Canticle of Canticles 2

¹ -I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the val eys.

² -As a lily among the thistles, so is my beloved among girls.

³ -As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my love among young men. In his delightful shadeI sit, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

⁴ He has taken me to his cel ar, and his banner over me is love.

⁵ Feed me with raisin cakes, restore me with apples, for I am sick with love.

⁶ His left arm is under my head, his right embraces me.

⁷ -I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, by al gazel es and wild does, do not rouse, do not wake mybeloved before she pleases.

⁸ BELOVED: I hear my love. See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over the hills.

⁹ My love is like a gazel e, like a young stag. See where he stands behind our wal . He looks in at thewindow, he peers through the opening.

¹⁰ My love lifts up his voice, he says to me, 'Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come.

¹¹ For see, winter is past, the rains are over and gone.

¹² 'Flowers are appearing on the earth. The season of glad songs has come, the cooing of the turtledoveis heard in our land.

¹³ The fig tree is forming its first figs and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance. Come then, mybeloved, my lovely one, come.

¹⁴ 'My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock, in the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear yourvoice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.'

¹⁵ Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that make havoc of the vineyards, for our vineyards are in fruit.

¹⁶ My love is mine and I am his. He pastures his flock among the lilies.

¹⁷ Before the day-breeze rises, before the shadows flee, return! Be, my love, like a gazel e, like a youngstag, on the mountains of Bether.