1 Iamthe rose of Sharon,
Andthe lily of the valleys.
2 Like a lily among thorns,
So is my love among the daughters.
3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods,
Soismy beloved among the sons.
I sat down in his shade with great delight,
# Andhis fruitwassweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house,
And his banner over mewaslove.
5 Sustain me with cakes of raisins,
Refresh me with apples,
For Iamlovesick.
6 His left handisunder my head,
And his right hand embraces me.
7 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the does of the field,
Do not stir up nor awaken love
Until it pleases.
The Beloved’s Request
8 The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes
Leaping upon the mountains,
Skipping upon the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Behold, he stands behind our wall;
He is looking through the windows,
Gazing through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke, and said to me:
“Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away.
11 For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is overandgone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove
Is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree puts forth her green figs,
And the vineswiththe tender grapes
Give agoodsmell.
Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away!
14 “O mydove, in the clefts of the rock,
In the secretplacesof the cliff,
Let me see your face,
# Let me hear your voice;
For your voiceissweet,
And your faceislovely.”
15 Catch usthe foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vineshavetender grapes.
16 My belovedismine, and Iamhis.
He feedshisflockamong the lilies.
17 Until the day breaks
And the shadows flee away,
Turn, my beloved,
# And belike a gazelle
Or a young stag
Upon the mountains of Bether.