Song of Songs 8:1

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Oh, that you were like a brother to me, one who nursed at my mother's breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מִ֤י יִתֶּנְךָ֙ כְּאָ֣ח לִ֔י יוֹנֵ֖ק שְׁדֵ֣י אִמִּ֑י אֶֽמְצָאֲךָ֤ בַחוּץ֙ אֶשָׁ֣קְךָ֔ גַּ֖ם לֹא־יָב֥וּזוּ לִֽי׃

Transliteration

mî yittenḵā like-ʾāḥ to-me yônēq šĕdê ʾimmî ʾemṣāʾăḵā in-the-ḥûṣ ʾeššāqḵā also not-yābûzû to-me

Grammar Details

• *mî*: interrogative pronoun - who
• *yittenḵā*: qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - would give you
• *ʾāḥ*: masculine singular noun - brother
• *yônēq*: qal participle masculine singular - nursing/sucking
• *šĕdê*: construct masculine plural noun - breasts of
• *ʾimmî*: feminine singular noun + 1st person singular suffix - my mother
• *ʾemṣāʾăḵā*: qal imperfect 1st person singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - I would find you
• *ḥûṣ*: masculine singular noun with definite article - outside/street
• *ʾeššāqḵā*: qal imperfect 1st person singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - I would kiss you
• *yābûzû*: qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - they would despise/scorn

Word Meanings

• *mî yittenḵā*: who would give you/oh that you were
• *ʾāḥ*: brother/kinsman
• *yônēq šĕdê ʾimmî*: nursing at my mother's breasts/who nursed at my mother's breasts
• *ḥûṣ*: outside/street/public place
• *gam*: also/even/indeed
• *yābûzû*: despise/scorn/regard with contempt

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  O 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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Oh, that you were like my brother, who nursed at my mother's breasts! When I find you outside, I would kiss you, and I would not be despised.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  O 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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Oh that{H5414} thou wert as my brother,{H251} That sucked{H3243} the breasts{H7699} of my mother!{H517} [When] I should find{H4672} thee without,{H2351} I would kiss{H5401} thee; Yea, and none would despise{H936} me.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  O that{H5414}{(H8799)} thou wert as my brother{H251}, that sucked{H3243}{(H8802)} the breasts{H7699} of my mother{H517}! when I should find{H4672}{(H8799)} thee without{H2351}, I would kiss{H5401}{(H8799)} thee; yea, I should not be despised{H936}{(H8799)}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  O that I might fynde the without & kysse ye, whom I loue as my brother which suckte my mothers brestes: & that thou woldest not be offended,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  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.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  O that I might finde thee without and kisse thee, whom I loue as my brother whiche suckt my mothers brestes, and that thou shalt not be dispised,

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ O 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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Oh that you were like my brother, Who sucked the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; Yes, and no one would despise me.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Who doth make thee as a brother to me, Sucking the breasts of my mother? I find thee without, I kiss thee, Yea, they do not despise me,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Oh 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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Oh 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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Oh that you were my brother, who took milk from my mother's breasts! When I came to you in the street, I would give you kisses; yes, I would not be looked down on.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The Beloved’s Wish SongThe Beloved to Her Lover: Oh, how I wish you were my little brother, nursing at my mother’s breasts; if I saw you outside, I could kiss you– surely no one would despise me!

Referenced Verses

• Zech 9:9 : 9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout aloud, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
• Gal 4:26 : 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
• Mal 3:1 : 1 Behold, I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Suddenly, the Lord whom you are seeking will come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—behold, he is coming,
• Ps 45:10-11 : 10 Daughters of kings are among your noble women; at your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. 11 Listen, daughter, consider and incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house.
• Ps 102:16-17 : 16 The nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth your glory. 17 For the LORD has rebuilt Zion and has appeared in his glory.
• Isa 7:14 : 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
• Isa 9:6 : 6 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
• Isa 60:14 : 14 The children of those who oppressed you will come and bow down before you; all who despised you will bow at your feet. They will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
• Isa 66:11-12 : 11 For you will nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing glory. 12 For this is what the Lord says: 'I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her hip, and you will be bounced on her knees.'
• Hag 2:7 : 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts.
• Luke 2:38 : 38 At that very moment, she came up and began to give thanks to the Lord and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
• Luke 7:45-48 : 45 You gave Me no kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, as her great love has shown. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.' 48 Then Jesus said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.'
• Luke 9:26 : 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
• Luke 10:16 : 16 Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.
• Luke 10:23-24 : 23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.' 24 For I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
• Luke 12:8 : 8 I tell you, anyone who acknowledges Me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.
• Luke 18:9 : 9 Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in their own righteousness and treated others with contempt:
• John 1:14 : 14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• John 3:13 : 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
• John 7:46-52 : 46 The officers answered, 'Never has anyone spoken like this man!' 47 The Pharisees replied to them, 'Have you also been deceived?' 48 Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed. 50 Nicodemus, the one who had previously come to Him at night and who was one of them, said to them, 51 'Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?' 52 They responded, 'Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.'
• John 8:42 : 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
• John 9:25-38 : 25 He answered, 'Whether He is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!' 26 Then they asked him, 'What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?' 27 He replied, 'I already told you, and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?' 28 They ridiculed him and said, 'You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!' 29 'We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.' 30 The man answered, 'This is remarkable! You do not know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes!' 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He listens to them. 32 Never before in history has it been heard that someone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything. 34 They answered him, 'You were born entirely in sin, and you are teaching us?' And they threw him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when He found him, He said, 'Do you believe in the Son of God?' 36 He answered, 'Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?' 37 Jesus said to him, 'You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking with you.' 38 The man said, 'I believe, Lord!' And he worshiped Him.
• John 13:3 : 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God,
• John 16:28 : 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.
• 1 Cor 1:28 : 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,
• Song 1:2 : 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.
• Ps 51:17 : 17 Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
• Matt 13:16-17 : 16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
• Mark 12:42-44 : 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small coins, which amounted to a penny. 43 Summoning his disciples, he said to them, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had—all she had to live on.'
• Mark 14:6-9 : 6 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why are you troubling her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7 For you will always have the poor with you, and you can help them whenever you want, but you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could; she anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.
• Luke 2:26-32 : 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Now, Lord, you can let your servant depart in peace, according to your word. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel."
• Gal 6:14 : 14 But as for me, may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
• Phil 3:3 : 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, glory in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh.
• Phil 3:7-8 : 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss because of Christ. 8 Indeed, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them garbage, in order that I may gain Christ,
• 1 Tim 3:16 : 16 And undeniably, great is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up in glory.
• Heb 2:9-9 : 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him—for whom and through whom everything exists—to bring many sons to glory by making the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 Both the One who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one Father. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, 'I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.' 13 And again, 'I will put my trust in Him.' And again, 'Here am I, and the children God has given Me.' 14 Since the children share in flesh and blood, He too likewise partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death—that is, the devil.
• Heb 9:26-28 : 26 Otherwise, He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for humans to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for Him.
• Ps 2:12 : 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your way, for His wrath can flare up quickly. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.