Song of Solomon 2

1 I am [like] [MET] a flower/rose from the Sharon [Plain], and [like] [MET] a lily [that grows] in a valley.

I am a narcissus of Sharon, A lily of the valleys.

2 Among the [other] young women, the one whom I love is like [MET] a lily [growing] among thorns!

As the lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.

3 And among [the other] men, you, the man who loves me, are like [MET] an apple/fruit tree [that grows] in the forest. [You are like a tree whose] shadow [protects me from the sun], and your [being close to me] [EUP] is like [MET] eating sweet fruit.

As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons: In his shadow have I rapture and sit down; And his fruit is sweet to my taste.

4 You led me to the (banquet room/room where we could make love), and it is evident that you love me very much.

He hath brought me to the house of wine, And his banner over me is love.

5 Refresh me and strengthen me [with your lovemaking] [like I am refreshed by eating] [MET, EUP] raisins and other fruit, because I very much desire that you love me even more.

Sustain ye me with raisin-cakes, Refresh me with apples; For I am sick of love.

6 Put your left arm under my head and with your right arm hold me close.

His left hand is under my head, And his right hand doth embrace me.

7 You young women of Jerusalem, solemnly promise me, while the does and gazelles [are listening], that you will not disturb us while we are making love until we are ready to quit.

I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, till he please.

8 I hear the voice of the man who loves me. [It is as though] [MET] he is leaping over the mountains and skipping over the hills

The voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills.

9 like [SIM] a deer or a gazelle. Now he is standing outside the wall of our house, looking in the window, and peering through the (lattice/wooden strips inside the window frame).

My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, Glancing through the lattice.

10 He spoke to me and said, “You whom I love, get up; my beautiful one, come with me [CHI]!

My beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11 Look, the (winter/cold season) is ended; the rain has stopped;

For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over, it is gone:

12 flowers are blooming throughout the country/land. It is now time to sing; we hear the doves cooing.

The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;

13 There are young/new figs on the fig trees, and there are blossoms on the grapevines and their fragrance fills the air. You whom I love, get up; my beautiful one, come with me!

The fig-tree melloweth her winter figs, And the vines in bloom give forth [their] fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away!

14 [You are like] [MET] a dove that is hiding [far from me] in an opening/crack in the rocky cliff. Show me your face, and allow me to hear your voice, because your voice is sweet-sounding and your face is lovely [CHI].”

My dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the covert of the precipice, Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 [There are other men who are like] [MET] little jackals/foxes that ruin vineyards; do not allow [those men to attack me].

Take us the foxes, The little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in bloom.

16 You who love me, I belong to you and you belong to me, and you [experience pleasure when you kiss] my lips [like] [MET] a shepherd enjoys taking care of his sheep.

My beloved is mine, and I am his; He feedeth [his flock] among the lilies,

17 You who love me, come and be like [SIM] a gazelle or like a young deer on the hills of Bether, and then flee like a deer at dawn [tomorrow morning], when the darkness fades.

Until the day dawn, and the shadows flee away. Turn, my beloved: be thou like a gazelle or a young hart, Upon the mountains of Bether.