本日經文提要(雅歌 1:1~8:14)

 

 

歌1:1所羅門的歌，是歌中的雅歌。
歌1:2願他用口與我親嘴，因你的愛情比酒更美。
歌1:3你的膏油馨香，你的名如同倒出來的香膏，所以眾童女都愛你。
歌1:4願你吸引我，我們就快跑跟隨你，王帶我進了內室，我們必因你歡喜快樂，我們要稱讚你的愛情，勝似稱讚美酒，他們愛你是理所當然的。
歌1:5耶路撒冷的眾女子阿，我雖然黑，卻是秀美，如同基達的帳棚，好像所羅門的幔子。
歌1:6不要因日頭把我曬黑了，就輕看我。我同母的弟兄向我發怒，他們使我看守葡萄園，我自己的葡萄園，卻沒有看守。
歌1:7我心所愛的阿，求你告訴我你在何處牧羊，晌午在何處使羊歇臥，我何必在你同伴的羊群旁邊，好像蒙著臉的人呢。
歌1:8你這女子中極美麗的，你若不知道，只管跟隨羊群的腳蹤去，把你的山羊羔，牧放在牧人帳棚的旁邊。
歌1:9我的佳偶，我將你比法老車上套的駿馬。
歌1:10你的兩腮，因髮辮而秀美，你的頸項，因珠串而華麗。
歌1:11我們要為你編上金辮，鑲上銀釘。
歌1:12王正坐席的時候，我的哪噠香膏發出香味。
歌1:13我以我的良人為一袋沒藥，常在我懷中。
歌1:14我以我的良人為一棵鳳仙花，在隱基底葡萄園中。
歌1:15我的佳偶，你甚美麗，你甚美麗，你的眼好像鴿子眼。
歌1:16我的良人哪，你甚美麗可愛，我們以青草為床榻，
歌1:17以香柏樹為房屋的棟梁，以松樹為椽子。

歌2:1我是沙崙的玫瑰花，〔或作水仙花〕是谷中的百合花。
歌2:2我的佳偶在女子中，好像百合花在荊棘內。
歌2:3我的良人在男子中，如同蘋果樹在樹林中。我歡歡喜喜坐在他的蔭下，嘗他果子的滋味覺得甘甜。
歌2:4他帶我入筵宴所，以愛為旗在我以上。
歌2:5求你們給我葡萄乾增補我力，給我蘋果暢快我心，因我思愛成病。
歌2:6他的左手在我頭下，他的右手將我抱住。
歌2:7耶路撒冷的眾女子阿，我指著羚羊，或田野的母鹿，囑咐你們，不要驚動，不要叫醒我所親愛的，等他自己情願。〔不要叫醒云云或作不要激動愛情等他自發〕
歌2:8聽阿是我良人的聲音，看哪，他躥山越嶺而來。
歌2:9我的良人好像羚羊，或像小鹿，他站在我們牆壁後，從窗戶往裡觀看，從窗櫺往裡窺探。
歌2:10我良人對我說：我的佳偶，我的美人，起來，與我同去。
歌2:11因為冬天已往，雨水止住過去了。
歌2:12地上百花開放，百鳥鳴叫的時候〔或作修理葡萄樹的時候〕已經來到，斑鳩的聲音在我們境內也聽見了。
歌2:13無花果樹的果子漸漸成熟，葡萄樹開花放香。我的佳偶，我的美人，起來，與我同去。
歌2:14我的鴿子阿，你在磐石穴中，在陡巖的隱密處，求你容我得見你的面貌，得聽你的聲音，因為你的聲音柔和，你的面貌秀美。
歌2:15要給我們擒拿狐狸，就是毀壞葡萄園的小狐狸，因為我們的葡萄正在開花。
歌2:16良人屬我，我也屬他，他在百合花中牧放群羊。
歌2:17我的良人哪，求你等到天起涼風，日影飛去的時候，你要轉回，好像羚羊，或像小鹿在比特山上。

