3 “My love, among the young men

you are like an apple tree among the trees of the forest.

I’m happy to sit in your shade.

Your fruit tastes so sweet to me.

4 You have taken me to the dinner hall.

Your banner of love is lifted high above me.

5 Give me some raisins to make me strong.

Give me some apples to make me feel like new again.

Our love has made me weak.

6 Your left arm is under my head.

Your right arm is around me.

7 Women of Jerusalem, take an oath and make me a promise.

Let the antelopes and the does serve as witnesses.

Don’t stir up love.

Don’t wake it up until it’s ready.

8 “Listen! I hear my love!

Look! Here he comes!

He’s leaping across the mountains.

He’s coming over the hills.

9 The one who loves me is like an antelope or a young deer.

Look! There he stands behind our wall.

He’s gazing through the window.

He’s peering through the screen.

10 He said to me, ‘Rise up, my love.

Come with me, my beautiful one.

11 Look! The winter is past.

The rains are over and gone.

12 Flowers are appearing on the earth.

The season for singing has come.

The cooing of doves

is heard in our land.

13 The fig trees are producing their early fruit.

The flowers on the vines are giving off their sweet smell.

Rise up and come, my love.

Come with me, my beautiful one.’ ”

The king says,

14 “You are like a dove in an opening in the rocks.

You are like a dove in a hiding place on a mountainside.

Show me your face.

Let me hear your voice.

Your voice is so sweet.

Your face is so lovely.

15 Catch the foxes for us.

Catch the little foxes.

They destroy our vineyards.

The vineyards are in bloom.”

The woman says,

16 “My love belongs to me, and I belong to him.

Like an antelope, he eats among the lilies.

17 Until the day begins

and the shadows fade away,

turn to me, my love.

Be like an antelope

or like a young deer

on the rocky hills.