Song of Songs · Geneva Bible (1599)
Song of Songs 8 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
1 Oh that thou werest as my brother that sucked the brestes of my mother: I would finde thee without, I would kisse thee, then they should not despise thee.
1 Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.
2 I will leade thee and bring thee into my mothers house: there thou shalt teache me: and I will cause thee to drinke spiced wine, and newe wine of the pomegranate.
2 I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
3 His left hand shalbe vnder mine head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
3 His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.
4 I charge you, O daughters of Ierusale, that you stir not vp, nor waken my loue, vntil she please.
4 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
5 (Who is this that commeth vp out of the wildernesse, leaning vpon her welbeloued?) I raysed thee vp vnder an apple tree: there thy mother conceiued thee: there she coceiued that bare thee.
5 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Beloved Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.
6 Set mee as a seale on thine heart, and as a signet vpon thine arme: for loue is strong as death: ielousie is cruel as the graue: the coles thereof are fierie coles, and a vehement flame.
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 Yah.
7 Much water can not quench loue, neither can the floods drowne it: If a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue, they would greatly contemne it.
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.
8 Wee haue a litle sister, and she hath no breastes: what shall we do for our sister when she shalbe spoken for?
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?
9 If shee be a wall, we will builde vpon her a siluer palace: and if she be a doore, we wil keepe her in with bordes of cedar.
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.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts are as towres: then was I in his eyes as one that findeth peace.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.
11 Salomon had a vine in Baal-hamon: hee gaue the vineyarde vnto keepers: euery one bringeth for ye fruite thereof a thousand pieces of siluer.
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.
12 But my vineyarde which is mine, is before me: to thee, O Salomon appertaineth a thousand pieces of siluer, and two hundreth to them that keepe the fruite thereof.
12 My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon, two hundred for those who tend its fruit.
13 O thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken vnto thy voyce: cause me to heare it.
13 You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!
14 O my welbeloued, flee away, and be like vnto the roe, or to the yong harte vpon ye mountaines of spices.
14 Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!
Cross references (14)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 45:10–11; Zechariah 9:9; Galatians 4:26; Luke 2:38; Haggai 2:7
- 2 Song of Songs 3:4; Song of Songs 4:10–5:1; Song of Songs 7:12; Galatians 4:26; John 5:46–47
- 3 Song of Songs 2:6; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Deuteronomy 33:27; Isaiah 62:4–5
- 4 Song of Songs 2:7; Song of Songs 3:5
- 5 Song of Songs 3:6; Isaiah 40:3; Psalm 63:8; Song of Songs 2:3; Song of Songs 3:4
- 6 Revelation 12:11; Isaiah 49:16; Philippians 1:20–23; Song of Songs 5:8; Proverbs 6:34
- 7 Proverbs 6:35; Proverbs 6:31; Isaiah 43:2; Romans 13:8–10; Matthew 7:24–25
- 8 1 Peter 2:12; Ezekiel 16:55–56; Acts 22:21; Psalm 2:8; Romans 3:1–2
- 9 Zechariah 6:12–15; Ephesians 2:20–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–12; 1 Kings 6:15; Revelation 21:12–19
- 10 Isaiah 60:10; Ezekiel 16:7; Luke 1:30; Song of Songs 7:7–8; Ephesians 1:6
- 11 Ecclesiastes 2:4; Isaiah 7:23; Matthew 21:33–43; Mark 12:1; Genesis 20:16
- 12 Song of Songs 1:6; Acts 20:28; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Proverbs 4:23; 1 Corinthians 6:20
- 13 Song of Songs 4:16; Song of Songs 1:7; Song of Songs 6:2; Judges 14:11; John 14:21–23
- 14 Song of Songs 2:17; Revelation 22:20; Revelation 22:17; Song of Songs 2:9; Philippians 1:23
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Of this it is said, "Love is strong as death." For as when death cometh, it cannot be resisted; by whatever arts, whatever medicines, you meet it; the violence of death can none avoid who is born mortal; so against the violence of love can the world do nothing.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… ye know how great a thing jealousy is: and therefore He said, to whom these things are clearly known, "For full of jealousy is the rage of a husband;" "he will not spare in the day of vengeance:" and "jealousy is cruel as the grave." And we too know of many that have chosen to give up their lives rather …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Many waters quench not love, neither do rivers drown it; He was dead whom they sought, yet was not the hope of the Resurrection quenched.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
Hear the Song of songs: "Love is strong as death." A great saying that, brethren, "Love is strong as death." The strength of charity could not be expressed in grander terms than these, "Love is strong as death." For who resisteth death, my brethren?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)