愛情，眾水不能熄滅（歌八）中英bilingual

愛情，眾水不能息滅，大水也不能淹沒。若有人拿家中所有的財寶要換愛情，就全被藐視。（歌 8：7） 

《雅歌》以第8章劃下完美的句點，這是一首愛情的讚歌。在這一章中，良人（基督）與佳偶（教會）的關係從熱戀進入了成熟、堅貞不渝的階段。第八章展現了愛情在最高層次的強度——它不只是情緒的起伏，更是一種生命堅不可摧的意志。  

本章開篇即展現了愛情的「合一」（參歌8：1-3），佳偶發出了「巴不得你像我的兄弟」的渴望。這句話不僅是浪漫的表達，更深層地反映了對追求「毫無障礙之親密關係」的期盼。她渴望在公開場合、在眾人面前與良人親嘴，表達不懼怕、不羞恥、超越世俗眼光的愛。這代表著當我們的靈命成熟時，我們渴望完全脫離肉體的敗壞，與主完全的合一，無論在何處，都能自在地享受與主靈交的甜蜜。 

我必引導你，領你進我母親的家。（歌 8：2） 

本節，佳偶提到「領你進我母親的家」，象徵將愛情建立在一個孕育、成長的家庭基礎上。這表明成熟的愛情不是衝動，而是需要經營、尋求教訓與成熟的。而「他的左手在我的頭下，右手抱住我」（歌 8：3），這幅完全親密的畫面展現了安全感與完全的安息，是愛中真正的平靜。 求你將我放在你心上如印記，帶在你臂上如戳記。

因為愛情如死之堅強，嫉恨如陰間之殘忍。（歌 8：6） 

本章展現愛情的「力量與宣告」（參歌 8：6-7） 核心，每一位新郎新婦在婚禮的奉讀聖經時都會聽到的：「愛情，眾水不能熄滅，大水也不能淹沒」，這宣告了愛的「堅強」與「無價」。 愛情如烈焰，愛是神的烈焰，具有不可熄滅的能力。世間的艱難、環境的阻礙，甚至是撒但的挑動，都無法撲滅這神聖的愛；愛情如堅城：新婦求將自己「放在心上如印記，帶在臂膀上如戳記」（參6節）。這是對神完全的委身。心代表意念，臂膀代表力量。意念與力量都歸於主，使這份愛如同封印一般堅定，將靈魂深處牢牢地印在主的身上；愛情是無價之寶：「若有人拿家中所有的財寶要換愛情，就全被藐視」（參7節）。這強調了真愛是不能用世俗財富衡量的，它是無價的，只有單純的給予。 

他若是牆，我們要在其上建造銀塔；他若是門，我們要用香柏木板圍護他。（歌 8：9） 

最後，談到愛情的成熟與警醒（參歌 8：4、8-10），新婦三次囑咐「不要驚動愛情」，在本章更顯成熟。這不是消極等待，而是一種成熟的信任——「等他自己情願」。成熟的愛會尊重對方的自由意志，不是急躁激動的愛情，而是耐心等待愛情自然成熟與顯現。身體已經成為「牆」、「城樓」，代表信徒在靈性上已經成長，有抵抗外來誘惑、保持聖潔的能力。在良人眼中，她是平安的、成熟、完整且美麗的，不再是當初怯懦的小女子。 

我的良人哪，求你快來！如羚羊或小鹿在香草山上。（歌 8：14） 

最後講到盼望良人再來，呼喚快來，這是一幅教會等待主再來、新婦渴慕良人面容的畫面。在歷經了愛情的試煉與成熟後，信徒最深的渴望就是最後與主的相遇；本章讓筆者回憶起自己的婚禮，當我站在前面認真聽證道時，才真正了解愛是堅強如死，基督為了教會捨己，丈夫也當為妻子捨己，是專一的，是超越物質的。 

你們作丈夫的，要愛你們的妻子，正如基督愛教會，為教會捨己。（弗 5:25 ）  

By 嚴宇光

真耶穌教會石牌教會、天母教會線上講道

石牌教會https://www.youtube.com/@TJChurchShipai

天母教會https://www.youtube.com/c/TJC_Tianmu/featured

Many Waters Cannot Quench Love (Song of Songs 8)

