Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageOh, if only you were like a brother to me — nursed at my mother's breast! If I found you out in the open, I could kiss you freely, and no one would think the worse of me.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GOh, if only you were like a brother to me — nursed at my own mother's breasts! Were I to find you in the open, I would kiss you freely, and no one would look down on me.
KJV
King James VersionO 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.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleO that you were to me like a brother who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
Footnotes
The Shulamite's longing reflects a real social convention: public displays of affection between unmarried men and women were subject to contempt (בּוּז, buz — scorn/disdain), whereas siblings could greet one another openly with a kiss without censure. Her desire is not for a fraternal relationship but for the freedom to express passionate love in public without stigma — exposing the painful gap between longing and social permission in the ancient world.
