1
How I wish you were like a brother to me, one who nursed at my mother's breasts! Then if I met you on the street I could kiss you and no one would tell me off.
2
Then I could take you home to my mother's house, where she used to teach me.* I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranate.
3
He supports my head with his left hand, and holds me close with his right.
4
Women of Jerusalem, swear to me that you won't disturb our love until the right time. Women of Jerusalem:
5
Who is this coming in from the wilderness holding her love close to her? Woman:
6
(5) I woke you up under the apple tree where your mother conceived you, and where she gave birth to you.* (6) Stamp my name as a seal on your heart, like a seal on your arm,* for love is strong as death, passion as unyielding as the grave—its arrows flash like fire, a blazing flame of the Lord.
7
Floods of water cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot submerge it. If a man offered everything he owned in order to buy love he would be completely rejected. Woman's brothers:
8
We have a younger sister whose breasts are still small. What shall we do for our sister when someone asks to marry her?
9
If she is a wall, we will build a silver tower on it. But if she is a door, we will bar the way with cedar planks.* Woman:
10
I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So when he looks at me he's happy!* Woman:*
11
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon which he leased to tenant farmers. Each of them paid him one thousand silver coins for the fruit it produced.
12
But I own my vineyard, it is mine alone. One thousand silver coins are for you, Solomon, and two hundred for those who look after it. Man:
13
My darling, sitting there in the gardens with companions listening to you—please talk to me! Woman:
14
Come quickly, my love! Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spices.