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