1I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.–– 2Like the lily among the thorns, so is my beloved among the young maidens.–– 3Like the apple–tree among the trees of the forest, so is my friend among the young men: under his shadow do I ardently wish to sit, and his fruit is sweet to my palate. 4He brought me to the banqueting–house, and his banner over me was love. 5Strengthen me with flagons of wine, refresh me with apples; for sick of love am I. 6Oh that his left hand might be under my head, and that his right might embrace me. 7I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor excite my love, till it please to come of itself.–– 8The voice of my friend! behold, there he cometh, leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills. 9My friend is like a roebuck or the fawn of the hinds: behold, there he standeth behind our wall, looking in at the windows, seeing through the lattice. 10My friend commenced, and said unto me, Rise thee up, my beloved, my fair one, and come along. 11For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone its way. 12The flowers are seen in the land; the time of the birds’ singing is come, and the voice of the turtle–dove is heard in our land; 13The fig–tree perfumeth its green figs, and the vines with young grapes give forth a pleasant smell. Arise thee, my beloved, my fair one, and come along. 14O my dove, who art in the clefts of the rock, in the recesses of the cliffs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for thy voice is sweet, and thy countenance is comely.–– 15Seize for us the foxes, the little foxes, that injure the vineyards; for our vineyards have young grapes. 16My friend is mine, and I am his––that feedeth among the lilies. 17Until the day become cool, and the shadows flee away, turn about, my friend, and be thou like the roebuck or the fawn of the hinds upon the mountains of separation.