歌3:1我夜間躺臥在床上，尋找我心所愛的，我尋找他，卻尋不見。
歌3:2我說：我要起來，遊行城中，在街市上，在寬闊處，尋找我心所愛的，我尋找他，卻尋不見。
歌3:3城中巡邏看守的人遇見我，我問他們，你們看見我心所愛的沒有。
歌3:4我剛離開他們，就遇見我心所愛的，我拉住他，不容他走，領他入我母家，到懷我者的內室。
歌3:5耶路撒冷的眾女子阿，我指著羚羊，或田野的母鹿，囑咐你們，不要驚動，不要叫醒我所親愛的，等他自己情願。〔不要叫醒云云或作不要激動愛情等他自發〕
歌3:6那從曠野上來，形狀如煙柱，以沒藥和乳香，並商人各樣香粉薰的，是誰呢。
歌3:7看哪，是所羅門的轎，四圍有六十個勇士，都是以色列中的勇士。
歌3:8手都持刀，善於爭戰，腰間佩刀，防備夜間有驚慌。
歌3:9所羅門王用利巴嫩木，為自己製造一乘華轎。
歌3:10轎柱是用銀作的，轎底是用金作的，坐墊是紫色的，其中所鋪的乃耶路撒冷眾女子的愛情。
歌3:11錫安的眾女子阿，你們出去，觀看所羅門王，頭戴冠冕，就是在他婚筵的日子，心中喜樂的時候，他母親給他戴上的。

歌4:1我的佳偶，你甚美麗，你甚美麗，你的眼在帕子內好像鴿子眼。你的頭髮如同山羊群，臥在基列山旁。
歌4:2你的牙齒如新剪毛的一群母羊，洗淨上來，個個都有雙生，沒有一隻喪掉子的。
歌4:3你的唇好像一條朱紅線，你的嘴也秀美。你的兩太陽，在帕子內如同一塊石榴。
歌4:4你的頸項好像大衛建造收藏軍器的高臺，其上懸掛一千盾牌，都是勇士的籐牌。
歌4:5你的兩乳，好像百合花中吃草的一對小鹿，就是母鹿雙生的。
歌4:6我要往沒藥山，和乳香岡去，直等到天起涼風，日影飛去的時候回來。
歌4:7我的佳偶，你全然美麗，毫無瑕疵。
歌4:8我的新婦，求你與我一同離開利巴嫩，與我一同離開利巴嫩，從亞瑪拿頂，從示尼珥與黑門頂，從有獅子的洞，從有豹子的山，往下觀看。
歌4:9我妹子，我新婦，你奪了我的心，你用眼一看，用你項上的一條金鍊，奪了我的心。
歌4:10我妹子，我新婦，你的愛情何其美，你的愛情比酒更美，你膏油的香氣勝過一切香品。
歌4:11我新婦，你的嘴唇滴蜜，好像蜂房滴蜜，你的舌下有蜜有奶，你衣服的香氣如利巴嫩的香氣。
歌4:12我妹子，我新婦，乃是關鎖的園，禁閉的井，封閉的泉源。
歌4:13你園內所種的結了石榴，有佳美的果子，並鳳仙花，與哪噠樹。
歌4:14有哪噠和番紅花，菖蒲，和桂樹，並各樣乳香木，沒藥，沉香與一切上等的果品。
歌4:15你是園中的泉，活水的井，從利巴嫩流下來的溪水。
歌4:16北風阿，興起，南風阿，吹來，吹在我的園內，使其中的香氣發出來。願我的良人進入自己園裡，吃他佳美的果子。

歌5:1我妹子，我新婦，我進了我的園中，採了我的沒藥和香料，吃了我的蜜房和蜂蜜，喝了我的酒和奶，我的朋友們，請吃，我所親愛的，請喝，且多多的喝。
歌5:2我身睡臥，我心卻醒，這是我良人的聲音，他敲門，說：我的妹子，我的佳偶，我的鴿子，我的完全人，求你給我開門，因我的頭滿了露水，我的頭髮被夜露滴濕。
歌5:3我回答說：我脫了衣裳，怎能再穿上呢，我洗了腳，怎能再玷污呢。
歌5:4我的良人從門孔裡伸進手來，我便因他動了心。
歌5:5我起來，要給我良人開門，我的兩手滴下沒藥，我的指頭有沒藥汁滴在門閂上。
歌5:6我給我的良人開了門，我的良人卻已轉身走了。他說話的時候，我神不守舍，我尋找他，竟尋不見，我呼叫他，他卻不回答。
歌5:7城中巡邏看守的人遇見我，打了我，傷了我，看守城牆的人奪去我的披肩。
歌5:8耶路撒冷的眾女子阿，我囑咐你們，若遇見我的良人，要告訴他，我因思愛成病。
歌5:9你這女子中極美麗的，你的良人，比別人的良人有何強處，你的良人，比別人的良人有何強處，你就這樣囑咐我們。
歌5:10我的良人，白而且紅，超乎萬人之上。
歌5:11他的頭像至精的金子，他的頭髮厚密纍垂，黑如烏鴉。
歌5:12他的眼如溪水旁的鴿子眼，用奶洗淨，安得合式。
歌5:13他的兩腮如香花畦，如香草臺，他的嘴唇像百合花，且滴下沒藥汁。
歌5:14他的兩手好像金管，鑲嵌水蒼玉，他的身體如同雕刻的象牙，周圍鑲嵌藍寶石。
歌5:15他的腿好像白玉石柱，安在精金座上，他的形狀如利巴嫩，且佳美如香柏樹。
歌5:16他的口極其甘甜，他全然可愛。耶路撒冷的眾女子阿，這是我的良人，這是我的朋友。

