The love of the church to Christ.

8:1 Oh that you were like my brother,
who sucked the breasts of my mother!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you;
yes, and no one would despise me.

8:2 I would lead you, bringing you into my mother’s house,
who would instruct me.
I would have you drink spiced wine,
of the juice of my pomegranate.

8:3 His left hand would be under my head.
His right hand would embrace me.

8:4 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,
that you not stir up, nor awaken love,
until it so desires.

Friends

8:5 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I aroused you.
There your mother conceived you.
There she was in labor and bore you.

The vehemency of love.

8:6 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.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a very flame of Yahweh.

8:7 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.

Friends

The calling of the Gentiles.

8:8 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?

8:9 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.

Beloved

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

8:11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon.
He leased out the vineyard to keepers.
Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

8:12 My own vineyard is before me.
The thousand are for you, Solomon;
two hundred for those who tend its fruit.

Lover

8:13 You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!

The church prays for Christ's coming.

Beloved

8:14 Come away, my beloved!
Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!