< Song of Songs 2 >
1 I am a flower of the plain, a lily of the valleys.
I am a crocus of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
2 As a lily amongst thorns, so is my companion amongst the daughters.
As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
3 As the apple amongst the trees of the wood, so is my kinsman amongst the sons. I desired his shadow, and sat down, and his fruit was sweet in my throat.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 Bring me into the wine house; set love before me.
He brought me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me was love.
5 Strengthen me with perfumes, stay me with apples: for I [am] wounded with love.
Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am faint with love.
6 His left [hand shall be] under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me.
7 I have charged you, you daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that you do not rouse or wake [my] love, until he please.
I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, or by the does of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
8 The voice of my kinsman! behold, he comes leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.
The voice of my beloved. Look, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.
9 My kinsman is like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Baethel: behold, he is behind our wall, looking through the windows, peeping through the lattices.
My beloved is like a gazelle or a young deer. Look, he stands behind our wall. He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.
10 My kinsman answers, and says to me, Rise up, come, my companion, my fair one, my dove.
My beloved spoke, and said to me, "Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
11 For, behold, the winter is past, the rain is gone, it has departed.
For, look, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers are seen in the land; the time of pruning has arrived; the voice of the turtle-dove has been heard in our land.
The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree has put forth its young figs, the vines put forth the tender grape, they yield a smell: arise, come, my companion, my fair one, my dove; yes, come.
The fig tree ripens her green figs. The vines are in blossom. They give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away."
14 [You are] my dove, in the shelter of the rock, near the wall: show me your face, and cause me to hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your countenance is beautiful.
My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
15 Take us the little foxes that spoil the vines: for our vines put forth tender grapes.
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.
16 My kinsman is mine, and I am his: he feeds [his flock] amongst the lilies.
My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.
17 Until the day dawn, and the shadows depart, turn, my kinsman, be you like to a roe or young hart on the mountains of the ravines.
Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.