Love Strong as Death
Song of Songs 8
The bride longs to embrace her beloved openly as a brother and bring him to her mother's house, and she declares that love is as strong as death and cannot be quenched by any waters. The chapter closes with mention of Solomon's leased vineyard and the bride sending her beloved away like a gazelle upon the mountains.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonO THAT thou, my dear brother, hadst sucked the breasts of my mother; meeting thee abroad I could kiss thee and not be despised;
BrentonI would that thou, O my kinsman, wert he that sucked the breasts of my mother; when I found thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, they should not despise me.
GreekΤίς δῴη σε, ἀδελφιδέ μου, θηλάζοντα μαστοὺς μητρός μου; εὑροῦσά σε ἔξω φιλήσω σε, καί γε οὐκ ἐξουδενώσουσί μοι.
KJVO that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.
JPSOh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; Yea, and none would despise me.
2
ThomsonI could take thee and conduct thee to my mother’s house, and to the inmost apartment of her who conceived me. I could cause thee to drink spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranates;
BrentonI would take thee, I would bring thee into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me; I would make thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranates.
GreekΠαραλήψομαί σε, εἰσάξω σε εἰς οἶκον μητρός μου καὶ εἰς ταμεῖον τῆς συλλαβούσης με· ποτιῶ σε ἀπὸ οἴνου τοῦ μυρεψικοῦ, ἀπὸ νάματος ῥοῶν μου.
KJVI 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 pomegranate.
JPSI would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, That thou mightest instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.
3
Thomsonhis left hand might be under my head and his right embrace me.
BrentonHis left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.
GreekΕὐώνυμος αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὴν κεφαλήν μου, καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ περιλήψεταί με.
KJVHis left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.
JPSHis left hand should be under my head, And his right hand should embrace me.
4
ThomsonI have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and virtues of the field; that you stir not up nor awake my love till she please.
BrentonI have charged you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the virtues of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
GreekὭρκισα ὑμᾶς θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν ταῖς ἰσχύσεσι τοῦ ἀγροῦ· ἐὰν ἐγείρητε καὶ ἐὰν ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην ἕως ἂν θελήσῃ.
KJVI charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
JPS’I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem: Why should ye awaken, or stir up love, Until it please?’
5
ThomsonWho is this coming up clothed in white leaning on her beloved? Under a citron tree I awaked thee. It was there thy mother bare thee. There she who brought thee forth suffered the pangs of childbirth.
BrentonWho is this that comes up all white, leaning on her kinsman? I raised thee up under an apple-tree; there thy mother brought thee forth; there she that bore thee brought thee forth.
GreekΤίς αὕτη ἡ ἀναβαίνουσα λελευκανθισμένη, ἐπιστηριζομένη ἐπὶ τὸν ἀδελφιδὸν αὐτῆς; Ὑπὸ μῆλον ἐξήγειρά σε· ἐκεῖ ὠδίνησέ σε ἡ μήτηρ σου, ἐκεῖ ὠδίνησέ σε ἡ τεκοῦσά σε.
KJVWho is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.
JPSWho is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee; There thy mother was in travail with thee; There was she in travail and brought thee forth.
6
ThomsonO set me as a seal on thy heart—as a seal on thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy inflexible as Hades: its wings are wings of fire its flames—
BrentonSet 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, her shafts are shafts of fire, even the flames thereof.
GreekΘές με ὡς σφραγίδα ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου, ὡς σφραγίδα ἐπὶ τὸν βραχίονά σου· ὅτι κραταιὰ ὡς θάνατος ἀγάπη, σκληρὸς ὡς ᾅδης ζῆλος· περίπτερα αὐτῆς περίπτερα πυρὸς, φλόγες αὐτῆς.
KJVSet me as a seal upon thine 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.
JPSSet 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 flashes thereof are flashes of fire, A very flame of the LORD.
7
ThomsonMuch water cannot quench love; nor can floods drown it. Though a man give all his substance for love, he may be thoroughly despised.
BrentonMuch water will not be able to quench love, and rivers shall not drown it; if a man would give all his substance for love, men would utterly despise it.
