Song of Solomon rendering - Chapter 8 - last one!!!

Chapter 8

1 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.

I feel like I have left everything for you, and though I’ve lost friends over my decision to offer myself to you completely, I don’t regret it. I can see that others sometimes despise my joy with you. They are jealous, and in some ways it makes me feel good, like other women are jealous of my life. The way you treat me, pursue me, kiss me. It feels good to be despised sometimes.

2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house—she who has taught me. 
I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.

I love going to my family’s house with you. I love putting you on display for all to see. “This is my husband. This is my champion. This is my lover. Check him out…He’s all mine!” Sometimes I miss parts of my old life, but not often. You have eclipsed all of my other desires; they pale in comparison to your presence.

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

I love sitting next to you when your arm is around me, your hand clasped around my shoulder while you rub my arm with your other hand. I feel so secure, so protected. So surrounded.

4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

I feel like I have to be careful around other single ladies because I know they want what I have. I find myself in conversations saying to them: “Just you wait. Your man is out there and he is looking for you. Don’t just throw yourself into the first man’s arms that shows you some attention; make sure he’s a man of honor that will love you more than he loves himself.” I can see myself when I look at them; I remember feeling giddy about guys and wondering if I would find my true love.

Friends

5 Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her lover?

Friends

“There she is, little-miss-I’m-leaning-on-my-man-every-second-of-the-day. The love birds are back in town!”

Beloved

Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth.

Woman

I remember that one time out in the orchard under that one apple tree arousing you with my sexy eyes; do you remember that? I will never forget that evening we shared. It wasn’t until later than I found out it was the same place that your parents conceived you. I thought that was gross at first, but now I think it’s kinda sentimental.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; 
for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

I want you to ensconce me upon your very heart, like a tattoo on one’s arm; I want to be permanently etched into your very soul. My love for you is all-consuming, unyielding as one’s predestined fate. My passions burn like a wildfire; there is no stopping the intensity of my desire for you.

7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

No matter how much water is splashed on my love, nothing could quench the fury of its flame, nothing. And all the wealth in the world could not tempt me to trade what I have with you for a life of fortune and fame. I would rather be a pauper in your arms than a princess in someone else’s. You are my choice above all others.

Friends

8 We have a young sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. 
What shall we do for our sister for 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.

Friends

We have several younger sisters that look up to your relationship. What advice do you have for them in their youth about marriage? We know that they are all different and that each will make their own choice in their future mate, but do you have words of wisdom to share? We see something in your relationship that we want to pass on to them.

Beloved

10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. 
Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment.

Woman

I know it might seem like I’m a pushover, but I’m not. I haven’t fallen for my husband mindlessly; he has won my love with great effort and purposed passion. It’s not automatic or accidental. It’s intentional. I don’t just throw around my breasts at anything with a pulse; I have guarded my purity. And it is now that very purity that leads to unfettered passion. Pure Passion. Most have passion, but it is not pure.

And because he has guarded himself with a similar resolve, my body, and mine alone brings him unending fulfillment. I love to bring him to pleasure and then watch his eyes close in rapturous satisfaction. He need look no further than me for his recreation or procreation; I will meet his every need, for he works hard to meet mine.

11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; he let out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels of silver.

Make no mistake; we are two individuals with two separate lives. We have personal choices to make, separate personalities to monitor, and different desires to pursue, so I don’t like it when we are accused of being inseparably and hopelessly codependent. That’s just not true. We are one flesh, but we are two people.

12 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.

And yet, I’m not embarrassed to say that I lean upon my husband with my life. His advice is most important to me, his perspective most respected, his decisions most trusted. Compared to the weight I give others, there isn’t even a close second place to him and I sense the same from him. We are lost without each other.

Lover

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

Man

When I hear you laughing with your friends sometimes I get jealous and want to share that same laughter with you. I want to talk with you and hear your day’s thoughts and disappointments. I want to catch up on how you’re doing and what you’re thinking about. I don’t want your friends to get the best of you; I want to be the first to hear your voice. I love your voice.

Beloved

14 Come away, my lover, and be like a gazelle 
or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains.

Woman

Well then, let’s go out on a hot date, my gorgeous stag! Let’s get away from all other distractions and head out on an adventure together. I don’t care where we go as long as we’re together, forever.