| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 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. | 1If only I could treat you like my brother, 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 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, I would take you, to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranate. |
| 3His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me. | 3May his left hand be under my head, and his right arm embrace me. |
| 4I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases. | 4Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you, do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time. |
| 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 this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on the one she loves? Woman I awakened you under the apricot tree. There your mother conceived you; there she conceived and gave you birth. |
| 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 on your heart, as a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death; jealousy is as unrelenting as Sheol. Love's flames are fiery flames--an almighty flame! |
| 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. | 7A huge torrent cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all his wealth for love, it would be utterly scorned. |
| 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? | 8Our sister is young; she has no breasts. What will we do for our sister on the day 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 a silver barricade on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with cedar planks. |
| 10I am a wall, And my breasts like towers; Then I became in his eyes As one who found peace. | 10I am a wall and my breasts like towers. So in his eyes I have become like 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 owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased the vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for his fruit one 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. | 12I have my own vineyard. The one thousand are for you, Solomon, but two hundred for those who take care of its fruits. |
| 13You who dwell in the gardens, The companions listen for your voice— Let me hear it! | 13You who dwell in the gardens, companions are listening for your voice; let me hear you! |
| 14Make haste, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag On the mountains of spices. | 14Run away with me, my love, 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. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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