• 1 “I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.”
  • 2 “Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among the daughters.”
  • 3 “Like an apple 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 fruit was sweet to my taste.
  • 4 “He has brought me to his house of banqueting, And his banner over me is love.
  • 5 “Sustain me with raisin cakes, Refresh me with apples, Because I am lovesick.
  • 6 “Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me.”
  • 7 “I call you to solemnly swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That 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 on the mountains, Jumping on the hills!
  • 9 “My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he is standing behind our wall; He gazes through the windows; He is peering through the lattice.
  • 10 “My beloved answered and said to me, ‘Arise, 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 turtledove has been heard in our land.
  • 13 ‘The fig tree has ripened its figs, And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along!’”
  • 14 “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret place of the steep pathway, Let me see your appearance, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your appearance is lovely.”
  • 15 “Seize the foxes for us, The little foxes that are wreaking destruction on the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom.”
  • 16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his, He who shepherds his flock among the lilies.
  • 17 “Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.”