New Living Translation NLT
Hebrew Names Version HNV
1 Oh, I wish you were my brother, who nursed at my mother’s breasts. Then I could kiss you no matter who was watching, and no one would criticize me.
1
Oh that you were like my brother, Who sucked the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; Yes, and no one would despise me.
2 I would bring you to my childhood home, and there you would teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, my sweet pomegranate wine.
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I would lead you, bringing you into my mother's house, Who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.
3 Your left arm would be under my head, and your right arm would embrace me.
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His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.
4 Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right.
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I adjure you, daughters of Yerushalayim, That you not stir up, nor awaken love, Until it so desires. Friends
5 Who is this sweeping in from the desert, leaning on her lover? Young Woman I aroused you under the apple tree, where your mother gave you birth, where in great pain she delivered you.
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Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, Leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame.
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Set me as a seal on your heart, As a seal on your arm; For love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as She'ol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, A very flame of the LORD.
7 Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.
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Many waters can't quench love, Neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, He would be utterly scorned. Friends
8 We have a little sister too young to have breasts. What will we do for our sister if someone asks to marry her?
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We have a little sister. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister In the day when she is to be spoken for?
9 If she is a virgin, like a wall, we will protect her with a silver tower. But if she is promiscuous, like a swinging door, we will block her door with a cedar bar.
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If she is a wall, We will build on her a turret of silver. If she is a door, We will enclose her with boards of cedar. Beloved
10 I was a virgin, like a wall; now my breasts are like towers. When my lover looks at me, he is delighted with what he sees.
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I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, Then I was in his eyes like one who found shalom.
11 Solomon has a vineyard at Baal-hamon, which he leases out to tenant farmers. Each of them pays a thousand pieces of silver for harvesting its fruit.
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Shlomo had a vineyard at Baal-hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
12 But my vineyard is mine to give, and Solomon need not pay a thousand pieces of silver. But I will give two hundred pieces to those who care for its vines.
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My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Shlomo; Two hundred for those who tend its fruit. Lover
13 O my darling, lingering in the gardens, your companions are fortunate to hear your voice. Let me hear it, too!
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You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, Let me hear your voice! Beloved
14 Come away, my love! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
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Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.