1If only I could treat you like my brother,A

one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,

I would find you in public and kiss you,

and no one would scorn me.

2I would lead you, I would take you,

to the house of my mothera who taught me.A

I would give you spiced wine to drink

from the juice of my pomegranate.

3May his left hand be under my head,

and his right arm embrace me.a

4Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you,

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.a

Young Women

5Who is thisa coming up from the wilderness,

leaning on the one she loves?

Woman

I awakened you under the apricot tree.b

There your mother conceived you;

there she conceived and gave you birth.

6Set me as a seal on your heart,

as a seal on your arm.a

For love is as strong as death;b

jealousy is as unrelenting as Sheol.

Love’s flames are fiery flamesc —

an almighty flame!A

7A huge torrent cannot extinguish love;

rivers cannot sweep it away.

If a man were to give all his wealthA for love,a

it would be utterly scorned.

Brothers

8Our sister is young;

she has no breasts.a

What will we do for our sister

on the day she is spoken for?

9If she is a wall,

we will build a silver barricade on her.

If she is a door,

we will enclose her with cedar planks.a

Woman

10I amA a wall

and my breasts like towers.

So to him I have become

like one who findsB peace.C

11Solomon owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon.a

He leased the vineyard to tenants.b

Each was to bring for his fruit

one thousand pieces of silver.c

12I have my own vineyard.a a

The one thousand are for you, Solomon,

but two hundred for those who take care of its fruits.

Man

13YouA who dwell in the gardens,

companionsa are listening for your voice;

let me hear you!b

Woman

14Run away with me,A my love,

and be like a gazelle

or a young stag

on the mountains of spices.a