1I am a rose of Sharon,

a lily of the valleys.*

2As a lily among brambles,

so is my love among maidens.

3As an apple tree among the trees of the wood,

so is my beloved among 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,

and his intention towardb me was love.*

5Sustain me with raisins,

refresh me with apples,

for I am faint with love.*

6O that his left hand were under my head

and that his right hand embraced me!*

7I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the wild does:

do not stir up or awaken love

until it is ready!*

8The voice of my beloved!

Look, he comes,

leaping upon the mountains,

bounding over the hills.*

9My beloved is like a gazelle

or a young stag.

Look, there he stands

behind our wall,

gazing in at the windows,

looking through the lattice.*

10My beloved speaks and says to me:

“Arise, my love, my fair one,

and come away,*

11for now the winter is past,

the rain is over and gone.

12The flowers appear on the earth;

the time of singing has come,

and the voice of the turtledove

is heard in our land.*

13The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines are in blossom;

they give forth fragrance.

Arise, my love, my fair one,

and come away.*

14O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,

in the covert of the cliff,

let me see your face;

let me hear your voice,

for your voice is sweet,

and your face is lovely.*

15Catch us the foxes,

the little foxes,

that ruin the vineyards—

for our vineyards are in blossom.”*

16My beloved is mine, and I am his;

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 the cleft mountains.c^,*