Online Bible

“Oh that you were like a brother to meWho nursed at my mother’s breasts.If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;No one would despise me, either.2 “I would lead you and ^abring youInto the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.3 “Let ^ahis left hand be under my head,And his right hand embrace me.”

4 “^aSwear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem:¹Do not disturb or awaken my loveUntil she pleases.”

5 “^aWho is this coming up from the wilderness,Leaning on her beloved?”The Bride“Beneath the ^bapple tree I awakened you;There your mother went into labor with you,There she was in labor and gave birth to you.6 “Put me like a seal over your heart,Like a ^aseal on your arm.For love is as strong as death,¹^bJealousy is as severe as Sheol;Its flames are flames of fire,²The flame of the LORD.7 “Many waters cannot quench love,Nor will rivers flood over it;^aIf a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,It would be utterly despised.”

8 “We have a little sister,And she ^ahas no breasts;What shall we do for our sisterOn the day when she is spoken for?9 “If she is a wall,We will build on her a battlement of silver;But if she is a door,We will barricade her with ^aplanks of cedar.”

10 “I was a wall, and ^amy breasts were like towers;Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.11 “Solomon had a ^avineyard at Baal-hamon;He ^bentrusted the vineyard to ^ccaretakers.Each one was to bring a ^dthousand shekels of silver for its ^efruit.12 “My very own vineyard is ¹at my disposal;The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”

13 “You who sit in the gardens:My ^acompanions are listening for your voice—^bLet me hear it!”

14 “¹Hurry, my beloved,And be ^alike a gazelle or a young ²stagOn the ^bmountains of balsam trees!”