Song of Songs 8
Evangelical Heritage Version
He Embraces Me
The Woman
8 I wish that you were like a brother to me,
who was nursed at my mother’s breasts.
Then if I would meet you in public,
I could kiss you,
and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you.
I would bring you to my mother’s house
where she used to teach me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the juice of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, you must swear
that you will not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.
The Friends
5 5a Who is this woman coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her lover?
The Wealth of Our House
The Woman
5b Under the apple tree I roused you.
There your mother conceived you.
There she who gave birth to you was in labor.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm,
because love is as strong as death.
Its passion is as relentless as the grave.
Its flames are flames of fire, a mighty blaze.[a]
7 Many waters cannot quench such love.
Rivers cannot wash it away.
If a man were to offer all the wealth
of his house for love,
he would be utterly scorned.
The Brothers. . .Decorated With Silver
The Brothers
8 We have a little sister.
She has no breasts.
What shall we make for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
My Own Vineyard
The Woman
10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one who delivers contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon.
He leased his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels of silver.
12 But my own vineyard is before me.
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.
The Last Call to Love
The Man
13 You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!
Run Away With Me
The Woman
14 Run away, my love,
and be like a gazelle,
or like a young buck
on the mountains of spices.
Footnotes
- Song of Songs 8:6 With alternate word division the text may be read the blaze of Yah. Yah is a short form of the divine name often written Yahweh.
Song of Songs 8
New International Version
8 If only you were to me like a brother,
who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
I would kiss you,
and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you
and bring you to my mother’s house(A)—
she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the nectar of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.(B)
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.(C)
Friends
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness(D)
leaning on her beloved?
She
Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived(E) you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love(F) is as strong as death,
its jealousy[a](G) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it[c] would be utterly scorned.(H)
Friends
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 towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
She
10 I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard(I) in Baal Hamon;
he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels[d](J) of silver.
12 But my own vineyard(K) is mine to give;
the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.
He
13 You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!
She
Footnotes
- Song of Songs 8:6 Or ardor
- Song of Songs 8:6 Or fire, / like the very flame of the Lord
- Song of Songs 8:7 Or he
- Song of Songs 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms; also in verse 12
- Song of Songs 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.