¹Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me. ²I 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. ³His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me. ⁴I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires. ⁵Who 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. ⁶Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of Yahweh. ⁷Many 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. ⁸We 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? ⁹If 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. ¹⁰I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace. ¹¹Solomon 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. ¹²My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon; two hundred for those who tend its fruit. ¹³You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!