| 8:1 | The Beloved to Her Lover: Oh, how I wish you were* my little brother,* nursing at my mother’s breasts; if I saw* you outside, I could kiss you – surely* no one would despise me!* |
| 8:2 | I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house, the one who taught me.* I would give you* spiced wine* to drink,* the nectar of my pomegranates.* |
| 8:3 | The Beloved about Her Lover: His left hand caresses my head, and his right hand stimulates me.* |
| 8:4 | The Beloved to the Maidens: I admonish you, O maidens* of Jerusalem: “Do not* arouse or awaken love until it pleases!” |
| 8:5 | The Maidens about His Beloved: Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? The Beloved to Her Lover: Under the apple tree I aroused you;* there your mother conceived you, there she who bore you was in labor of childbirth.* |
| 8:6 | The Beloved to Her Lover: Set me like a cylinder seal* over your heart,* like a signet* on your arm.* For love is as strong as death,* passion* is as unrelenting* as Sheol. Its flames burst forth,* it is a blazing flame.* |
| 8:7 | Surging waters cannot quench love; floodwaters* cannot overflow it. If someone were to offer all his possessions* to buy love,* the offer* would be utterly despised.* |
| 8:8 | The Beloved’s Brothers: We have a little sister, and as yet she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?* |
| 8:9 | If she is a wall,* we will build on her a battlement* of silver; but if she is a door, we will barricade* her with boards* of cedar.* |
| 8:10 | The Beloved: I was a wall, and my breasts were like fortress towers.* Then I found favor* in his eyes.* |
| 8:11 | The Beloved to Her Lover: Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon; he leased out* the vineyard to those who maintained it. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit. |
| 8:12 | My vineyard,* which belongs to me,* is at my disposal alone.* The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon, and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit. |
| 8:13 | The Lover to His Beloved: O you who stay in the gardens, my companions are listening attentively* for your voice; let me be the one to* hear it!* |
| 8:14 | The Beloved to Her Lover: Make haste, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. |
Song of Solomon 8 - NET Bible [draft]
