1 Oh that you were my brother, who took milk from my mother's breasts! When I came to you in the street, I would give you kisses; yes, I would not be looked down on.
2 I would take you by the hand into my mother's house, and she would be my teacher. I would give you drink of spiced wine, drink of the pomegranate.
3 His left hand would be under my head, and his right hand about me.
4 I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not let love be moved till it is ready.
5 Who is this, who comes up from the waste places, resting on her loved one? It was I who made you awake under the apple-tree, where your mother gave you birth; there she was in pain at your birth.
6 Put me as a sign on your heart, as a sign on your arm; love is strong as death, and wrath bitter as the underworld: its coals are coals of fire; violent are its flames.
7 Much water may not put out love, or the deep waters overcome it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be judged a price not great enough.
8 We have a young sister, and she has no breasts; what are we to do for our sister in the day when she is given to a man?
9 If she is a wall, we will make on her a strong base of silver; and if she is a door, we will let her be shut up with cedar-wood.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers; then was I in his eyes as one to whom good chance had come.
11 Solomon had a vine-garden at Baal-hamon; he let out the vine-garden to keepers; every one had to give a thousand bits of silver for its fruit.
12 My vine-garden, which is mine, is before me: you, O Solomon, will have the thousand, and those who keep the fruit of them two hundred.
13 You who have your resting-place in the gardens, the friends give ear to your voice; make me give ear to it.
14 Come quickly, my loved one, and be like a roe on the mountains of spice.
1 Oh that thou wert as my brother,
That sucked the breasts of my mother!
When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee;
Yea, 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.
3 His left hand should be under my head,
And his right hand should embrace me.
4 I adjure 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?
Under the apple-tree I awakened thee:
There thy mother was in travail with thee,
There was she in travail that brought thee forth.
6 Set 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,
A very flame of Jehovah.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
Neither can floods drown it:
If a man would give all the substance of his house for love,
He 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 turret 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 the towers thereof
Then was I in his eyes as one that found peace.
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, shalt have the thousand,
And those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens,
The companions hearken for 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.