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Song of Songs 8
New International Version

8 If 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.
2 I would lead you
and bring you to my mother’s house(A)—
she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the nectar of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.(B)
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.(C)

#### Friends

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness(D)
leaning on her beloved?

#### She

Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived(E) you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love(F) is as strong as death,
its jealousy[a](G) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it[c] would be utterly scorned.(H)

#### Friends

8 We 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?
9 If 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.

#### She

10 I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard(I) in Baal Hamon;
he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels[d](J) of silver.
12 But my own vineyard(K) is mine to give;
the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.

#### He

13 You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!

#### She

14 Come away, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle(L)
or like a young stag(M)
on the spice-laden mountains.(N)

#### Footnotes

1. Song of Songs 8:6 Or ardor
2. Song of Songs 8:6 Or fire, / like the very flame of the Lord
3. Song of Songs 8:7 Or he
4. Song of Songs 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms; also in verse 12
5. Song of Songs 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms

#### Cross references

1. Song of Songs 8:2 : SS 3:4
2. Song of Songs 8:3 : SS 2:6
3. Song of Songs 8:4 : SS 2:7; S 3:5
4. Song of Songs 8:5 : SS 3:6
5. Song of Songs 8:5 : S SS 3:4
6. Song of Songs 8:6 : S SS 1:2
7. Song of Songs 8:6 : S Nu 5:14
8. Song of Songs 8:7 : S Pr 6:35
9. Song of Songs 8:11 : Ecc 2:4
10. Song of Songs 8:11 : Isa 7:23
11. Song of Songs 8:12 : S SS 1:6
12. Song of Songs 8:14 : S Pr 5:19
13. Song of Songs 8:14 : S SS 2:9
14. Song of Songs 8:14 : S SS 2:8, 17

New International Version (NIV)

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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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