歌6:1你這女子中極美麗的，你的良人往何處去了，你的良人轉向何處去了，我們好與你同去尋找他。
歌6:2我的良人下入自己園中，到香花畦，在園內牧放群羊，採百合花。
歌6:3我屬我的良人，我的良人也屬我，他在百合花中牧放群羊。
歌6:4我的佳偶阿，你美麗如得撒，秀美如耶路撒冷，威武如展開旌旗的軍隊。
歌6:5求你掉轉眼目不看我，因你的眼目使我驚亂。你的頭髮如同山羊群，臥在基列山旁。
歌6:6你的牙齒如一群母羊，洗淨上來，個個都有雙生，沒有一隻喪掉子的。
歌6:7你的兩太陽在帕子內如同一塊石榴。
歌6:8有六十王后八十妃嬪，並有無數的童女。
歌6:9我的鴿子，我的完全人，只有這一個，是他母親獨生的，是生養他者所寶愛的。眾女子見了，就稱他有福，王后妃嬪見了，也讚美他。
歌6:10那向外觀看如晨光發現，美麗如月亮，皎潔如日頭，威武如展開旌旗軍隊的是誰呢。
歌6:11我下入核桃園，要看谷中青綠的植物，要看葡萄發芽沒有，石榴開花沒有。
歌6:12不知不覺，我的心將我安置在我尊長的車中。
歌6:13回來，回來，書拉密女，你回來，你回來，使我們得觀看你。你們為何要觀看書拉密女，像觀看瑪哈念跳舞的呢。

歌7:1王女阿，你的腳在鞋中何其美好，你的大腿圓潤好像美玉，是巧匠的手作成的。
歌7:2你的肚臍如圓杯不缺調和的酒，你的腰如一堆麥子，周圍有百合花。
歌7:3你的兩乳好像一對小鹿，就是母鹿雙生的。
歌7:4你的頸項如象牙臺，你的眼目像希實本巴特拉併門旁的水池，你的鼻子彷彿朝大馬色的利巴嫩塔。
歌7:5你的頭在你身上好像迦密山，你頭上的髮是紫黑色，王的心因這下垂的髮綹繫住了。
歌7:6我所愛的，你何其美好，何其可悅。使人歡暢喜樂。
歌7:7你的身量，好像棕樹，你的兩乳如同其上的果子，纍纍下垂。
歌7:8我說我要上這棕樹，抓住枝子，願你的兩乳，好像葡萄纍纍下垂，你鼻子的氣味香如蘋果，
歌7:9你的口如上好的酒，女子說：為我的良人下咽舒暢，流入睡覺人的嘴中。
歌7:10我屬我的良人，他也戀慕我。
歌7:11我的良人，來罷，你我可以往田間去，你我可以在村莊住宿。
歌7:12我們早晨起來往葡萄園去看看葡萄發芽開花沒有，石榴放蕊沒有，我在那裡要將我的愛情給你。
歌7:13風茄放香，在我們的門內有各樣新陳佳美的果子，我的良人，這都是我為你存留的。

 

