^{1 Ref} O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.

^{2 Ref} I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

^{3 Ref} His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.

^{4 Ref} I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.

^{5 Ref} Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

^{6 Ref} Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

^{7 Ref} Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

^{8 Ref} We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?

^{9 Ref} If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.

^{10 Ref} I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.

^{11 Ref} Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.

^{12 Ref} My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

^{13 Ref} Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.

^{14 Ref} Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

^{1 Ref} Oh that you were my brother, who took milk from my mother's breasts! When I came to you in the street, I would give you kisses; yes, I would not be looked down on.

^{2 Ref} I would take you by the hand into my mother's house, and she would be my teacher. I would give you drink of spiced wine, drink of the pomegranate.

^{3 Ref} His left hand would be under my head, and his right hand about me.

^{4 Ref} I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not let love be moved till it is ready.

^{5 Ref} Who is this, who comes up from the waste places, resting on her loved one? It was I who made you awake under the apple-tree, where your mother gave you birth; there she was in pain at your birth.

^{6 Ref} Put me as a sign on your heart, as a sign on your arm; love is strong as death, and wrath bitter as the underworld: its coals are coals of fire; violent are its flames.

^{7 Ref} Much water may not put out love, or the deep waters overcome it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be judged a price not great enough.

^{8 Ref} We have a young sister, and she has no breasts; what are we to do for our sister in the day when she is given to a man?

^{9 Ref} If she is a wall, we will make on her a strong base of silver; and if she is a door, we will let her be shut up with cedar-wood.

^{10 Ref} I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers; then was I in his eyes as one to whom good chance had come.

^{11 Ref} Solomon had a vine-garden at Baal-hamon; he let out the vine-garden to keepers; every one had to give a thousand bits of silver for its fruit.

^{12 Ref} My vine-garden, which is mine, is before me: you, O Solomon, will have the thousand, and those who keep the fruit of them two hundred.

^{13 Ref} You who have your resting-place in the gardens, the friends give ear to your voice; make me give ear to it.

^{14 Ref} Come quickly, my loved one, and be like a roe on the mountains of spice.