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The Song of Solomon

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 8 -

1
O that you were to me like a brother who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
2
I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
3
His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.
4
O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
5
Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?

If only we could be undisturbed!

6
(5) I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth. (6) Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy (a) as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all.
7
Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

Easy to conquer?

8
We have a little sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for?
9
If she is a wall, we will build a tower of silver to protect her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
10
I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings peace.

Richer than Solomon

11
Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver.(b)
12
But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.

Call only me

13
You who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!
14
Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.

Footnotes

(a)8:6 Or passion
(b)8:11 Hebrew a thousand of silver; that is, approximately 25.1 pounds or 11.4 kilograms of silver
1
Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.
2
I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
3
His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.
4
I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
5
Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?

If only we could be undisturbed!

6
(5) Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you. (6) Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol.(a) Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD.(b)
7
Many waters can’t quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.

Easy to conquer?

8
We have a little sister. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is to be spoken for?
9
If she is a wall, we will build on her a turret of silver. If she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
10
I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

Richer than Solomon

11
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels (c) of silver for its fruit.
12
My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon, two hundred for those who tend its fruit.

Call only me

13
You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!
14
Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!

Footnotes

(a)8:6 Sheol is the place of the dead.
(b)8:6 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name
(c)8:11 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 1000 shekels is about 10 kilograms or about 22 pounds.
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