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¹ As a lily among the thorns,² So [is] my friend among the daughters!

³ 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.⁴ He has brought me to a house of wine, || And his banner over me [is] love,⁵ Sustain me with grape-cakes, || Support me with citrons, for I [am] sick with love.⁶ His left hand [is] under my head, || And his right embraces me.⁷ I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, || By the roes or by the does of the field, || Do not stir up nor wake the love until she pleases!

⁸ The voice of my beloved! Behold, this—he is coming, || Leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.⁹ My beloved [is] like to a roe, || Or to a young one of the harts. Behold, this—he is standing behind our wall, || Looking from the windows, || Blooming from the lattice.¹⁰ My beloved has answered and said to me, || "Rise up, my friend, my beautiful one, and come away,¹¹ For behold, the winter has passed by, || The rain has passed away—it has gone.¹² The flowers have appeared in the earth, || The time of the singing has come, || And the voice of the turtle was heard in our land,¹³ The fig tree has ripened her green figs, || And the sweet-smelling vines have given forth fragrance, || Rise, come, my friend, my beautiful one, indeed, come away.

¹⁴ My dove, in clefts of the rock, || In a secret place of the ascent, || Cause me to see your appearance, || Cause me to hear your voice, || For your voice [is] sweet, and your appearance lovely."¹⁵ Seize for us foxes, || Little foxes—destroyers of vineyards, || Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.¹⁶ My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his, || Who is delighting among the lilies,¹⁷ Until the day breaks 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!