“I am the arose of bSharon,
The clily of the valleys.”
2 “Like a lily among the thorns,
So is amy darling among the daughters.”
3 “Like an aapple tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the sons.
In his shade I had great desire and sat down,
And his bfruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He has abrought me to his house of banqueting,
And his bbanner over me is love.
5 Sustain me with araisin cakes,
Refresh me with bapples,
Because cI am lovesick.
6 Let ahis left hand be under my head
And ahis right hand bembrace me.”
7 “I acall you to solemnly swear, O bdaughters of Jerusalem,
By the cgazelles or by the dhinds of the field,
aThat you do not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”
The Bride Delights in Her Beloved
8 “The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he is coming,
Leaping aon the mountains,
Jumping on the hills!
9 My beloved is like a agazelle or a byoung stag.
Behold, he is standing behind our wall;
He gazes through the windows;
He is peering cthrough the lattice.
10 “My beloved answered and said to me,
‘aArise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along.
11 For behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over; it is gone.
12 The flowers have appeared in the land;
The time for pruning has arrived;
And the voice of the aturtledove has been heard in our land.
13 The afig tree has ripened its figs,
And the bvines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!’”
14 “O amy dove, bin the clefts of the rock,
In the secret place of the steep pathway,
Let me see your appearance,
cLet me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet,
And your appearance is dlovely.”
15 “aSeize the foxes for us,
The little foxes that are wreaking destruction on the vineyards,
While our bvineyards are in blossom.”
16 “aMy beloved is mine, and I am his,
He who bshepherds his flock among the lilies.
17 aUntil the day breathes and the shadows flee,
Turn, my beloved, and be like a bgazelle
Or a young stag con the mountains of Bether.”