| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Oh, that you were like my brother, Who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I should find you outside, I would kiss you; I would not be despised. | 1Oh that you were like a brother to me who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me. |
| 2I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, She who used to instruct me. I would cause you to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate. | 2I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother— she who used to teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranate. |
| 3His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me. | 3His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me! |
| 4I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases. | 4I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. |
| 5Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth. | 5Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor. |
| 6Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame. | 6Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. |
| 7Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised. | 7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised. |
| 8We have a little sister, And she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister In the day when she is spoken for? | 8We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? |
| 9If she is a wall, We will build upon her A battlement of silver; And if she is a door, We will enclose her With boards of cedar. | 9If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver, but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. |
| 10I am a wall, And my breasts like towers; Then I became in his eyes As one who found peace. | 10I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace. |
| 11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon; He leased the vineyard to keepers; Everyone was to bring for its fruit A thousand silver coins. | 11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver. |
| 12My own vineyard is before me. You, O Solomon, may have a thousand, And those who tend its fruit two hundred. | 12My vineyard, my very own, is before me; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred. |
| 13You who dwell in the gardens, The companions listen for your voice— Let me hear it! | 13O you who dwell in the gardens, with companions listening for your voice; let me hear it. |
| 14Make haste, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag On the mountains of spices. | 14Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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