“Many waters cannot quench love,

Nor will rivers overflow it;

If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,

It would be utterly despised.” (Song of Songs 8:7 NASB2020) 

The Song of Songs comes to a perfect close in chapter 8, a magnificent hymn of love. In this chapter, the relationship between the Beloved (Lord) and the bride (Church) moves from passionate love into a stage of maturity and unwavering faithfulness. Chapter 8 reveals love at its highest intensity—it is not merely the rise and fall of emotion, but an indestructible resolve of life itself.

At the opening of the chapter, love is portrayed in terms of “one” (See Song  8:1–3). The bride voices the longing, “Oh that you were like a brother to me.” This is not merely a romantic expression; more deeply, it reflects a desire for "a relationship of intimacy without hindrance". She longs to kiss her beloved openly and publicly, unafraid, unashamed, and unconcerned with worldly opinion. This signifies that when our spiritual life matures, we long to be completely freed from the corruption of the flesh and brought into full union with the Lord, so that wherever we are, we may freely enjoy the sweetness of spiritual fellowship with Him. 

“I would lead you and bring you

Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me.” (Song 8:2 ) 

In this verse, the bride speaks of bringing her beloved “into the house of my mother,” symbolizing that love is built upon the foundation of a home where life is nurtured and growth takes place. This shows that mature love is not impulsive, but cultivated, instructed, and ripened through growth. And the words, “Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me” (Song 8:3 ), present a picture of complete intimacy, conveying security and perfect rest—the true peace found in love. Put me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm.

For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol.” (Song 8:6 ) 

This chapter especially displays the “power and proclamation of love” (Song of Songs 8:6–7). These are the very words often heard when Scripture is read at weddings: “Many waters cannot quench love, nor will rivers overflow it.” This declares both the "strength" and the "pricelessness" of love. Love is like a blazing flame—the flame of God Himself—with an unquenchable power. The hardships of this world, the resistance of circumstances, and even Satan’s provocations cannot extinguish this holy love. Love is also like a fortified city: the bride asks to be set “like a seal over your heart” and “like a seal on your arm” (see v. 6). This is a picture of complete surrender to God. The heart represents thought, and the arm represents strength. Both thought and strength belong to the Lord, making this love as firm as a seal, impressing the soul deeply and permanently upon Him. Love is also a treasure beyond price: “If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, it would be utterly despised” (see v. 7). This emphasizes that true love cannot be measured by earthly wealth. It is beyond price and can only be given freely.

“If she is a wall,

We will build on her a battlement of silver;

But if she is a door,

We will barricade her with planks of cedar.” (see Song 8:9 )

Finally, the chapter speaks of the maturity and watchfulness of love (see Song 8:4, 8–10). The bride has repeated three times the charge not to awaken love, and in this chapter that exhortation reaches a fuller maturity. This is not passive waiting, but a mature trust—waiting “until she pleases.” Mature love respects the freedom of the other’s will. It is not restless or impulsive, but patiently waits for love to ripen and reveal itself in due time. The body has now become a “wall” and “battlements,” representing that the believer has grown spiritually and now possesses the strength to resist outside temptation and preserve holiness. In the eyes of the Beloved, she is peaceful, mature, complete, and beautiful—no longer the timid young woman she once was.

“Hurry, my beloved,

And be like a gazelle or a young stag

On the mountains of balsam trees!” (Song of Songs 8:14)

At the close of the chapter, the bride longs for the return of her beloved and calls for him to come quickly. This forms a picture of the church waiting for the Lord’s return, the bride yearning to behold the face of her Beloved. After passing through the testing and maturing of love, the believer’s deepest desire is the final meeting with the Lord. This chapter also brings back memories of my own wedding. As I stood at the front, listening intently to the preacher, I came to truly understand that love is as strong as death. Christ gave Himself up for the church, and husbands likewise ought to give themselves for their wives. Such love is exclusive, self-giving, and far beyond anything material.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25 NASB2020) 

By Yu-Kuang Yen