Longing for Her Beloved 1 CPDV Bride to Groom: Who will give you to me as my brother, feeding from the breasts of my mother, so that I may discover you outside, and may kiss you, and so that now no one may despise me? BSB BSB: O that you were to me like a brother who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
2 CPDV I will take hold of you and lead you into my mother’s house. There you will teach me, and I will give you a cup of spiced wine, and of new wine from my pomegranates. BSB BSB: I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
3 CPDV His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. BSB BSB: His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.
4 CPDV Groom to Chorus: I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, not to disturb or awaken the beloved, until she wills. BSB BSB: O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
The Friends 5 CPDV Chorus to Groom: Who is she, who ascends from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved? BSB BSB: Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth.
The Bride 7 CPDV Set me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm. For love is strong, like death, and envy is enduring, like hell: their lamps are made of fire and flames. BSB BSB: Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.
The Friends 8 CPDV A multitude of waters cannot extinguish love, nor can a river overwhelm it. If a man were to give all the substance of his house in exchange for love, he would despise it as nothing. BSB BSB: 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 CPDV Chorus: Our sister is little and has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is called upon? BSB BSB: If she is a wall, we will build a tower of silver upon her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
The Bride 10 CPDV If she is a wall, let us build a rampart of silver upon it. If she is a door, let us join it together with boards of cedar. BSB BSB: I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings peace.
11 CPDV Bride to Chorus: I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers, since, in his presence, I have become like one who has discovered peace. BSB BSB: Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver.
12 CPDV The peaceful one had a vineyard, in that which held the peoples. He handed it on to the caretakers; a man brought, in exchange for its fruit, a thousand pieces of silver. BSB BSB: But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.
The Bridegroom 13 CPDV Groom: My vineyard is before me. The thousand is for your peacefulness, and two hundred is for those who care for its fruit. BSB BSB: You who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!
The Bride 14 CPDV Bride to Groom: Your friends are attentive to those who have been dwelling in the gardens. Cause me to heed your voice. Flee away, my beloved, and become like the doe and the young stag upon the mountains of aromatic plants. BSB BSB: Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.