I am a wildflower[a] of Sharon,
a lily[b] of the valleys.(A)

Man

Like a lily among thorns,
so is my darling among the young women.

Woman

Like an apricot[c] tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my love among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banquet hall,[d](B)
and he looked on me with love.[e](C)
Sustain me with raisins;
refresh me with apricots,[f]
for I am lovesick.(D)
May his left hand be under my head,
and his right arm embrace me.(E)
Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and the wild does of the field,
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time.[g](F)

Listen! My love is approaching.
Look! Here he comes,
leaping over the mountains,(G)
bounding over the hills.
My love is like a gazelle
or a young stag.(H)
See, he is standing behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattice.
10 My love calls to me:

Man

Arise,(I) my darling.
Come away, my beautiful one.
11 For now the winter is past;
the rain has ended and gone away.
12 The blossoms appear in the countryside.
The time of singing[h] has come,
and the turtledove’s cooing is heard in our land.(J)
13 The fig tree ripens its figs;(K)
the blossoming vines give off their fragrance.(L)
Arise, my darling.
Come away, my beautiful one.

14 My dove,(M) in the clefts of the rock,(N)
in the crevices of the cliff,
let me see your face,[i]
let me hear your voice;(O)
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.(P)

Woman

15 [j]Catch the foxes for us(Q)
the little foxes that ruin the vineyards—
for our vineyards are in bloom.(R)

Woman

16 My love is mine and I am his;(S)
he feeds among the lilies.
17 Until the day breaks[k]
and the shadows flee,
turn around, my love, and be like a gazelle
or a young stag(T) on the divided mountains.[l](U)

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 Traditionally rose
  2. 2:1 Or lotus
  3. 2:3 Or apple
  4. 2:4 Lit the house of wine
  5. 2:4 Or and his banner over me is love
  6. 2:5 Or apples
  7. 2:7 Lit until it pleases
  8. 2:12 Or pruning
  9. 2:14 Or form
  10. 2:15 The speaker could be the woman, the man, or both.
  11. 2:17 Lit breathes
  12. 2:17 Or the Bether mountains, or the mountains of spices; Hb obscure

She[a]

I am a rose[b](A) of Sharon,(B)
    a lily(C) of the valleys.

He

Like a lily among thorns
    is my darling among the young women.

She

Like an apple[c] tree among the trees of the forest
    is my beloved(D) among the young men.
I delight(E) to sit in his shade,
    and his fruit is sweet to my taste.(F)
Let him lead me to the banquet hall,(G)
    and let his banner(H) over me be love.
Strengthen me with raisins,
    refresh me with apples,(I)
    for I am faint with love.(J)
His left arm is under my head,
    and his right arm embraces me.(K)
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(L)
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(M)

Listen! My beloved!
    Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.(N)
My beloved is like a gazelle(O) or a young stag.(P)
    Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;(Q)
    the blossoming(R) vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
    my beautiful one, come with me.”

He

14 My dove(S) in the clefts of the rock,
    in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
    let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
    and your face is lovely.(T)
15 Catch for us the foxes,(U)
    the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,(V)
    our vineyards that are in bloom.(W)

She

16 My beloved is mine and I am his;(X)
    he browses among the lilies.(Y)
17 Until the day breaks
    and the shadows flee,(Z)
turn, my beloved,(AA)
    and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag(AB)
    on the rugged hills.[d](AC)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 2:1 Or He
  2. Song of Songs 2:1 Probably a member of the crocus family
  3. Song of Songs 2:3 Or possibly apricot; here and elsewhere in Song of Songs
  4. Song of Songs 2:17 Or the hills of Bether