Paraphrase of Song of Songs 8:6-7 and 1 Corinthians 13
by Rachel Giles
Set me as a tattoo on your heart
Seal my ring on your finger
For LOVE is as strong as death,
Our souls entwined breathe the same breath
Hearts protected, bound together
Distressed only to become enmeshed
For ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol
LOVE can’t be bought, L O V E c a n ’ t b e s o l d
When love flashes over,
It consumes beyond the fire load
Its flames are fierce and daunting,
Nothing can be found that it can’t corrode
Mighty waters cannot put out the flames of love!
Floods, rivers, not even torrents of ran from above!
Floods, rivers, not even torrents of ran from above!
Without it, we are nothing
Even if we have faith to move mountains,
The gift to prophecy
Understand all mysteries;
speak all languages;
converse with angels;
offer our bodies to be burned;
give everything to feed the poor!
Without love…
Everything means nothing
Of this, I ensure.
LOVE is patient, and kind
Never jealous
Boastful
proud or rude
Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered
Keeping records of wrong, it doesn’t include
Love protects from evil
LOVE rejoices in the truth
Love is always supporting,
Loyal
Hopeful
Trusting
In it, there will never be room for a ruse
Love never fails!
It never ends!
It never flees!
Prophecies will stop, Languages will no longer be spoken
Knowledge forgotten, Understanding be broken
We don’t know everything
And our prophecies are not complete
But what is perfect will someday appear
And what isn’t perfect will then disappear
The only things that will remain
And not collapse at our feet
Are faith, hope and love
…everything else,
LOVE will defeat.
LOVE will defeat.
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This poem was written for my upcoming wedding. Do not use without permission or credit given. And, while I’m at it, I’m still looking for someone to perform it. So if you’re available on September 15, 2012 and want to hang out in Upstate, NY, you just let me know. 😉
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