Meet David Newcombe

Longing for Her Beloved

1  Oh that you were like a brother to me
    who nursed at my mother's breasts!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you,
    and none would despise me.
2  I would lead you and bring you
    into the house of my mother—
    she who used to teach me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the juice of my pomegranate.
3  His left hand is under my head,
    and his right hand embraces me!
4  I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
    that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

5  Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
    leaning on her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
    there she who bore you was in labor.

6  Set me as a seal upon your heart,
    as a seal upon your arm,
for love is strong as death,
    jealousy ^{1 8:6 Or ardor} is fierce as the grave. ^{2 8:6 Hebrew as Sheol}
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
    the very flame of the LORD.
7  Many waters cannot quench love,
    neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
    all the wealth of his house,
    he ^{3 8:7 Or it} would be utterly despised.

Final Advice

Others

8  We have a little sister,
    and she has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day when she is spoken for?
9  If she is a wall,
    we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
    we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

She

10  I was a wall,
    and my breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
    as one who finds ^{4 8:10 Or brings out} peace.

11  Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
    he let out the vineyard to keepers;
    each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
12  My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
    you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
    and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

He

13  O you who dwell in the gardens,
    with companions listening for your voice;
    let me hear it.

She

14  Make haste, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
    on the mountains of spices.