1 I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys. The Beloved

I am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys.

2 L ike a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters. The Shulamite

As a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.

3 L ike an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste. The Shulamite to the Daughters of Jerusalem

As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 H e brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love.

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

5 S ustain me with cakes of raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick.

Stay ye me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am sick from love.

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

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

7 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases. The Beloved’s Request The Shulamite

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, Until he please.

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

The 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 stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice.

My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: Behold, he standeth behind our wall; He looketh in at the windows; He glanceth through the lattice.

10 M y beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.

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

11 F or lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.

For, lo, the winter is past; The rain is over and gone;

12 T he flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.

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

13 T he fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!

The fig-tree ripeneth her green figs, And the vines are in blossom; They 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 places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.” Her Brothers

O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, In the covert of the steep place, Let me see thy countenance, Let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 C atch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes. The Shulamite

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, That spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in blossom.

16 M y beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. (To Her Beloved)

My beloved is mine, and I am his: He feedeth his flock among the lilies.

17 U ntil the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.

Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart Upon the mountains of Bether.