1 W ho doth make thee as a brother to me, Sucking the breasts of my mother? I find thee without, I kiss thee, Yea, they do not despise me,

Oh 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.

2 I lead thee, I bring thee in unto my mother's house, She doth teach me, I cause thee to drink of the perfumed wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate,

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.

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

His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.

4 I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, How ye stir up, And how ye wake the love till she please!

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

5 W ho this coming from the wilderness, Hasting herself for her beloved? Under the citron-tree I have waked thee, There did thy mother pledge thee, There she gave a pledge bare thee.

Who 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.

6 S et me as a seal on thy heart, as a seal on thine arm, For strong as death is love, Sharp as Sheol is jealousy, Its burnings burnings of fire, a flame of Jah!

Set 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.

7 M any waters are not able to quench the love, And floods do not wash it away. If one give all the wealth of his house for love, Treading down -- they tread upon it.

Many 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

8 W e have a little sister, and breasts she hath not, What do we do for our sister, In the day that it is told of her?

We 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?

9 I f she is a wall, we build by her a palace of silver. And if she is a door, We fashion by her board-work of cedar.

If 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

10 I a wall, and my breasts as towers, Then I have been in his eyes as one finding peace.

I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

11 S olomon hath a vineyard in Baal-Hamon, He hath given the vineyard to keepers, Each bringeth for its fruit a thousand silverlings;

Solomon 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.

12 M y vineyard -- my own -- is before me, The thousand for thee, O Solomon. And the two hundred for those keeping its fruit. O dweller in gardens!

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

13 T he companions are attending to thy voice, Cause me to hear. Flee, my beloved, and be like to a roe,

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

14 O r to a young one of the harts on mountains of spices!

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