If only you were a brother to me, who had nursed at my mother’s bosom; when I would find you outside I would kiss you, and no one would scorn me.

O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee outside, I would kiss thee; and none would scorn me.

Would that You were as a brother to me [(coming to console me)], sucking the breasts of my mother. I would find You [i.e., Your prophets] outside. I would kiss You; nor would they spurn me.

I would lead you, I would bring you to my mother’s house that you should teach me; I would give you spiced wine to drink, of the nectar of my pomegranate.

I would lead thee, and bring thee into the house of my mother who brought me up: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.

I would lead You. I would bring You to the house of my mother [(the Temple)]. You would teach me [(as You did in the tent of meeting)]. I would give You spiced wine [(the libations)] to drink, the sweet wine of my pomegranate.

His left hand is under my head and his right hand embraces me.

His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.

His left hand was under my head, and His right hand embraced me. [see 2:6]

I bind you under oath daughters of Yerusholayim why should you cause hatred or disturb [this] love while it still pleases?

I charge you, O daughters of Yerushalayim, that you stir not up, nor awaken my love, until it please.

I have besworn you, O daughters of Jerusalem — Why would you vitiate and why would you protest the love so long as it desires? [see 2:7]

Who is she that rises from the wilderness, clinging to her beloved? beneath the apple tree I aroused you, there your mother had birth pains there she who bore you suffered.

Who is that, coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I roused thee under the apple tree: there thy mother was in travail with thee: there she who bore thee was in travail.

[G-d and His tribunal say about the Congregation of Israel:] Who is this who rose [exalted] from the desert [and who still sits in the exile], yearning for her Beloved, [saying:] Under the "apple" [(Mount Sinai, in the shape of an apple)] I awakened You [(for love)]. There Your mother [(the Congregation of Israel)] travailed with You; there, she who bore You travailed.

Set me as a seal upon your heart as a seal upon your arm, for love is as strong as death, jealousy is as harsh as the grave; its flashes are flashes of fire from the flame of God.

Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as She᾽ol: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which have a most vehement flame.

[And for that love,] set me as a seal upon Your heart [(that You will not forget me)], as a seal upon Your arm. [And You will see] that strong as death is love [i.e., The love I have for You will countervail the death threats of the nations, and I will give my life to sanctify Your Name]; hard as Sheol is rancor [(the rancor of the nations against me for worshipping You)]. Its [(Gehinnom's)] coals are coals of the fire of the flame of the L-rd.

Many waters cannot quench the love, and rivers cannot drown it; if a man would give all the wealth of his house for love they would surely scorn him.

Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

Many waters [(the nations)] cannot put out the love [of Israel for the L-rd], and rivers [(their princes and kings)] cannot flood it over [(with force or enticement)]. [G d and His tribunal testify about Israel:] If a man gave all the wealth of his house for the love [you bear Him], he would be utterly scorned.

We have a little sister but she has no breasts; what shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for?

We 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?

We have a little sister [(Israel)] and she has no breasts [i.e., the time for her redemption has not yet arrived, viz. Ezekiel 16:7]. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken against" [i.e., when the nations conspire against her to destroy her, viz. Psalms 83:5].

If she be a wall we will build upon her a fortress of silver, if she be a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

If she be a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

If she [fortifies herself against them in her faith (by refusing to intermarry with them, standing firm)] like a wall [of brass], then we shall build upon her a fortress of silver [i.e., we shall rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple in all its splendor]. But if she is like a door [turning on its hinges (i.e., intermarrying with the nations)], we will fashion upon her panels of cedar [(which are subject to corrosion and decay)].

I am a wall and my bosom is like towers; therefore I am in his eyes as one who found peace.

I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers: then was I in his eyes as one who finds content.

[Israel responds:] I am a wall [(strong in the love of my Beloved)], and my breasts are as towers [(an allusion to the synagogues and houses of study, which "nurse" Israel with words of Torah)]. Then, [(when I said this)], I was in His eyes as [a bride who is found unblemished and] who finds peace [in her husband's house].

Shlomo had a vineyard in the Plain of Hamon, he gave over the vineyard to caretakers; each of them brought for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.

Shelomo had a vineyard at Ba῾al-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; everyone for its fruit was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.

Shlomoh had a vineyard [(the Congregation of Israel, viz. Isaiah 5:7)] in Ba'al Hamon ("the plain of the multitude," i.e., Jerusalem). He gave the vineyard to [stern] watchers [(Bavel, Madai, Yavan, and Edom)]. Each came for his fruit [i.e., to extort all kinds of taxes] — a thousand silver [pieces].

My vineyard is before me; the thousand are yours, Shlomo, and two hundred are for those who guard its fruit.

My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Shelomo, may have the thousand, and those that keep its fruit two hundred.

[On the day of judgment, G-d will bring these nations before Him and will say:] My vineyard [(though I put it into your hands) is Mine [and] before Me [has come the accounting of all your depredations. And they will answer:] The thousand is yours, Shlomoh [and we will return it, and we will add] two hundred for the watchers of His fruit [(i.e., the leaders, sages, and disciples of Israel, viz. Isaiah 60:17, Ibid. 23:18)].

You who sit in the gardens, companions listen to your voice, let me hear [your voice].

Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice: cause me to hear it.

[G-d, to Israel in exile:] You, who sit in the gardens [i.e., who graze in the gardens of others and sit in the synagogues and the houses of study], [your] friends [(the ministering angels, "sons of G-d,” like you)], listen for your voice in the houses of prayer, and [only] afterwards sanctify the Name, viz. Job 38:7]; let Me hear [it].

Flee my beloved and be like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

[And Israel responds:] Flee, my Beloved [from this exile, and redeem us from it], and liken Yourself [in Your swiftness] to a gazelle or to a young hart [to repose Your Shechinah] on the mountain of spices [(Mount Moriah and the Temple. May it be speedily rebuilt in our days, Amen!)]