Song of Solomon 8 - Contemporary English Version (CEV)

If Only You and I …

She Speaks:

8 If you were my brother,
I could kiss you
whenever we happen to meet,
and no one would say
I did wrong.
2 I could take you to the home
of my mother,
who taught me all I know.[a]
I would give you delicious wine
and fruit juice as well.
3 Put your left hand under my head
and embrace me
with your right arm.

4 Young women of Jerusalem,
promise me never to awaken love
before it is ready.

Their Friends Speak:

5 Who is this young woman
coming in from the desert
and leaning on the shoulder
of the one she loves?

She Speaks:

I stirred up your passions
under the apple tree
where you were born.
6 Always keep me in your heart
and wear this bracelet
to remember me by.
The passion of love
bursting into flame
is more powerful than death,
stronger than the grave.
7 Love cannot be drowned
by oceans or floods.
It cannot be bought—
any offer would be scorned
no matter how great.

Their Friends Speak:

8 We have a little sister
whose breasts
are not yet formed.
If someone asks to marry her,
what should we do?
9 She isn't a wall
that we can defend
behind a silver shield.
Neither is she a room
that we can protect
behind a wooden door.

She Speaks:

10 I am a wall around a city,
my breasts are towers,
and just looking at me
brings him great pleasure.
11 Solomon has a vineyard
at Baal-Hamon,
which he rents to others
for a thousand pieces
of silver each.
12 My vineyard is mine alone!
Solomon can keep his silver
and the others can keep
their share of the profits.

He Speaks:

13 You are in the garden
with friends all around.
Let me hear your voice!

She Speaks:

14 Hurry to me, my darling!
Run faster than a deer
to mountains of spices.

Footnotes

  1. 8.2 who … know: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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8 Who may grant to me thee, my brother, sucking the teats of my mother, that I find thee alone withoutforth, and that I kiss thee, and no man despise me then? (Who shall grant me, that thou be my brother, yea, he who hath sucked at my mother’s breasts, so that if I find thee alone outside, and I kis...
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Song of Solomon 8 - World English Bible (WEB)

8 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 pomegrana...
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Song of Solomon 8 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

8 O that you were like a brother to me, that nursed at my mother’s breast!If I met you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me.2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.[a]I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice ...
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8 “O that you were like a brother to me, who nursed from my mother’s breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would hate me. 2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, who used to teach me. I would give you wine with spices to drink, made from my pomegranates...
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Song of Solomon 8 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

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 – she who has taught me.I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranate...
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8 I wish you were like my brother who fed at my mother’s breasts.If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would look down on me.2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house; she is the one who taught me.I would give you a drink of spiced wine from my pomegranates. The Woman Spea...
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