< Song of Solomon 2 >

1 I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.—
I am a flower of the plain, a lily of the valleys.
2 Like the lily among the thorns, so is my beloved among the young maidens.—
As a lily amongst thorns, so is my companion amongst the daughters.
3 Like the apple-tree among the trees of the forest, so is my friend among the young men: under his shadow do I ardently wish to sit, and his fruit is sweet to my palate.
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.
4 He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love.
Bring me into the wine house; set love before me.
5 Strengthen me with flagons of wine, refresh me with apples; for sick of love am I.
Strengthen me with perfumes, stay me with apples: for I [am] wounded with love.
6 Oh that his left hand might be under my head, and that his right might embrace me.
His left [hand shall be] under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
7 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor excite my love, till it please [to come of itself].—
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.
8 The voice of my friend! behold, there he cometh, leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills.
The voice of my kinsman! behold, he comes leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.
9 My friend is like a roebuck or the fawn of the hinds: behold, there he standeth behind our wall, looking in at the windows, seeing through the lattice.
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.
10 My friend commenced, and said unto me, Rise thee up, my beloved, my fair one, and come along.
My kinsman answers, and says to me, Rise up, come, my companion, my fair one, my dove.
11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone its way.
For, behold, the winter is past, the rain is gone, it has departed.
12 The flowers are seen in the land; the time of the [birds'] singing is come, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;
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.
13 The fig-tree perfumeth its green figs, and the vines with young grapes give forth a [pleasant] smell. Arise thee, my beloved, my fair one, and come along.
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.
14 O my dove, who art in the clefts of the rock, in the recesses of the cliffs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for thy voice is sweet, and thy countenance is comely.—
[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.
15 Seize for us the foxes, the little foxes, that injure the vineyards; for our vineyards have young grapes.
Take us the little foxes that spoil the vines: for our vines put forth tender grapes.
16 My friend is mine, and I am his—that feedeth among the lilies.
My kinsman is mine, and I am his: he feeds [his flock] amongst the lilies.
17 Until the day become cool, and the shadows flee away, turn about, my friend, and be thou like the roebuck or the fawn of the hinds upon the mountains of separation.
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.

< Song of Solomon 2 >