1I AM a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.

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

3As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

5Stay ye me with raisins, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

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

7I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awaken love, until it please.

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

9My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh in at the windows, he sheweth himself through the lattice.

10My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

12The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

13The fig tree ripeneth her green figs, and the vines are in blossom, they give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

14O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the steep place, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice: for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.

16My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth his flock among the lilies.

17Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.