Song of Solomon 2:1-17

2  “A mere saffron*+ of the coastal plain*+ I am, a lily of the low plains.”+  “Like a lily among thorny weeds, so is my girl companion among the daughters.”+  “Like an apple tree+ among the trees of the forest, so is my dear one among the sons.+ His shade I have passionately desired, and there I have sat down, and his fruit has been sweet to my palate.  He brought me into the house of wine,+ and his banner+ over me was love.*+  Do YOU people refresh me with cakes of raisins,+ sustain me with apples; for I am lovesick.+  His left hand is under my head; and his right hand—it embraces me.+  I have put YOU under oath,+ O daughters of Jerusalem, by the female gazelles+ or by the hinds+ of the field, that YOU try not to awaken or arouse love [in me] until it feels inclined.+  “The sound of my dear one!+ Look! This one is coming,+ climbing upon the mountains, leaping upon the hills.  My dear one is resembling a gazelle+ or the young of the stags. Look! This one is standing behind our wall, gazing through the windows, glancing through the lattices.+ 10  My dear one has answered and said to me, ‘Rise up, you girl companion of mine, my beautiful one,+ and come away.+ 11  For, look! the rainy season*+ itself has passed, the downpour itself is over, it has gone its way. 12  Blossoms themselves have appeared in the land,+ the very time of vine trimming+ has arrived, and the voice of the turtledove+ itself has been heard in our land. 13  As for the fig tree,+ it has gained a mature color for its early figs;+ and the vines are abloom, they have given [their] fragrance. Rise up, come, O girl companion of mine,+ my beautiful one, and come away. 14  O my dove+ in the retreats of the crag, in the concealed place of the steep way, show me your form,+ let me hear your voice, for your voice is pleasurable and your form is comely.’”+ 15  “Do YOU people grab hold of the foxes+ for us, the little foxes that are making spoil of the vineyards, as our vineyards are abloom.”+ 16  “My dear one is mine and I am his.+ He is shepherding+ among the lilies.+ 17  Until the day breathes and the shadows have fled, turn around, O my dear one; be like the gazelle+ or like the young of the stags upon the mountains of separation.*

Footnotes

“The coastal plain.” Or, “Sharon.” Heb., hash·sha·rohnʹ.
Or, “crocus; asphodel.”
“Love.” Heb., ʼa·havahʹ.
Or, “the winter.”
Or, “cleft mountains.” Lit., “mountains of Bether.” The meaning of “Bether” is uncertain.