Song of Solomon 2

Contemporary English Version

Love Makes Everything Beautiful

She Speaks:

2 I am merely a rose^[a]
from the land of Sharon,
a lily from the valley.

He Speaks:

²My darling, when compared
with other young women,
you are a lily among thorns.

She Speaks:

³And you, my love,
are an apple tree
    among trees of the forest.
Your shade brought me pleasure;
    your fruit was sweet.
⁴You led me to your banquet room
    and showered me with love.
⁵Refresh and strengthen me
with raisins and apples.
    I am hungry for love!
⁶Put your left hand under my head
and embrace me
    with your right arm.

⁷Young women of Jerusalem,
promise me by the power
of deer and gazelles^[b]
never to awaken love
before it is ready.

Winter Is Past

She Speaks:

⁸I hear the voice
    of the one I love,
as he comes leaping
over mountains and hills
⁹    like a deer or a gazelle.
Now he stands outside our wall,
looking through the window
¹⁰    and speaking to me.

He Speaks:

My darling, I love you!
    Let's go away together.
¹¹Winter is past,
    the rain has stopped;
¹²flowers cover the earth,
    it's time to sing.^[c]
The cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
¹³Fig trees are bearing fruit,
while blossoms on grapevines
    fill the air with perfume.
My darling, I love you!
    Let's go away together.
¹⁴You are my dove
hiding among the rocks
    on the side of a cliff.
Let me see how lovely you are!
Let me hear the sound
    of your melodious voice.
¹⁵Our vineyards are in blossom;
we must catch the little foxes
    that destroy the vineyards.^[d]

She Speaks:

¹⁶My darling, I am yours,
    and you are mine,
as you feed your sheep
    among the lilies.
¹⁷Pretend to be a young deer
dancing on mountain slopes^[e]
    until daylight comes
    and shadows fade away.

Footnotes

2.1 rose: The traditional translation. The exact variety of the flower is not known, though it may have been a crocus.
2.7 deer and gazelles: Deer and gazelles were sacred animals in some religions of Old Testament times, and they were thought to have special powers.
2.12 sing: Or “trim the vines.”
2.15 vineyards: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 15.
2.17 mountain slopes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.