Chapter 2

I [am] the rose of Sharon, [and] the lily of the valleys.

As the lily among thorns, so [is] my love among the daughters.

As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so [is] my beloved among the sons. I sat down¹ under his shadow with great delight,¹⁴ and his fruit [was] sweet to my taste.

He brought⁵² me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me [was] love.

Stay¹⁶ me with flagons, comfort¹⁶ me with apples: for I [am] sick⁶ of love.

His left hand [is] under my head, and his right hand doth embrace¹⁷ me.

I charge⁵² you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up,⁵⁵ nor awake³⁴ [my] love, till he please.⁴

The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh⁶ leaping¹⁸ upon the mountains, skipping¹⁸ upon the hills.

My beloved is like⁶ a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth⁶ behind our wall, he looketh⁵⁶ forth at the windows, shewing⁵⁶ himself through the lattice.

My beloved spake,¹ and said¹ unto me, Rise up,³ my love, my fair one, and come away.³

For, lo, the winter is past,¹ the rain is over¹ [and] gone;¹

The flowers appear⁸ on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] is come,⁵² and the voice of the turtle is heard⁸ in our land;

The fig tree putteth forth¹ her green figs, and the vines [with] the tender grape give¹ a [good] smell. Arise,³ my love, my fair one, and come away.³

O my dove, [that art] in the clefts of the rock, in the secret [places] of the stairs, let me see⁵⁴ thy countenance, let me hear⁵⁴ thy voice; for sweet [is] thy voice, and thy countenance [is] comely.

Take³ us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil¹⁸ the vines: for our vines [have] tender grapes.

My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his: he feedeth⁶ among the lilies.

Until the day break,⁴ and the shadows flee away,¹ turn,³ my beloved, and be thou like³ a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether. ¹³³⁶