1WHO shall give you to me for my brother that sucked the breasts of my mother? When I should find you in the street, I would kiss you; yea, I should not be despised.

2I would lead you and bring you into my mother's house, into the chamber of her that bore me; I would give you a drink of my delicious wine, and of the sweet juice of my pomegranates.

3His left arm is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.

4I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up nor awake love until he please.

5Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree; there your mother brought you forth; there she that bore you was in travail.

6Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death; desire is cruel as Sheol; its flashes are flashes of fire and flame.

7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the rivers carry it away; and yet, if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, people would mock him.

8We have a little sister whose breasts have not developed; what shall we do for our sister in the day when they shall seek her hand?

9If she be a wall, we will build upon her an upper chamber of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

10I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who has found favor.

11Solomon had a vineyard, and its fruits were abundant; he let out the vineyard to keepers; a man offered for its fruits a thousand pieces of silver.

12My vineyard which is mine is before me; a thousand pieces of silver are yours, O Solomon, and two hundred for the keepers of the fruit.

13Those who sit in the gardens and listen to your voice, have reported your words to me.

14Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.