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The Song of Solomon

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 8 -

1
Who makes you as a brother to me, || Suckling the breasts of my mother? I find you outside, I kiss you, || Indeed, they do not despise me,
2
I lead you, I bring you into my mother’s house, || She teaches me, I cause you to drink of the spiced wine, || Of the juice of my pomegranate,
3
His left hand [is] under my head, || And his right embraces me.
4
I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, || How you stir up, || And how you wake the love until she pleases!
5
Who [is] this coming from the wilderness, || Hastening herself for her beloved? Under the citron-tree I have awoken you, || There your mother pledged you, || There she [who] bore you gave a pledge.

If only we could be undisturbed!

6
Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm, || For strong as death is love, || Sharp as Sheol is jealousy, || Its burnings [are] burnings of fire, a flame of YAH!
7
Many waters are not able to quench the love, || And floods do not wash it away. If one gives all the wealth of his house for love, || Treading down—they tread on it.

Easy to conquer?

8
We have a little sister, and she does not have breasts, || What do we do for our sister, || In the day that it is told of her?
9
If she is a wall, we build by her a palace of silver. And if she is a door, || We fashion by her board-work of cedar.
10
I [am] a wall, and my breasts as towers, || Then I have been in his eyes as one finding peace.

Richer than Solomon

11
Solomon has a vineyard in Ba‘al-Hamon, || He has given the vineyard to keepers, || Each brings for its fruit one thousand pieces of silver;
12
My vineyard—my own—is before me, || The one thousand [is] for you, O Solomon. And the two hundred for those keeping its fruit. O dweller in gardens!

Call only me

13
The companions are attending to your voice, || Cause me to hear. Flee, my beloved, and be like to a roe,
14
Or to a young one of the harts on mountains of spices!
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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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