New International Version NIV
Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
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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Who shall give thee to me for my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother, that I may find thee without, and kiss thee, and now no man may despise me?
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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I will take hold of thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house: there thou shalt teach me, and I will give thee a cup of spiced wine and new wine of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me.
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His left hand under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
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I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up, nor awake my love till she please.
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? 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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Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I raised thee up: there thy mother was corrupted, there she was defloured that bore thee.
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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Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames.
7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
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Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing.
8 We have a little sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for?
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Our sister is little, and hath no breasts. What shall we do to our sister in the day when she is to be spoken to?
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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If she be a wall: let us build upon it bulwarks of silver: if she be a door, let us join it together with boards of cedar.
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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I am a wall: and my breasts are as a tower since I am become in his presence as one finding peace.
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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The peaceable had a vineyard, in that which hath people: he let out the same to keepers, every man bringeth for the fruit thereof a thousand pieces of silver.
12 But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.
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My vineyard is before me. A thousand are for thee, the peaceable, and two hundred for them that keep the fruit thereof.
13 You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!
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Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken: make me hear thy voice.
14 Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains.
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Flee away, O my beloved, and be like to the roe, and to the young hart upon the mountains of aromatical spices.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.