1 If only I could treat you like my brother, 8:1 Lit Would that you were like a brother to me
one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,
I would find you in public and kiss you,
and no one would scorn me.
2 I would lead you, I would take you,
to the house of my mother 8:2 Sg 3:4 who taught me. 8:2 LXX adds and into the chamber of the one who bore me
I would give you spiced wine to drink
from the juice of my pomegranate.
3 May his left hand be under my head,
and his right arm embrace me. 8:3 Sg 2:6
4 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you,
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time. 8:4 Sg 2:7; 3:5
Young Women
5 Who is this 8:5 Sg 3:6; 6:10 coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on the one she loves?
Woman
I awakened you under the apricot tree. 8:5 Sg 2:3
There your mother conceived you;
there she conceived and gave you birth.
6 Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm. 8:6 Sg 2:16; 6:3; 7:10
For love is as strong as death; 8:6 Rm 8:38–39; 1Co 13:8
jealousy is as unrelenting as Sheol.
Love’s flames are fiery flames 8:6 Dt 32:21–22; Pr 6:34; 27:4 —
an almighty flame! 8:6 Or the blaze of the Lord
7 A huge torrent cannot extinguish love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If a man were to give all his wealth 8:7 Litall the wealth of his house for love, 8:7 Pr 6:35
it would be utterly scorned.
Brothers
8 Our sister is young;
she has no breasts. 8:8 Ezk 16:7
What will we do for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build a silver barricade on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with cedar planks. 8:9 1Kg 6:15
Woman
10 I am 8:10 Or was a wall
and my breasts like towers.
So to him I have become
like one who finds 8:10 Or brings peace. 8:10 In Hb, the word for peace sounds similar to Solomon and Shulammite.
11 Solomon owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon. 8:11 Ec 2:4
He leased the vineyard to tenants. 8:11 Mt 21:33
Each was to bring for his fruit
one thousand pieces of silver. 8:11 Is 7:23
12 I have my own vineyard. 8:12 Lit My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; Sg 1:6, 8:12 Sg 1:6
The one thousand are for you, Solomon,
but two hundred for those who take care of its fruits.
Man
13 You 8:13 In Hb, the word for You is feminine. who dwell in the gardens,
companions 8:13 Sg 1:7 are listening for your voice;
let me hear you! 8:13 Sg 2:14
Woman
14 Run away with me, 8:14 Lit Flee my love,
and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
on the mountains of spices. 8:14 Sg 2:17