1 Would that you were a brother to me,nursed at my mother’s breasts!If I met you out of doors, I would kiss youand none would despise me.
2 I would lead you, bring you to my mother’s house,where you would teach me,Where I would give you to drinkspiced wine, my pomegranate juice.
3 His left hand is under my head,and his right arm embraces me.
4 I adjure you, Daughters of Jerusalem,do not awaken or stir up loveuntil it is ready!
5 D? Who is this coming up from the desert,leaning upon her lover?W Beneath the apple tree I awakened you;there your mother conceived you;there she who bore you conceived.
6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,as a seal upon your arm;For Love is strong as Death,longing is fierce as Sheol.Its arrows are arrows of fire,flames of the divine.
7 Deep waters cannot quench love,nor rivers sweep it away.Were one to offer all the wealth of his house for love,he would be utterly despised.
8 W “We have a little sister;she has no breasts as yet.What shall we do for our sisteron the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,we will build upon her a silver turret;But if she is a door,we will board her up with cedar planks.”
10 I am a wall,and my breasts are like towers.I became in his eyesas one who brings peace.
11 M? Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;he gave over the vineyard to caretakers.For its fruit one would have to paya thousand silver pieces.
12 My vineyard is at my own disposal;the thousand pieces are for you, Solomon,and two hundred for the caretakers of its fruit.
13 M You who dwell in the gardens,my companions are listening for your voice—let me hear it!
14 W Swiftly, my lover,be like a gazelle or a young stagupon the mountains of spices.