Song of Solomon 2
1 I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.—
I am a meadow flower of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
2 Like the lily among the thorns, so is my beloved among the young maidens.—
As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the young women.
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 an apricot tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. I sit down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love.
He brought me to the house of wine, and his banner over me was love.
5 Strengthen me with flagons of wine, refresh me with apples; for sick of love am I.
Revive me with raisin cakes and refresh me with apricots, for I am weak with love.
6 Oh that his left hand might be under my head, and that his right might embrace me.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces 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 want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and the does of the fields, that you will not awaken or arouse love until she pleases.
8 The voice of my friend! behold, there he cometh, leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills.
There is the sound of my beloved! Listen, here he comes, leaping over the mountains, jumping 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 beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag; look, he is standing behind our wall, gazing through the window, peering through the lattice.
10 My friend commenced, and said unto me, Rise thee up, my beloved, my fair one, and come along.
My beloved spoke to me and said, “Arise, my love; My beautiful one, come away with me.
11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone its way.
Look, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
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 have appeared in the land; the time for pruning and the singing of birds has come, and the sound of the doves is 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 ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give off their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
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.—
My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret clefts of the mountain crags, let me see your face. Let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”
15 Seize for us the foxes, the little foxes, that injure the vineyards; for our vineyards have young grapes.
Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil vineyards, for our vineyard is in blossom.
16 My friend is mine, and I am his—that feedeth among the lilies.
My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies with pleasure.
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.
Go away, my beloved, before the soft winds of dawn blow and the shadows flee away. Go away; be like a gazelle or a young stag on the rugged mountains.
