Chapter 8
1 If you were my brother, I could kiss you whenever we happen to meet, and no one would say I did wrong.
2 I could take you to the home of my mother, who taught me all I know. I would give you delicious wine and fruit juice as well.
3 Put your left hand under my head and embrace me with your right arm.
4 Young women of Jerusalem, promise me never to awaken love before it is ready. Their Friends Speak:
5 Who is this young woman coming in from the desert and leaning on the shoulder of the one she loves? She Speaks: I stirred up your passions under the apple tree where you were born.
6 Always keep me in your heart and wear this bracelet to remember me by. The passion of love bursting into flame is more powerful than death, stronger than the grave.
7 Love cannot be drowned by oceans or floods. It cannot be bought— any offer would be scorned no matter how great. Their Friends Speak:
8 We have a little sister whose breasts are not yet formed. If someone asks to marry her, what should we do?
9 She isn’t a wall that we can defend behind a silver shield. Neither is she a room that we can protect behind a wooden door. She Speaks:
10 I am a wall around a city, my breasts are towers, and just looking at me brings him great pleasure.
11 Solomon has a vineyard at Baal-Hamon, which he rents to others for a thousand pieces of silver each.
12 My vineyard is mine alone! Solomon can keep his silver and the others can keep their share of the profits. He Speaks:
13 You are in the garden with friends all around. Let me hear your voice! She Speaks:
14 Hurry to me, my darling! Run faster than a deer to mountains of spices.