Song of Songs 2

A lily that grows among thorn bushes

1I am a wild flower of Sharon. I am a lily from the valleys.

2Among the other young women, my dear friend is like a lily that grows among thorn bushes.

3Among the other young men, my lover is like an apple tree that grows among the trees of the forest. I love to sit in his shade. His fruit is sweet when I taste it.

4He has taken me to the room for feasts. Everyone can see that he loves me.

5I am weak with love. So give me raisins to make me strong. Give me apples to me to keep me awake.

6His left hand is under my head. His right hand brings me near to him.

The young man comes to the young woman

7Promise this to me, young women of Jerusalem: Do not cause our love to wake up. Do not cause it to become too strong until the time is right. The gazelles and the wild deer will know about your promise.

8Listen! I hear the voice of my lover! Look! He is coming! He moves quickly across the mountains. He runs across the hills.

9My lover is like a gazelle or a young male deer. Look! There he is! He is standing behind our wall. He is looking through the window. He wants to see into the room.

10My lover said this to me: ‘My beautiful friend, I love you. Get up now and come with me.

11Look! The winter time has finished. The heavy rains have stopped.

12Flowers are appearing everywhere. It is now the season to sing happy songs. We can hear the voices of doves around us.

13New fruit is growing on the fig trees. There are flowers on the vines, and their sweet smell is in the air. I love you, my beautiful friend. Please get up now and come with me!’

14My dear friend, you are like a dove that is hiding among the rocks. You hide from me in the mountains. Show your face to me because it is lovely. Let me hear your voice because it has a sweet sound.

15Catch the foxes for us! Our vines now have flowers and they will soon give us fruit. So catch the little foxes before they destroy our vineyards.

16My lover belongs to me, and I belong to him. He moves among the lilies with his sheep.

17Turn back to me, my lover. Stay until dawn comes and the shadows have gone, Be like a gazelle or a young male deer that plays among the mountains' rocks.