Chapter 2

  As a lily among the thorns,  

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  So [is] my friend among the daughters!  

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  As a citron among trees of the forest, So [is] my beloved among the sons, In his shade I delighted, and sat down, And his fruit [is] sweet to my palate.  

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  He hath brought me in unto a house of wine, And his banner over me [is] love,  

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  Sustain me with grape-cakes, Support me with citrons, for I [am] sick with love.  

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  His left hand [is] under my head, And his right doth embrace me.  

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  I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the hinds of the field, Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!  

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  The voice of my beloved! lo, this -- he is coming, Leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.  

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  My beloved [is] like to a roe, Or to a young one of the harts. Lo, this -- he is standing behind our wall, Looking from the windows, Blooming from the lattice.  

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  My beloved hath answered and said to me, 'Rise up, my friend, my fair one, and come away,  

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  For lo, the winter hath passed by, The rain hath passed away -- it hath gone.  

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  The flowers have appeared in the earth, The time of the singing hath come, And the voice of the turtle was heard in our land,  

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  The fig-tree hath ripened her green figs, And the sweet-smelling vines have given forth fragrance, Rise, come, my friend, my fair one, yea, come away.  

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  My dove, in clefts of the rock, In a secret place of the ascent, Cause me to see thine appearance, Cause me to hear thy voice, For thy voice [is] sweet, and thy appearance comely.  

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  Seize ye for us foxes, Little foxes -- destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.  

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  My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his, Who is delighting among the lilies,  

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  Till the day doth break forth, And the shadows have fled away, Turn, be like, my beloved, To a roe, or to a young one of the harts, On the mountains of separation!  

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