Song 2 | ABEn | STEP | I am a flower of the plain; a lily of the valleys.

‏ Song of Solomon 2

CHAPTER 2 The Beloved Man

1 I am a flower of the plain; a lily of the valleys. 2 As a lily in the midst of thorn-bushes, thus is my dear one in the midst of the daughters. 3 As an apple among the trees of the groves, so is my beloved man in the midst of the sons. To be in his shadow I desired, and I sat down, and his fruit was sweet in my throat. 4 Bring me into the house of wine! Order for me love! 5 Support me with perfumes! Pile me with apples, for [²being pierced ³of love ¹I am]. 6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand will embrace me. 7 I bound you by an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the strengths of the field, if you should arise and awaken love until of which time it should want. 8 The voice of my beloved man. Behold, thus he comes springing up over the mountains, leaping over the hills. 9 [²is likened ¹My beloved man] to the doe or a fawn of the hinds. Behold, he stands behind our wall, leaning over through the windows, looking out through the lattice. 10 [²responds ¹My beloved man], and he says to me, Rise up, come my dear one, my fair one, my dove! 11 For behold, the winter went by, the rain went forth; it went to itself. 12 The flowers appeared in the land; the time of pruning arrived; the voice of the turtle-dove was heard in our land; 13 the fig-tree brought forth its immature figs; the grapevines blossom, they gave a scent. Rise up, come my dear one, my fair one, my dove, yes come! 14 You are my dove in the protection of the rock, being next to the area around the wall. Show to me your appearance, and cause me to hear your voice! for your voice is agreeable, and your appearance is beautiful. 15 Lay hold for us [²foxes ¹the small], that are obliterating the vineyards; for our grapevines blossom. 16 My beloved man is to me, and I to him. He is the one tending among the lilies, 17 until of which time [³should refresh ¹the ²day], and [³should move ¹the ²shadows] -- return! You be like, O my beloved man, to the buck or fawn of the hinds [²upon ³the mountains ¹encircling]!