1 I am a narcissus of Sharon, A lily of the valleys.

2 A s the lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.

3 A s the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons: In his shadow have I rapture and sit down; And his fruit is sweet to my taste.

4 H e hath brought me to the house of wine, And his banner over me is love.

5 S ustain ye me with raisin-cakes, Refresh me with apples; For I am sick of love.

6 H is left hand is under my head, And his right hand doth embrace me.

7 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake love, till he please.

8 T he voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills.

9 M y beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, Glancing through the lattice.

10 M y beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11 F or behold, the winter is past, The rain is over, it is gone:

12 T he flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;

13 T he fig-tree melloweth her winter figs, And the vines in bloom give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away!

14 M y dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the covert of the precipice, Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 T ake us the foxes, The little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in bloom.

16 M y beloved is mine, and I am his; He feedeth among the lilies,

17 U ntil the day dawn, and the shadows flee away. Turn, my beloved: be thou like a gazelle or a young hart, Upon the mountains of Bether.