Study Desk

Friends

Where has your beloved^(a) gone, most beautiful of women?^(b) Which way did your beloved turn, that we may look for him with you?

She

My beloved has gone^(c) down to his garden,^(d) to the beds of spices,^(e) to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine;^(f) he browses among the lilies.^(g)

He

You are as beautiful as Tirzah,^(h) my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem,⁽ⁱ⁾ as majestic as troops with banners.^(j)

Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Gilead.^(k)

Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing. Each has its twin, not one of them is missing.^(l)

Your temples behind your veil^(m) are like the halves of a pomegranate.⁽ⁿ⁾

Sixty queens^(o) there may be, and eighty concubines,^(p) and virgins beyond number;

but my dove,^(q) my perfect one,^(r) is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her.^(s) The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her.

Friends

Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession?

He

I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.^(t)

Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.^[a]

Friends

Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!

He

Why would you gaze on the Shulammite as on the dance^(u) of Mahanaim?^[b]

^[a]How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince's^(a) daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of an artist's hands.

Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies.

Your breasts^(b) are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle.

Your neck is like an ivory tower.^(c) Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon^(d) by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon^(e) looking toward Damascus.

Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.^(f) Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses.

How beautiful^(g) you are and how pleasing, my love, with your delights!^(h)

Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts⁽ⁱ⁾ like clusters of fruit.

I said, "I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit." May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples,^(j)

and your mouth like the best wine.

She

May the wine go straight to my beloved,^(k) flowing gently over lips and teeth.^[b]

I belong to my beloved, and his desire^(l) is for me.^(m)

Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages.^[c]

Let us go early to the vineyards⁽ⁿ⁾ to see if the vines have budded,^(o) if their blossoms^(p) have opened, and if the pomegranates^(q) are in bloom^(r)— there I will give you my love.

The mandrakes^(s) send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my beloved.^(t)

If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother's breasts! Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.

I would lead you and bring you to my mother's house^(a)— she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.

His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me.^(b)

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.^(c)

Friends

Who is this coming up from the wilderness^(d) leaning on her beloved?

She

Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived^(e) you, there she who was in labor gave you birth.

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love^(f) is as strong as death, its jealousy^[a](g) unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.^[b]

Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it^[c] would be utterly scorned.^(h)

Friends

We have a little sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for?

If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

She

I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment.

Solomon had a vineyard⁽ⁱ⁾ in Baal Hamon; he let out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels^[d](j) of silver.

But my own vineyard^(k) is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, and two hundred^[e] are for those who tend its fruit.

He

You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!

She

Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle^(l) or like a young stag^(m) on the spice-laden mountains.⁽ⁿ⁾