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

¶ I am the lily of the field and the rose of the valleys.

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

As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the virgins.

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.

¶ As the apple tree among the trees of the wild, so is my beloved among the sons. I desired to sit under his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

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

He brought me to the wine chamber and placed his banner of love over me.

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

Sustain me with flagons of wine, strengthen me with apples; for I am sick with love.

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

His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces 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.

I charge you, O ye virgins of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the field that ye not awake nor stir up love, until he pleases.

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

¶ The voice of my beloved! behold, he comes leaping over the mountains, skipping over 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.

My beloved is like a roe or a young hart; behold, he stands behind our wall; he looks through the windows, blossoming through the lattice.

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

My beloved spoke 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:

For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and 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;

the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the song is come, and the voice of the turtle dove has been 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!

the fig tree has put forth her green figs, and the vines in blossom have given forth their 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.

¶ O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is beautiful.

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

Hunt the foxes for us, the little foxes, that spoil the vines; for our vines are in blossom.

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

My beloved is mine, and I am his; he feeds 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.

Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, return, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.