Chapter 2

The Bride’s Admiration

1 “1I am the 2arose of bSharon,

The clily of the valleys.”

2 “1Like a lily among the thorns,

So is amy darling among the 2maidens.”

3 “1Like an 2aapple tree among the trees of the forest,

So is my beloved among the 3young men.

In his shade I took great delight and sat down,

And his bfruit was sweet to my 4taste.

4 “He has abrought me to his 1banquet hall,

And his bbanner over me is love.

5 “Sustain me with araisin cakes,

Refresh me with 1bapples,

Because cI am lovesick.

6 “Let ahis left hand be under my head

And ahis right hand bembrace me.”

7 “1I aadjure you, O bdaughters of Jerusalem,

By the cgazelles or by the dhinds of the field,

aThat you do not arouse or awaken my love

Until 2she pleases.”

8 “1Listen! My beloved!

Behold, he is coming,

Climbing aon the mountains,

Leaping on the hills!

9 “My beloved is like a agazelle or a byoung 1stag.

Behold, he is standing behind our wall,

He is looking through the windows,

He is peering cthrough the lattice.

10 “My beloved responded and said to me,

‘aArise, my darling, my beautiful one,

And come along.

11 ‘For behold, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone.

12 ‘The flowers have already appeared in the land;

The time has arrived for 1pruning the vines,

And the voice of the aturtledove has been heard in our land.

13 ‘The afig tree has ripened its figs,

And the bvines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.

Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,

And come along!’ ”

14 “1O amy dove, bin the clefts of the 2rock,

In the secret place of the steep 3pathway,

Let me see your 4form,

cLet me hear your voice;

For your voice is sweet,

And your 4form is dlovely.”

15 “1aCatch the foxes for us,

The 2little foxes that are ruining the vineyards,

While our bvineyards are in blossom.”

16 “1aMy beloved is mine, and I am his;

He bpastures his flock among the lilies.

17 “aUntil 1the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,

Turn, my beloved, and be like a bgazelle

Or a young stag con the mountains of 2Bether.”