1 A s a lily among the thorns,

2 S o my friend among the daughters!

3 A s 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 H e hath brought me in unto a house of wine, And his banner over me love,

5 S ustain me with grape-cakes, Support me with citrons, for I sick with love.

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

7 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 T he voice of my beloved! lo, this -- he is coming, Leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.

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

11 F or lo, the winter hath passed by, The rain hath passed away -- it hath gone.

12 T he 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 T he 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 M y 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 S eize ye for us foxes, Little foxes -- destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.

16 M y beloved mine, and I his, Who is delighting among the lilies,

17 T ill 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!