If only you and I…

She speaks:

1If you were my brother,

I could kiss you

whenever we happen to meet,

and no one would say

I did wrong.

2I could take you to the home

of my mother,

who taught me all I know.8.2 who…know: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

I would give you delicious wine

and fruit juice as well.

3Put your left hand under my head

and embrace me

with your right arm.

4Young women of Jerusalem,

promise me by the power

of deer and gazelles8.4 deer and gazelles: See the note at 2.7.

never to awaken love

before it is ready.

Their friends speak:

5Who 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.

6Always 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.

7Love cannot be drowned

by oceans or floods;

it cannot be bought,

no matter what is offered.

Their friends speak:

8We have a little sister

whose breasts

are not yet formed.

If someone asks to marry her,

what should we do?

9She 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:

10I am a wall around a city,

my breasts are towers,

and just looking at me

brings him great pleasure.

11Solomon has a vineyard

at Baal-Hamon,

which he rents to others

for a thousand pieces

of silver each.

12My vineyard is mine alone!

Solomon can keep his silver

and the others can keep

their share of the profits.

He speaks:

13You are in the garden

with friends all around.

Let me hear your voice!

She speaks:

14Hurry to me, my darling!

Run faster than a deer

to mountains of spices.