Song of Songs, chapter 8
If Only You and I …
f 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.
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 never to awaken love before it is ready.
Powerful Love Is Not for Sale
The book comes to a close with the young woman's climactic words about the power of love (8.6,7). This is followed by a scene that seems to make clear why she says her love “cannot be bought”—by the great King Solomon or anyone else. She will give her vineyard (her body) only to the one she loves.
5 Who is this young woman coming in from the desert
and leaning on the shoulder of the one she loves?
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—
any offer would be scorned no matter how great.
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.
10 I 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.
13You are in the garden with friends all around.
Let me hear your voice!
14Hurry to me, my darling! Run faster than a deer
to mountains of spices.