.

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

4 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires. Friends

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

5 W ho is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.

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 on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of Yahweh.

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 can’t quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned. Friends

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. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is to 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 is a wall, we will build on her a turret of silver. if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. Beloved

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 I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

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 Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

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 own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon; two hundred for those who tend its fruit. Lover

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 Y ou who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice! Beloved

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

14 C ome away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!

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