CHAPTER VIII: Anglican version. Vulgate.

Anglican version. Vulgate.
1. O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee, yet I should not be despised. 1. Who will give thee to me for a brother, sucking the breasts of my mother? that I might find thee without and kiss thee, and yet not be despised?
2. I would lead thee and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranates. 2. I will lay hold upon thee and bring thee into my mother's house; there thou shalt teach me, and I will give thee a bowl of spiced wine, and new wine of my pomegranates.
3. His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. 3.
4. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please. 4. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until she please.
5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the appletree; there thy mother brought thee forth; there she brought thee forth that bare thee. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, replete with delights, leaning upon the arm of her beloved? I raised thee up under the appletree; there thy mother was corrupted, there was she deflowered, that brought thee forth.
6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame. 6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as hell; the lights thereof are lights of fire and flames.
7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. 7.
8. We have a little sister and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? 8.
9. If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. 9. If she be a wall, we will build upon it bulwarks of silver; if she be a door, we will frame it with boards of cedar.
10. I am a wall, and my breasts like towers; then was I in his eyes as one that found favor. 10.
11. Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamoh; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. 11. The peaceable had a vineyard in that which hath people; he delivered it to keepers, each one brings for the fruit thereof a thousand pieces of silver.
12. My vineyard which is mine is before me; thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred. 12. My vineyard is before me. Thou, O peaceable, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice; cause me to hear it. 13.
14. Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices. 14. Flee away, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices. __________________________________________________________________

COMMENTARY. __________________________________________________________________