Song of Solomon 2

1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.

I am a rose of Sharon, a flower of the valleys.

2 As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

As the lily-flower among the thorns of the waste, so is my love among the daughters.

3 As an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. Under its shadow I delighted to sit, and its fruit was sweet to my taste.

As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my loved one among the sons. I took my rest under his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 He hath brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me is love.

He took me to the house of wine, and his flag over me was love.

5 'Stay ye me with dainties, refresh me with apples; for I am love-sick.'

Make me strong with wine-cakes, let me be comforted with apples; I am overcome with love.

6 Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me.

His left hand is under my head, and his right hand is round about me.

7 'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please.'

I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes of the field, do not let love be moved till it is ready.

8 Hark! my beloved! behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

The voice of my loved one! See, he comes dancing on the mountains, stepping quickly on the hills.

9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart; behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh in through the windows, he peereth through the lattice.

My loved one is like a roe; see, he is on the other side of our wall, he is looking in at the windows, letting himself be seen through the spaces.

10 My beloved spoke, and said unto me: 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

My loved one said to me, Get up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

For, see, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

The flowers are come on the earth; the time of cutting the vines is come, and the voice of the dove is sounding in our land;

13 The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines in blossom give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

The fig-tree puts out her green fruit and the vines with their young fruit give a good smell. Get up from your bed, my beautiful one, and come away.

14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.'

O my dove, you are in the holes of the mountain sides, in the cracks of the high hills; let me see your face, let your voice come to my ears; for sweet is your voice, and your face is fair.

15 'Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.'

Take for us the foxes, the little foxes, which do damage to the vines; our vines have young grapes.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his, that feedeth among the lilies.

My loved one is mine, and I am his: he takes his food among the flowers.

17 Until the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

Till the evening comes, and the sky slowly becomes dark, come, my loved one, and be like a roe on the mountains of Bether.