1Oh, that thou wert as my brother, that nursed at {sucked} the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee outside, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised. 2I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me. I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

3His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. 4I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until it {he} please.

5Who is this who cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I awakened {raised} thee {up} under the apple tree. There thy mother brought thee forth; there she brought thee forth who bore thee.

6Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as sheol {the grave}; its {the} coals {thereof} are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. 7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be rejected {contemned}.

8We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? 9If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. 10I am a wall, and my breasts like towers; then was I in his eyes as one that found favor.

11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he leased {let out} the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit of it {thereof} was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. 12My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those who keep its {the} fruit {thereof} two hundred.

13Thou who dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice. Cause me to hear it.

14Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or {to} a young hart upon the mountains of spices.