| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1Oh, that you were like my brother, Who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I should find you outside, I would kiss you; I would not be despised. | 1If only you were like a brother to me, like one who nursed at my mother's breasts. If I found you outside I would kiss you, and no one would view me with contempt. |
| 2I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, She who used to instruct me. I would cause you to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate. | 2I would lead you, I would bring you to the house of my mother who used to teach me. I would give you some spiced wine to drink, from the juice of my pomegranates. |
| 3His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me. | 3Let his left hand be under my head, and let his right hand embrace me. |
| 4I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases. | 4Swear to me, young women of Jerusalem, that you won't awaken or arouse love before its proper time! |
| 5Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth. | 5Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother had gone into labor with you; there she went into labor and gave birth to you. |
| 6Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame. | 6Set me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion as intense as Sheol. The flames of love are flames of fire, a blaze that comes from the LORD. |
| 7Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised. | 7Mighty bodies of water cannot extinguish love, rivers cannot put it out. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, he would surely be viewed with contempt. |
| 8We have a little sister, And she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister In the day when she is spoken for? | 8We have a little sister, and she has not yet reached maturity. What will we do for our sister to prepare her for her engagement? |
| 9If she is a wall, We will build upon her A battlement of silver; And if she is a door, We will enclose her With boards of cedar. | 9If she's a wall, on her we will build a battlement of silver. If she's a door, we will enclose her with planks of cedar. |
| 10I am a wall, And my breasts like towers; Then I became in his eyes As one who found peace. | 10I was a wall and my breasts were like towers. Then I became like one who finds peace in his eyes. |
| 11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon; He leased the vineyard to keepers; Everyone was to bring for its fruit A thousand silver coins. | 11Solomon has a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers— each one is to bring 1,000 pieces of silver in exchange for its fruit. |
| 12My own vineyard is before me. You, O Solomon, may have a thousand, And those who tend its fruit two hundred. | 12My vineyard belongs to me and is at my disposal. The 1,000 are for you, Solomon, and 200 are for those who take care of its fruit. |
| 13You who dwell in the gardens, The companions listen for your voice— Let me hear it! | 13You who sit in the gardens, companions are listening for your voice, but let me hear it. |
| 14Make haste, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag On the mountains of spices. | 14Come quickly, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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