1 A s a lily among the thorns,

“I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.” King Solomon

2 S o my friend among the daughters!

“Like a lily among the thorns, so is my loved one among the young women.” The Woman

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 a fruit tree among many trees, so is my loved one among the young men. With much joy I sat down in his shadow. 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 his special large room for eating, and his colors over me were love.

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

Make me strong with cakes of dried grapes. Make me strong again with fruit, because I am sick with love.

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

Let his left hand be under my head and his right hand hold me close.” King Solomon

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 tell you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and deer of the field, you must not wake up my love until it is pleasing to her.” The Second Song The Woman

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

“Listen, it is the voice of my loved one! See, he is coming! He is running over the mountains, jumping across 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 love is like a gazelle or a young deer. See, he is standing behind our wall. He is looking through the windows, through the wood cross-pieces.

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

“My love speaks and says to me, ‘Get up, my love, my beautiful one, and come with me.

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

For see, 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 are coming through the ground. The time for singing has come. The voice of the turtle-dove has been 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 has its fruits. The flowers on the vines spread their sweet smell. Get up, my love, my beautiful one, and come with me!

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, hidden in the rock, in the secret place in the mountain-side, let me see you. Let me hear your voice. For your voice is sweet, and you are beautiful.

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

‘Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are destroying our grape-fields, for the flowers are on the vines.

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

My love is mine, and I am his. He lets his flock eat 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 morning comes and the shadows hurry away, turn, my love. Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of Bether.’”