1 A s a lily among the thorns,

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

2 S o my friend among the daughters!

Like a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters. The Shulamite

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 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

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

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

His left hand is 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 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

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, Skipping upon 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 stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing 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 spoke, and said 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 lo, 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 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 her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, 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 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

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

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

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

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

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, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.