English / ERV
Song of Solomon 8
Easy-to-Read Version, 2006
- 1If you were a baby, like my little brother nursing at his mother’s breasts, and if I found you outside, I could kiss you, and no one would say it was wrong.
- 2I would lead you into my mother’s house, to the room of she who taught me. I would give you spiced wine squeezed from my pomegranate.
- 3His left arm is under my head, and his right hand holds me.
- 4Women of Jerusalem, promise me, don’t awaken love, don’t arouse love, until I am ready.[1]
- 5Who is this woman coming from the desert, leaning on her lover? She Speaks to Him I woke you under the apple tree, where your mother gave birth to you, where you were born.
- 6Keep me near you like a seal you wear over your heart, like a signet ring you wear on your hand. Love is as strong as death. Passion is as strong as the grave.[2] Its sparks become a flame, and it grows to become a great fire[3]!
- 7A flood cannot put out love. Rivers cannot drown love. Would people despise a man for giving everything he owns for love?
- 8We have a little sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What should we do for our sister when a man comes asking to marry her?
- 9If she were a wall, we would put silver trim[4] around her. If she were a door, we would put a cedar board around her.
- 10I am a wall, and my breasts are my towers. And he is satisfied with me![5]
- 11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He put men in charge of the vineyard. Each man brought in grapes worth 1000 shekels[6] of silver.
- 12Solomon, you can keep your 1000 shekels. Give 200 shekels to each man for the grapes he brought. But I will keep my own vineyard.
- 13There you are, sitting in the garden. Friends are listening to your voice. Let me hear it too!
- 14Hurry, my lover! Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spice.