Chapter 2

2:1I am a rose of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.
2M
Like a lily among thorns,
so is my darling among the young women.
3W
Like an apricot tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my love among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4He brought me to the banquet hall,
and he looked on me with love.
5Sustain me with raisins;
refresh me with apricots,
for I am lovesick.
6His left hand is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.
7Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time.
8Listen! My love is approaching.
Look! Here he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
9My love is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Look, he is standing behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattice.
10My love calls to me:
M
Arise, my darling.
Come away, my beautiful one.
11For now the winter is past;
the rain has ended and gone away.
12The blossoms appear in the countryside.
The time of singing has come,
and the turtledove's cooing is heard in our land.
13The fig tree ripens its figs;
the blossoming vines give off their fragrance.
Arise, my darling.
Come away, my beautiful one.
14My dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the crevices of the cliff,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
15(W)
Catch the foxes for us-
the little foxes that ruin the vineyards-
for our vineyards are in bloom. 16W
My love is mine and I am his;
he feeds among the lilies.
17Before the day breaks
and the shadows flee,
turn to me, my love, and be like a gazelle
or a young stag on the divided mountains.

Chapter 3

3:1In my bed at night
I sought the one I love;
I sought him, but did not find him.
2I will arise now and go about the city,
through the streets and the plazas.
I will seek the one I love.
I sought him, but did not find him.
3The guards who go about the city found me.
I asked them, "Have you seen the one I love?"
4I had just passed them
when I found the one I love.
I held on to him and would not let him go
until I brought him to my mother's house-
to the chamber of the one who conceived me.
5Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time.
6N
What is this coming up from the wilderness
like columns of smoke,
scented with myrrh and frankincense
from every fragrant powder of the merchant?
7It is Solomon's royal litter
surrounded by 60 warriors
from the mighty of Israel.
8All of them are skilled with swords
and trained in warfare.
Each has his sword at his side
to guard against the terror of the night.
9King Solomon made a sedan chair for himself
with wood from Lebanon.
10He made its posts of silver,
its back of gold,
and its seat of purple.
Its interior is inlaid with love
by the young women of Jerusalem.
11Come out, young women of Zion,
and gaze at King Solomon,
wearing the crown his mother placed on him
the day of his wedding-
the day of his heart's rejoicing.