Song of Solomon 2
1 [SHE SAID] I am only a little rose or autumn crocus of the plain of Sharon, or a [humble] lily of the valleys [that grows in deep and difficult places].2 But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters.3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved [shepherd] among the sons [cried the girl]! Under his shadow I delighted to sit, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him].5 Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love.6 [I can feel] his left hand under my head and his right hand embraces me! 7 [He said] I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field [which are free to follow their own instincts] that you not try to stir up or awaken [my] love until it pleases.8 [Vividly she pictured it] The voice of my beloved [shepherd]! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. 9 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 My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.11 For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.13 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 [So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] 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 [My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom.16 [She said distinctly] My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks among the lilies. 17 [Then, longingly addressing her absent shepherd, she cried] 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 [which separate us].
Song of Solomon 2
The Lily among the Thorns and the Apple Tree in the Forest
1 I am at meadow flowert from Sharon,s
a lilyt from the valleys.
2 Likes a lily among the thorns,ts
so is my darling among the maidens.
3 Liket an apple trees among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved among the young men.
I delightt to sitt in his shade,s
and his fruits is sweets to my taste.t
The Banquet Hall for the Love-Sick
4 He brought mest into the banquet hall,t
and he lookedst at me lovingly.t
5 Sustaint me with raisin cakes,s
refresh me with apples,t
for I am faint with love.t
The Double Refrain: Embracing and Adjuration
6 His left hand caresses my head,t
and his right hand stimulates me.t
7 I adjure you,s O maidens of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles and by the young doest of the open fields:ts
Do not awaken or arousets lovet until it pleases!t
The Arrival of the Lover
8 Listen!t My lover is approaching!t
Look!t Here he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills!
9 My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag.s
Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the window,
peering through the lattice.
The Season of Love and the Song of the Turtle-Dove
10 My lover spoke to me, saying:
“Arise, my darling;
My beautiful one, come away with me!
11 Look! The winter has passed,
the winter rains are over and gone.
12 The pomegranates have appearedt in the land,
the time for pruning and singingt has come;
the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree has budded,
the vines have blossomed and give off their fragrance.
Arise, come away my darling;
my beautiful one, come away with me!”
The Dove in the Clefts of En-Gedi
14 O my dove,s in the clefts of the rock,
in the hiding places of the mountain crags,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
The Foxes in the Vineyard
15 Catcht the foxess for us,
the little foxes,s
that ruin the vineyardss –
for our vineyard is in bloom.
Poetic Refrain: Mutual Possession
16 My lover is mine and I am his;
he grazes among the lilies.s
The Gazelle and the Rugged Mountains
17 Until the dawn arrivess and the shadows flee,
turn,t my beloved –
be like a gazelle or a young stag
on the mountain gorges.ts