GreekὝδωρ πολὺ οὐ δυνήσεται σβέσαι τὴν ἀγάπην, καὶ ποταμοὶ οὐ συνκλύσουσιν αὐτήν· ἐὰν δῷ ἀνὴρ πάντα τὸν βίον αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ἐξουδενώσει ἐξουδενώσουσιν αὐτόν.
KJVMany 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.
JPSMany waters cannot quench love, Neither can the floods drown it; If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, He would utterly be contemned.
8
ThomsonOur sister is little and hath no breasts. What can we do for our sister on the day when she shall be demanded in marriage.
BrentonOur sister is little, and has no breasts; what shall we do for our sister, in the day wherein she shall be spoken for?
GreekἈδελφή ἡμῶν μικρὰ καὶ μαστοὺς οὐκ ἔχει· τί ποιήσωμεν τῇ ἀδελφῇ ἡμῶν, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ ἐὰν λαληθῇ ἐν αὐτῇ;
KJVWe 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?
JPSWe 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?
9
ThomsonIf she be a wall we will build on her silver turrets, and if she be a door we will line her with boards of cedar.
BrentonIf she is a wall, let us build upon her silver bulwarks; and if she is a door, let us carve for her cedar panels.
GreekΕἰ τεῖχός ἐστιν, οἰκοδομήσωμεν ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ἐπάλξεις ἀργυρᾶς· καὶ εἰ θύρα ἐστὶ, διαγράψωμεν ἐπʼ αὐτὴν σανίδα κεδρίνην.
KJVIf she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.
JPSIf she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret of silver; And if she be a door, We will enclose her with boards of cedar.
10
ThomsonI am a wall and my breasts are turrets. I was in their view as one who had found favour.
BrentonI am a wall, and my breasts are as towers; I was in their eyes as one that found peace.
GreekἘγὼ τεῖχος, καὶ μαστοί μου ὡς πύργοι ἐγὼ ἤμην ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν ὡς εὑρίσκουσα εἰρήνην.
KJVI am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.
JPSI am a wall, And my breasts like the towers thereof; Then was I in his eyes As one that found peace.
11
ThomsonSolomon had a vineyard at Beelamon, he let this vineyard of his to tenants, a man is to give him a thousand pieces of silver for its fruit.
BrentonSolomon had a vineyard in Beelamon; he let his vineyard to keepers; every one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
GreekἈμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ Σαλωμὼν ἐν Βεεθλαμών· ἔδωκε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα αὐτοῦ τοῖς τηροῦσιν· ἀνὴρ οἴσει ἐν καρπῷ αὐτοῦ χιλίους ἀργυρίου.
KJVSolomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
JPSSolomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He gave over the vineyard unto keepers; Every one for the fruit thereof Brought in a thousand pieces of silver.
12
ThomsonMy vineyard which is before me shall continue to be mine. Solomon shall have the thousand pieces of silver, and they who take care of its fruits, two hundred.
BrentonMy vineyard, even mine, is before me; Solomon shall have a thousand, and they that keep its fruit two hundred.
GreekἈμπελών μου ἐμὸς ἐνώπιόν μου, οἱ χίλιοι Σαλωμὼν, καὶ οἱ διακόσιοι τοῖς τηροῦσι τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ.
KJVMy vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
JPSMy vineyard, which is mine, is before me; Thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, And those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
13
ThomsonThou who art sitting in the gardens, companions are waiting thy voice. Let me hear it;
BrentonThou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: make me hear it.
GreekὉ καθήμενος ἐν κήποις, ἑταῖροι προσέχοντες τῇ φωνῇ σου, ἀκούτισόν με.
KJVThou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.
JPSThou that dwellest in the gardens, The companions hearken for thy voice: ‘Cause me to hear it.’
14
ThomsonAway, my dear brother, and be like a roe; or a young hart on the mountains of spices.
BrentonAway, my kinsman, and be like a doe or a fawn on the mountains of spices.
GreekΦύγε ἀδελφιδέ μου, καὶ ὁμοιώθητι τῇ δορκάδι, ἢ τῷ νεβρῷ τῶν ἐλάφων ἐπὶ ὄρη τῶν ἀρωμάτων.
KJVMake haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.
JPSMake haste, my beloved, And be thou like to a gazelle or to a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.