Daily Bread

¹⁰ I belong to my beloved,
    and his desire^(A) is for me.^(B)
11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
    let us spend the night in the villages.^[a]
12 Let us go early to the vineyards^(C)
    to see if the vines have budded,^(D)
if their blossoms^(E) have opened,
    and if the pomegranates^(F) are in bloom^(G)—
    there I will give you my love.
¹³ The mandrakes^(H) send out their fragrance,
    and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
    that I have stored up for you, my beloved.^(I)

⁵ Who is this coming up from the wilderness^(M)
    leaning on her beloved?

Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived^(N) you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
⁶ Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love^(O) is as strong as death,
    its jealousy^[b](P) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.^[c]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it^[d] would be utterly scorned.^(Q)

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

¹⁰ I am a wall,
    and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
    like one bringing contentment.
¹¹ Solomon had a vineyard^(R) in Baal Hamon;
    he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
    a thousand shekels^[e](S) of silver.
¹² But my own vineyard^(T) is mine to give;
    the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred^[f] are for those who tend its fruit.

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

¹⁴ Come away, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle^(U)
or like a young stag^(V)
    on the spice-laden mountains.^(W)