1 “ I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.”

I am only a little rose or autumn crocus of the plain of Sharon, or a lily of the valleys.

2 “ Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among the maidens.”

But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters.

3 “ Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the young men. In his shade I took great delight and sat down, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Like an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons! Under his shadow I delighted to sit, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 “ He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love.

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

5 “ Sustain me with raisin cakes, Refresh me with apples, Because I am lovesick.

Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love.

6 “ Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me.”

his left hand under my head and his right hand embraces me!

7 “ I adjure you, 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.”

I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field that you not try to stir up or awaken love until it pleases.

8 “ Listen! My beloved! Behold, he is coming, Climbing on the mountains, Leaping on the hills!

The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills.

9 “ My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through the lattice.

My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind the wall of our house, he looks in through the windows, he glances through the lattice.

10 “ My beloved responded and said to me, ‘ Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along.

My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11 ‘ For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.

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

12 ‘ The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines, And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is 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!’”

The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

14 “ O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret place of the steep pathway, Let me see your form, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your form is lovely.”

O my dove, in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

15 “ Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom.”

Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.

16 “ My beloved is mine, and I am his; He pastures his flock among the lilies.

My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks among the lilies.

17 “ Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.”

Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, return hastily, O my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart as you cover the mountains.