1Oh that thou were as my brother, who sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee outside, I would kiss thee. Yes, 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, of the juice of my pomegranate. 3His left hand under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. 4I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake love, until it please. 5Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I awoke thee. There thy mother was in travail with thee. There she who brought thee forth was in travail. 6Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm. For love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as Sheol. The flashes of it are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. 7Many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods drown it. If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned. 8We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? 9If she is a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver. And if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. 10I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers. Then I was in his eyes as one who found peace. 11Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon. He let out the vineyard to keepers. Every one for the fruit of it was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. 12My vineyard, which is mine, is before me. Thou, O Solomon, shall have the thousand, and those who keep the fruit of it, two hundred. 13Thou who dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice. Cause me to hear it. 14Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.