Song of Songs 8 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

8 If only I could treat you like my brother,[a]
one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,
I would find you in public and kiss you,
and no one would scorn me.
2 I would lead you, I would take you,
to the house of my mother(A) who taught me.[b]
I would give you spiced wine to drink
from the juice of my pomegranate.
3 May his left hand be under my head,
and his right arm embrace me.(B)
4 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you,
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time.(C)

Young Women

5 Who is this(D) coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on the one she loves?

Woman

I awakened you under the apricot tree.(E)
There your mother conceived you;
there she conceived and gave you birth.
6 Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm.(F)
For love is as strong as death;(G)
jealousy is as unrelenting as Sheol.
Love’s flames are fiery flames(H)—
an almighty flame![c]
7 A huge torrent cannot extinguish love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If a man were to give all his wealth[d] for love,(I)
it would be utterly scorned.

Brothers

8 Our sister is young;
she has no breasts.(J)
What will we do for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build a silver barricade on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with cedar planks.(K)

Woman

10 I am[e] a wall
and my breasts like towers.
So to him I have become
like one who finds[f] peace.[g]

11 Solomon owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon.(L)
He leased the vineyard to tenants.(M)
Each was to bring for his fruit
one thousand pieces of silver.(N)
12 I have my own vineyard.[h](O)
The one thousand are for you, Solomon,
but two hundred for those who take care of its fruits.

Man

13 You[i] who dwell in the gardens,
companions(P) are listening for your voice;
let me hear you!(Q)

Woman

14 Run away with me,[j] my love,
and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
on the mountains of spices.(R)

Footnotes

  1. 8:1 Lit Would that you were like a brother to me
  2. 8:2 LXX adds and into the chamber of the one who bore me
  3. 8:6 Or the blaze of the Lord
  4. 8:7 Lit all the wealth of his house
  5. 8:10 Or was
  6. 8:10 Or brings
  7. 8:10 In Hb, the word for peace sounds similar to Solomon and Shulammite.
  8. 8:12 Lit My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; Sg 1:6
  9. 8:13 In Hb, the word for You is feminine.
  10. 8:14 Lit Flee

Cross references

  1. 8:2 : Sg 3:4
  2. 8:3 : Sg 2:6
  3. 8:4 : Sg 2:7; 3:5
  4. 8:5 : Sg 3:6; 6:10
  5. 8:5 : Sg 2:3
  6. 8:6 : Sg 2:16; 6:3; 7:10
  7. 8:6 : Rm 8:38–39; 1Co 13:8
  8. 8:6 : Dt 32:21–22; Pr 6:34; 27:4
  9. 8:7 : Pr 6:35
  10. 8:8 : Ezk 16:7
  11. 8:9 : 1Kg 6:15
  12. 8:11 : Ec 2:4
  13. 8:11 : Mt 21:33
  14. 8:11 : Is 7:23
  15. 8:12 : Sg 1:6
  16. 8:13 : Sg 1:7
  17. 8:13 : Sg 2:14
  18. 8:14 : Sg 2:17

You Might Also Like:

Song of Songs 8 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

8 O, that you were like a brother to me, who nursed at my mother’s breasts.If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.2 I would lead you and bring you into my mother’s house— she who has taught me.I would give you spiced wine to drink from the nectar of my pomegranate.3 O ...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

8 O that you were like a brother to me, who nursed at my mother’s breast!If I met you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.2 I would lead you and bring you into my mother’s house and into the chamber of the one who bore me.[a]I would give you spiced wine to drink, from the juice of...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - New International Version (NIV)

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 pomegrana...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

8 “I wish you were like a brother to me. I wish my mother’s breasts had nursed you.Then if I found you outside, I could kiss you. No one would look down on me.2 I’d bring you to my mother’s house. She taught me everything I know.I’d give you spiced wine to drink. It’s the juice of my pomegranates.3 ...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - New Catholic Bible (NCB)

Chapter 81 Oh, if only you were to me like a brother, nursed at my mother’s breast.Then if I met you out of doors, I could kiss you without people regarding me with scorn.[a]2 I would lead you and bring you into the home of my mother.There you would teach me to give you spiced wine to drink and the ...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 81 Would that you were a brother to me, nursed at my mother’s breasts!If I met you out of doors, I would kiss you and none would despise me.2 (A)I would lead you, bring you to my mother’s house, where you would teach me,Where I would give you to drink spiced wine, my pomegranate[a] juice.3 (...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - Modern English Version (MEV)

8 Oh, that you were like a brother to me, who nursed at my mother’s breasts!If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, she who used to instruct me.I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegrana...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)

He Embraces MeThe Woman8 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 t...
Read More

Song of Songs 8 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

8 If only I could treat you like my brother,[a]one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,I would find you in public and kiss you,and no one would scorn me.2 I would lead you, I would take you,to the house of my mother(A) who taught me.[b]I would give you spiced wine to drinkfrom the juice of my pomegran...
Read More