1 A s a lily among the thorns,

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

2 S o my friend among the daughters!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks 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!

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.