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¹ Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulammite? As it were a dance of two companies.² How beautiful are thy steps in sandals, O prince's daughter! The roundings of thy thighs are like the links of a chain, the work of the hands of a skilled workman.³ Thy navel is like a round goblet, wherein no mingled wine is wanting; thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies.⁴ Thy two breasts are like two fawns that are twins of a gazelle.⁵ Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes as the pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim; thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.⁶ Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple; the king is held captive in the tresses thereof.⁷ How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!⁸ This thy stature is like to a palm-tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.⁹ I said: 'I will climb up into the palm-tree, I will take hold of the branches thereof; and let thy breasts be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy countenance like apples;

¹⁰ And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine, that glideth down smoothly for my beloved, moving gently the lips of those that are asleep.'¹¹ I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. ¹² Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.¹³ Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see whether the vine hath budded, whether the vine-blossom be opened, and the pomegranates be in flower; there will I give thee my love.

¹⁴ The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and at our doors are all manner of precious fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.