歌8:1巴不得你像我的兄弟，像吃我母親奶的兄弟，我在外頭遇見你，就與你親嘴，誰也不輕看我。
歌8:2我必引導你，領你進我母親的家，我可以領受教訓，也就使你喝石榴汁釀的香酒。
歌8:3他的左手必在我頭下，他的右手必將我抱住。
歌8:4耶路撒冷的眾女子阿，我囑咐你們，不要驚動，不要叫醒我所親愛的，等他自己情願。〔不要叫醒云云或作不要激動愛情等他自發〕
歌8:5那靠著良人從曠野上來的，是誰呢。我在蘋果樹下叫醒你，你母親在那裡為你劬勞，生養你的在那裡為你劬勞。
歌8:6求你將我放在你心上如印記，帶在你臂上如戳記，因為愛情如死之堅強，嫉恨如陰間之殘忍，所發的電光，是火焰的電光，是耶和華的烈焰。
歌8:7愛情，眾水不能息滅，大水也不能淹沒，若有人拿家中所有的財寶要換愛情，就全被藐視。
歌8:8我們有一小妹，他的兩乳尚未長成，人來提親的日子，我們當為他怎樣辦理。
歌8:9他若是牆，我們要在其上建造銀塔，他若是門，我們要用香柏木板圍護他。
歌8:10我是牆，我兩乳像其上的樓，那時我在他眼中像得平安的人。
歌8:11所羅門在巴力哈們有一葡萄園，他將這葡萄園交給看守的人，為其中的果子必交一千舍客勒銀子。
歌8:12我自己的葡萄園在我面前，所羅門哪，一千舍客勒歸你，二百舍客勒歸看守果子的人。
歌8:13你這住在園中的，同伴都要聽你的聲音，求你使我也得聽見。
歌8:14我的良人哪，求你快來，如羚羊或小鹿在香草山上。

 

 

 

Song of Songs 1

1 Solomon’s Song of Songs.

She[a]

2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
    for your love is more delightful than wine.
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
    your name is like perfume poured out.
    No wonder the young women love you!
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
    Let the king bring me into his chambers.
Friends

We rejoice and delight in you[b];
    we will praise your love more than wine.
She

How right they are to adore you!
5 Dark am I, yet lovely,
    daughters of Jerusalem,
dark like the tents of Kedar,
    like the tent curtains of Solomon.[c]
6 Do not stare at me because I am dark,
    because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
    and made me take care of the vineyards;
    my own vineyard I had to neglect.
7 Tell me, you whom I love,
    where you graze your flock
    and where you rest your sheep at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled woman
    beside the flocks of your friends?
Friends

8 If you do not know, most beautiful of women,
    follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
    by the tents of the shepherds.
He

9 I liken you, my darling, to a mare
    among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
    your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
    studded with silver.
She

12 While the king was at his table,
    my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
    resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
    from the vineyards of En Gedi.
He

15 How beautiful you are, my darling!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes are doves.
She

16 How handsome you are, my beloved!
    Oh, how charming!
    And our bed is verdant.
He

17 The beams of our house are cedars;
    our rafters are firs.

 

She[a]

2 I am a rose[b] of Sharon,
    a lily of the valleys.
He

2 Like a lily among thorns
    is my darling among the young women.
She

3 Like an apple[c] tree among the trees of the forest
    is my beloved among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
    and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall,
    and let his banner over me be love.
5 Strengthen me with raisins,
    refresh me with apples,
    for I am faint with love.
6 His left arm is under my head,
    and his right arm embraces me.
7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.
8 Listen! My beloved!
    Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
    Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;
    the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
    my beautiful one, come with me.”
He

14 My dove in the clefts of the rock,
    in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
    let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
    and your face is lovely.
15 Catch for us the foxes,
    the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,
    our vineyards that are in bloom.
She

16 My beloved is mine and I am his;
    he browses among the lilies.
17 Until the day breaks
    and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
    on the rugged hills.[d]

 

 

3 All night long on my bed
    I looked for the one my heart loves;
    I looked for him but did not find him.
2 I will get up now and go about the city,
    through its streets and squares;
I will search for the one my heart loves.
    So I looked for him but did not find him.
3 The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.
    “Have you seen the one my heart loves?”
4 Scarcely had I passed them
    when I found the one my heart loves.
I held him and would not let him go
    till I had brought him to my mother’s house,
    to the room of the one who conceived me.
5 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.
6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness
    like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and incense
    made from all the spices of the merchant?
7 Look! It is Solomon’s carriage,
    escorted by sixty warriors,
    the noblest of Israel,
8 all of them wearing the sword,
    all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
    prepared for the terrors of the night.
9 King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
    he made it of wood from Lebanon.
10 Its posts he made of silver,
    its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
    its interior inlaid with love.
Daughters of Jerusalem, 11 come out,
    and look, you daughters of Zion.
Look[a] on King Solomon wearing a crown,
    the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
    the day his heart rejoiced.

