Song of Solomon, 8

1. 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. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranates.

3. O that his left hand were under my head, and that his right hand embraced me!

4. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up nor awaken love until it please.

5. Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in travail with you, there she who bore you was in travail.

6. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame.

7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned.

8. We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister, on the day when she is spoken for?

9. If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

10. I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who brings peace.

11. Solomon had a vineyard at Ba'al-ha'mon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.

12. My vineyard, my very own, is for myself; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

13. O you who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice; let me hear it.

14. Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag upon the mountains of spices.