| Common English Bible (CEB) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 [Woman]If only you were as my brother— the one who nursed at my mother's breast. I would find you in the street and kiss you, and no one would shame me for it.
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1 If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother's breasts! Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
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2 I would lead you, I would bring you to my mother's house; she would teach me what to do. I would give you spiced wine to drink, some of my fresh pomegranate juice.
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2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother's house-- she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
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3 His left arm is beneath my head, and his right embraces me!
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3 His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me.
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4 Make a solemn pledge, daughters of Jerusalem, never to rouse, never to arouse love until it desires.
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4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
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5 [Daughters of Jerusalem]Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning against her lover? [Woman]Under the apple tree I aroused you— there, where your mother labored with you, there where, laboring, she bore you.
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5 Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her lover? Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth.
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6 Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is as strong as death, passionate love unrelenting as the grave. Its darts are darts of fire— divine flame!
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6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
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7 Rushing waters can't quench love; rivers can't wash it away. If someone gave all his estate in exchange for love, he would be laughed to utter shame.
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7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
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8 [The Woman's Brothers]Our sister is small; she has no breasts. What will we do for our sister on the day that she is spoken for?
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8 We have a young sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for?
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9 If she is a city wall, then we will build a turret of silver on her. And if she is a door, then we will barricade her with a panel of cedar.
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9 If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
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10 [Woman]I'm a city wall, and my breasts are the towers. So now I'm in his eyes as one who brings peace.
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10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment.
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11 [Man]Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He gave charge of the vineyard to keepers; one would bring in exchange for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
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11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; he let out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels of silver.
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12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me. You can have the thousand, Solomon— with two hundred for those who tend the fruit!
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12 But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.
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13 You who sit in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!
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13 You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!
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14 [Woman]"Take flight, my love, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spice!"
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14 Come away, my lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains.
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| Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible (Common English Bible) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
