1I am a rose2:1 Probably a bulb, such as a crocus, asphodel, or narcissus of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.
He
2As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among the young women.
She
3As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved among the young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4He brought me to the banqueting house,2:4 Hebrew the house of wine
and his banner over me was love.
5Sustain me with raisins;
refresh me with apples,
for I am sick with love.
6His left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me!
7I adjure you,2:7 That is, I put you on oath; so throughout the Song O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
The Bride Adores Her Beloved
8The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
9My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Behold, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
looking through the lattice.
10My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,
11for behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
12The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing2:12 Or pruning has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
13The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away.
14O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the crannies of the cliff,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice,
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
15Catch the foxes2:15 Or jackals for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in blossom.”
16My beloved is mine, and I am his;
he grazes2:16 Or he pastures his flock among the lilies.
17Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
or a young stag on cleft mountains.2:17 Or mountains of Bether
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