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The Song of Solomon

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 8 -

1
Who shall give thee to me for my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother, that I may find thee without, and kiss thee, and now no man may despise me?
2
I will take hold of thee, and bring thee Into my mother’s house: there thou shalt teach me, and I will give thee a cup of spiced wine and new wine of my pomegranates.
3
His left hand under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
4
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up, nor awake my love till she please.
5
Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I raised thee up: there thy mother was corrupted, there she was defloured that bore thee.

If only we could be undisturbed!

6
Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames.
7
Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing.

Easy to conquer?

8
Our sister is little, and hath no breasts. What shall we do to our sister in the day when she is to be spoken to?
9
If she be a wall: let us build upon it bulwarks of silver: if she be a door, let us join it together with boards or cedar.
10
I am a wall: and my breasts are as a tower since I am become in his presence as one finding peace.

Richer than Solomon

11
The peaceable had a vineyard, in that which hath people: he let out the same to keepers, every man bringeth for the fruit thereof a thousand pieces of silver.
12
My vineyard is before me. A thousand are for thee, the peaceable, and two hundred for them that keep the fruit thereof.

Call only me

13
Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken: make me hear thy voice.
14
Flee away, O my beloved, and be like to the roe, and to the young hart upon the mountains of aromatical spices.
1
Oh 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.
2
I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
3
His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.
4
I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
5
Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?

If only we could be undisturbed!

6
(5) Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you. (6) Set 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.(a) Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD.(b)
7
Many 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.

Easy to conquer?

8
We 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?
9
If 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.
10
I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

Richer than Solomon

11
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels (c) of silver for its fruit.
12
My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon, two hundred for those who tend its fruit.

Call only me

13
You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!
14
Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!

Footnotes

(a)8:6 Sheol is the place of the dead.
(b)8:6 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name
(c)8:11 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 1000 shekels is about 10 kilograms or about 22 pounds.
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