| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised. | 1If 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. |
| 2I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. | 2I 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. |
| 3His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. | 3His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me. |
| 4I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please. | 4Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. |
| 5Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee. | 5Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? She Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth. |
| 6Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. | 6Place 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. |
| 7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. | 7Many 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. |
| 8We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? | 8We 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? |
| 9If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar. | 9If 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. |
| 10I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour. | 10I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment. |
| 11Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. | 11Solomon 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. |
| 12My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred. | 12But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit. |
| 13Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. | 13You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice! |
| 14Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices. | 14Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains. |
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