The Bride

1I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys.

Solomon

2As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

The Bride

3As the apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow, whom I desired: and his fruit was sweet to my palate.

4He brought me into the cellar of wine, he set in order charity in me.

5Stay me up with flowers, compass me about with apples: because I languish with love.

6His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.

7I adjure you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and the harts of the field, that you stir not up, nor make the beloved to awake, till she please.

The Bride's Adoration

8The voice of my beloved, behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills.

9My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart. Behold he standeth behind our wall, looking through the windows, looking through the lattices.

10Behold my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come.

11For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone.

12The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turtle is heard in our land:

13The fig tree hath put forth her green figs: the vines in flower yield their sweet smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come:

Solomon

14My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, shew me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.

15Catch us the little foxes that destroy the vines: for our vineyard hath flourished.

The Bride

16My beloved to me, and I to him who feedeth among the lilies,

17Till the day break, and the shadows retire. Return: be like, my beloved, to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.