< Song of Solomon 2 >

1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
I am a meadow flower of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the young women.
3 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, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
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 Sustain me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick with love.
Revive me with raisin cakes and refresh me with apricots, for I am weak with love.
6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.
7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not, nor awake my love, till he please.
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 beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
There is the sound of my beloved! Listen, here he comes, leaping over the mountains, jumping over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, gazing himself 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 beloved spoke, and said to me, Rise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
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;
Look, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtledove 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 putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
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, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, 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 Take for us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil vineyards, for our vineyard is in blossom.
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies with pleasure.
17 Until the day shall break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
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.

< Song of Solomon 2 >