Cantico dei Cantici 8

1Oh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; Yea, and none 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, __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Song of Solomon 8:2 Or, sweet wine __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ juice of my pomegranate.

3His left hand should be under my head, And his right hand should embrace me.

4I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Song of Solomon 8:4 Or, it. Or, she __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ he please.

5Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee: There thy mother was in travail with thee, that brought thee forth.

6Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; cruel as Sheol; The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Song of Solomon 8:6 Or, A most vehement flame __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ A very flame of __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Song of Solomon 8:6 Hebrew Jah. __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ Jehovah.

7Many waters cannot quench love, Neither can floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, He would utterly be contemned.

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?

9If she be a wall, a turret of silver: And if she be a door, We will inclose her with boards of cedar.

10I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof Then was I in his eyes as one that found peace.

11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He let out the vineyard unto keepers; pieces of silver.

12My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: Thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, And those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

13Thou that dwellest in the gardens, for thy voice: Cause me to hear it.

14__a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Song of Solomon 8:14 Hebrew Flee. __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ Make haste, my beloved, __a__FOOTNOTE__a__ Song of Solomon 8:14 Or, gazelle __b__FOOTNOTE__b__ roe or to a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.