 

He

4 How beautiful you are, my darling!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from the hills of Gilead.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
    not one of them is alone.
3 Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
    your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.
4 Your neck is like the tower of David,
    built with courses of stone[a];
on it hang a thousand shields,
    all of them shields of warriors.
5 Your breasts are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle
    that browse among the lilies.
6 Until the day breaks
    and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of myrrh
    and to the hill of incense.
7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling;
    there is no flaw in you.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,
    come with me from Lebanon.
Descend from the crest of Amana,
    from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon,
from the lions’ dens
    and the mountain haunts of leopards.
9 You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;
    you have stolen my heart
with one glance of your eyes,
    with one jewel of your necklace.
10 How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!
    How much more pleasing is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your perfume
    more than any spice!
11 Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride;
    milk and honey are under your tongue.
The fragrance of your garments
    is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
12 You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;
    you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.
13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
    with choice fruits,
    with henna and nard,
14     nard and saffron,
    calamus and cinnamon,
    with every kind of incense tree,
    with myrrh and aloes
    and all the finest spices.
15 You are[b] a garden fountain,
    a well of flowing water
    streaming down from Lebanon.

 

He

5 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
    I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
    I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Friends

Eat, friends, and drink;
    drink your fill of love.
She

2 I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”
3 I have taken off my robe—
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
    must I soil them again?
4 My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.
5 I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened for my beloved,
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.
    My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.
7 The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!
8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you—
    if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
    Tell him I am faint with love.
Friends

9 How is your beloved better than others,
    most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
    that you so charge us?
She

10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is purest gold;
    his hair is wavy
    and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
    by the water streams,
washed in milk,
    mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice
    yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
    dripping with myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold
    set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
    decorated with lapis lazuli.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
    choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth is sweetness itself;
    he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.

 

Friends

6 Where has your beloved gone,
    most beautiful of women?
Which way did your beloved turn,
    that we may look for him with you?
She

2 My beloved has gone down to his garden,
    to the beds of spices,
to browse in the gardens
    and to gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
    he browses among the lilies.
He

4 You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling,
    as lovely as Jerusalem,
    as majestic as troops with banners.
5 Turn your eyes from me;
    they overwhelm me.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from Gilead.
6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin,
    not one of them is missing.
7 Your temples behind your veil
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.
8 Sixty queens there may be,
    and eighty concubines,
    and virgins beyond number;
9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique,
    the only daughter of her mother,
    the favorite of the one who bore her.
The young women saw her and called her blessed;
    the queens and concubines praised her.
Friends

10 Who is this that appears like the dawn,
    fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
    majestic as the stars in procession?
He

11 I went down to the grove of nut trees
    to look at the new growth in the valley,
to see if the vines had budded
    or the pomegranates were in bloom.
12 Before I realized it,
    my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.[a]
Friends

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
    come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!
He

Why would you gaze on the Shulammite
    as on the dance of Mahanaim?[b]

 

Song of Songs 7 

7 [a]How beautiful your sandaled feet,
    O prince’s daughter!
Your graceful legs are like jewels,
    the work of an artist’s hands.
2 Your navel is a rounded goblet
    that never lacks blended wine.
Your waist is a mound of wheat
    encircled by lilies.
3 Your breasts are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon
    by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon
    looking toward Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.
    Your hair is like royal tapestry;
    the king is held captive by its tresses.
6 How beautiful you are and how pleasing,
    my love, with your delights!
7 Your stature is like that of the palm,
    and your breasts like clusters of fruit.
8 I said, “I will climb the palm tree;
    I will take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine,
    the fragrance of your breath like apples,
9     and your mouth like the best wine.
She

May the wine go straight to my beloved,
    flowing gently over lips and teeth.[b]
10 I belong to my beloved,
    and his desire is for me.
11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
    let us spend the night in the villages.[c]
12 Let us go early to the vineyards
    to see if the vines have budded,
if their blossoms have opened,
    and if the pomegranates are in bloom—
    there I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes send out their fragrance,
    and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
    that I have stored up for you, my beloved.

 

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 pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.
Friends

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness
    leaning on her beloved?
She

Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
    its jealousy[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it[c] would be utterly scorned.
Friends

8 We have a little sister,
    and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
    we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
    we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
She

10 I am a wall,
    and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
    like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon;
    he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
    a thousand shekels[d] of silver.
12 But my own vineyard is mine to give;
    the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.
He

13 You who dwell in the gardens
    with friends in attendance,
    let me hear your voice!
She

14 Come away, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
    on the spice-laden mountains.