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

As a lily among the thorns,

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

So my friend 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.

As a citron among trees of the forest, So my beloved among the sons, In his shade I delighted, and sat down, And his fruit sweet to my palate.

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

He hath brought me in unto a house of wine, And his banner over me love,

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

Sustain me with grape-cakes, Support me with citrons, for I 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 doth embrace 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 have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the hinds of the field, Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!

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

The voice of my beloved! lo, this -- he is coming, Leaping on the mountains, skipping on 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 like to a roe, Or to a young one of the harts. Lo, this -- he is standing behind our wall, Looking from the windows, Blooming from the lattice.

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

My beloved hath answered and said to me, `Rise up, my friend, my fair one, and come away,

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

For lo, the winter hath passed by, The rain hath passed away -- it hath 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 have appeared in the earth, The time of the singing hath come, And the voice of the turtle was 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 hath ripened her green figs, And the sweet-smelling vines have given forth fragrance, Rise, come, my friend, my fair one, yea, 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.”

My dove, in clefts of the rock, In a secret place of the ascent, Cause me to see thine appearance, Cause me to hear thy voice, For thy voice sweet, and thy appearance comely.

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

Seize ye for us foxes, Little foxes -- destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.

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

My beloved mine, and I his, Who is delighting 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.”

Till the day doth break forth, And the shadows have fled away, Turn, be like, my beloved, To a roe, or to a young one of the harts, On the mountains of separation!