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I’m a flower[a] from Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.

The Lover

Like a lily among thorns,
    so is my darling among the young women.

The Loved One

Like an apple[b] tree among the trees of the forest,
    so is my beloved among the young men.
In his shade I take delight and sit down,
    and his fruit is sweet to my taste.[c]
He has brought me to the banquet hall,
    and his banner over me is love.
Sustain me with raisin cakes,
    refresh me with apples,[d]
        for I’m weak with love.
I wish that his left hand were under my head,
    and that his right hand were embracing me!
Swear to me, young women of Jerusalem,
    by the gazelles or by the does of the field,
that you won’t awaken or arouse love
    before its proper time![e]

The voice of my beloved!
Look! He’s coming,
    leaping over the mountains,
        bounding over the hills.
My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Look, there he stands behind our wall,
    looking through the windows,
        gazing through the lattice.

The Lover

10 My beloved spoke to me:
    “Get up, my darling, my beautiful one, and come on.
11 Look! Winter is past.
    The rain is over and gone.
12 Blossoms have appeared in the land.
    The season of songbirds[f] has arrived,
        and cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree has produced its fruit,[g]
    the grapevines have blossomed and exude their fragrance.

“Get up, my darling, my beautiful one, and come on.
14 My dove, in the hidden places of the rocks,
    in the secret places of the cliffs,
show me your form, and let me hear your voice.
    For your voice is pleasant,
        and your shape is lovely.
15 Catch the foxes for us,
    the little foxes that destroy the vineyards,
        our vineyards that are in bloom.”

The Loved One

16 My beloved belongs to me and I belong to him.
    He is the one who shepherds his flock among the lilies.
17 Until the day breaks[h] and the shadows flee,
    turn around, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle or a young stag
    on the rugged mountains.[i]

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 2:1 Or crocus
  2. Song of Solomon 2:3 Or apricot
  3. Song of Solomon 2:3 Lit. palate
  4. Song of Solomon 2:5 Or apricots
  5. Song of Solomon 2:7 Lit. until it pleases
  6. Song of Solomon 2:12 Or for pruning
  7. Song of Solomon 2:13 Lit. has ripened
  8. Song of Solomon 2:17 Or until the cool of the day; lit. until the day breathes
  9. Song of Solomon 2:17 Or the mountains of Bether

She[a]

I am a rose[b](A) of Sharon,(B)
    a lily(C) of the valleys.

He

Like a lily among thorns
    is my darling among the young women.

She

Like an apple[c] tree among the trees of the forest
    is my beloved(D) among the young men.
I delight(E) to sit in his shade,
    and his fruit is sweet to my taste.(F)
Let him lead me to the banquet hall,(G)
    and let his banner(H) over me be love.
Strengthen me with raisins,
    refresh me with apples,(I)
    for I am faint with love.(J)
His left arm is under my head,
    and his right arm embraces me.(K)
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(L)
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(M)

Listen! My beloved!
    Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.(N)
My beloved is like a gazelle(O) or a young stag.(P)
    Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;(Q)
    the blossoming(R) vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
    my beautiful one, come with me.”

He

14 My dove(S) in the clefts of the rock,
    in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
    let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
    and your face is lovely.(T)
15 Catch for us the foxes,(U)
    the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,(V)
    our vineyards that are in bloom.(W)

She

16 My beloved is mine and I am his;(X)
    he browses among the lilies.(Y)
17 Until the day breaks
    and the shadows flee,(Z)
turn, my beloved,(AA)
    and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag(AB)
    on the rugged hills.[d](AC)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 2:1 Or He
  2. Song of Songs 2:1 Probably a member of the crocus family
  3. Song of Songs 2:3 Or possibly apricot; here and elsewhere in Song of Songs
  4. Song of Songs 2:17 Or the hills of Bether