Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
1 If only I could treat you like my brother, one who nursed at my mother's breasts, I would find you in public and kiss you, and no one would scorn me. | 1Oh, how I wish you were my little brother, nursing at my mother's breasts; if I saw you outside, I could kiss you--surely no one would despise me! |
2I would lead you, I would take you, to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink from my pomegranate juice. | 2I would lead you and bring you to my mother's house, the one who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates. |
3His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. | 3His left hand caresses my head, and his right hand stimulates me. |
4Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you: do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time. Y | 4"Do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!" |
5Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on the one she loves? W I awakened you under the apricot tree. There your mother conceived you; there she conceived and gave you birth. | 5Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? The Beloved to Her Lover: Under the apple tree I aroused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who bore you was in labor of childbirth. |
6Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death; ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol. Love's flames are fiery flames-- the fiercest of all. | 6Set me like a cylinder seal over your heart, like a signet on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion is as unrelenting as Sheol. Its flames burst forth, it is a blazing flame. |
7Mighty waters cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all his wealth for love, it would be utterly scorned. B | 7Surging waters cannot quench love; floodwaters cannot overflow it. If someone were to offer all his possessions to buy love, the offer would be utterly despised. |
8Our sister is young; she has no breasts. What will we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for? | 8We have a little sister, and as yet she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? |
9If she is a wall, we will build a silver parapet on it. If she is a door, we will enclose it with cedar planks. W | 9If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will barricade her with boards of cedar. |
10I am a wall and my breasts like towers. So in his eyes I have become like one who finds peace. | 10I was a wall, and my breasts were like fortress towers. Then I found favor in his eyes. |
11Solomon owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased the vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for his fruit 1,000 pieces of silver. | 11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon; he leased out the vineyard to those who maintained it. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit. |
12I have my own vineyard. The 1,000 are for you, Solomon, but 200 for those who guard its fruits. M | 12My vineyard, which belongs to me, is at my disposal alone. The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon, and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit. |
13You who dwell in the gardens-- companions are listening for your voice-- let me hear you! W | 13O you who stay in the gardens, my companions are listening attentively for your voice; let me be the one to hear it! |
14Hurry to me, my love, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. | 14Make haste, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. |
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