Song of Songs 8

A friend like a brother

The young woman:

1 I want you to be like a brother who drank at my mother's breasts!

I want us to be like a brother and sister.

So, if I found you outside, I would kiss you.

And nobody would think about me as a bad person.

2 I would lead you to my mother's house.

I would bring you to the mother who has taught me.

I would give to you wine with spices to drink.

I would give to you my pomegranate drink that tastes lovely.

3 His left arm is under my head. His right arm pulls me near to him.

4 I say this to you, young women of Jerusalem,

please do not cause someone to feel love for another person,

not until he or she wants to.

I am saying this because I really mean it.

I ask you not to do it.

The young women of Jerusalem:

5 Someone is coming up from the desert with the man who loves her!

Her head is on the man's shoulder.

The young woman:

Under the apple tree, I woke you up.

There your life started in your mother's body.

There your mother was in pain during your birth.

6 Pull me near to you, like a seal over your heart.

Put me like a seal over your arm.

Keep me there always, because love is as strong as death.

A dead person never comes alive out of their grave.

A man who loves his wife will never let another man take her away from him.

And I do not want you to love another woman.

Love burns like a hot fire.

It burns with bright flames.

7 Lots of water cannot put it out.

Rivers cannot carry it away.

A rich man might give everything that he has to buy someone's love.

But people would tell him that he was very silly!

A younger sister

The young woman's brothers:

8 We have a younger sister.

Her breasts have not yet grown.

What will we do on her behalf when it is the time for her to marry?

9 If she is a wall, we will build towers out of silver on her.

If she is a door, we will put boards of cedar wood over her.

The young woman:

10 I am a wall.

My breasts are like towers in the wall.

So, to him, I have become like someone who gives pleasure to him.

11 King Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon.

People could come and they could pay 1,000 pieces of silver for its fruit.

12 But my own vineyard is mine. It is a gift to you, my king.

The 1,000 pieces of silver are for you to keep, Solomon.

But I will give 200 pieces of silver to those who watch over its fruit.

The young man:

13 You have been in the garden with your friends for a long time.

Let me hear your voice!

The young woman:

14 You love me. Come away.

Be like a gazelle or like a young deer on the mountains that are full of spice.