Song of Solomon 2

1 As a lily among the thorns,

I'm just a flower from the plain of Sharon, a lily found in the valleys.

2 So [is] my friend among the daughters!

Just as a lily stands out among the brambles, so you, my darling, stand out among other women.

3 As a citron among trees of the forest, So [is] my beloved among the sons, In his shade I delighted, and sat down, And his fruit [is] sweet to my palate.

My love is like an apple tree among the forest trees, compared to other young men. I love to sit down in his shade and his fruit tastes sweet to me.

4 He hath brought me in unto a house of wine, And his banner over me [is] love,

He took me to drink of his wine, wanting to show his love for me.

5 Sustain me with grape-cakes, Support me with citrons, for I [am] sick with love.

Feed me raisins to give me energy, give me apples to revive me, for love has made me weak!

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

He supports my head with his left hand, and holds me close with his right.

7 I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the hinds of the field, Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!

Women of Jerusalem, swear to me by the gazelles or the wild deer that you won't disturb our love until the right time.

8 The voice of my beloved! lo, this — he is coming, Leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.

Listen! I hear the voice of my love! Look! Here he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping over the hills—

9 My beloved [is] like to a roe, Or to a young one of the harts. Lo, this — he is standing behind our wall, Looking from the windows, Blooming from the lattice.

my love is like a gazelle or a young deer! Look, he's there, standing behind our wall, looking through the window, peering through the screen.

10 My beloved hath answered and said to me, 'Rise up, my friend, my fair one, and come away,

My love calls out to me, “Get up, my darling, my beautiful girl, and come away with me! Just look!

11 For lo, the winter hath passed by, The rain hath passed away — it hath gone.

Winter has finished; the rains are over and gone.

12 The flowers have appeared in the earth, The time of the singing hath come, And the voice of the turtle was heard in our land,

Flowers are blooming everywhere; the time when birds sing has come; the call of the turtledove is heard in the countryside.

13 The fig-tree hath ripened her green figs, And the sweet-smelling vines have given forth fragrance, Rise, come, my friend, my fair one, yea, come away.

Fig trees start producing ripe fruit, while grape vines blossom, giving off their fragrance. Get up, my darling, my beautiful girl, and come away with me!”

14 My dove, in clefts of the rock, In a secret place of the ascent, Cause me to see thine appearance, Cause me to hear thy voice, For thy voice [is] sweet, and thy appearance comely.

My dove is out of sight in the crevices of the rock, in the hiding places of the cliff. Please let me see you! Let me hear you! For you speak so sweetly, and you look so beautiful!

15 Seize ye for us foxes, Little foxes — destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.

Catch the foxes for us, all the little foxes that come and destroy the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom!

16 My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his, Who is delighting among the lilies,

My love is mine, and I am his! He feeds among the lilies,

17 Till the day doth break forth, And the shadows have fled away, Turn, be like, my beloved, To a roe, or to a young one of the harts, On the mountains of separation!

until the morning breezes blow and the shadows disappear. Come back to me, my love, and be like a gazelle or a young deer on the split mountains.