She

Like an apple[a] tree among the trees of the forest
    is my beloved(A) among the young men.
I delight(B) to sit in his shade,
    and his fruit is sweet to my taste.(C)
Let him lead me to the banquet hall,(D)
    and let his banner(E) over me be love.
Strengthen me with raisins,
    refresh me with apples,(F)
    for I am faint with love.(G)
His left arm is under my head,
    and his right arm embraces me.(H)
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(I)
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(J)

Listen! My beloved!
    Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.(K)
My beloved is like a gazelle(L) or a young stag.(M)
    Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;(N)
    the blossoming(O) vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
    my beautiful one, come with me.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 2:3 Or possibly apricot; here and elsewhere in Song of Songs

As 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.

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

Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

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

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

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

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

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

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

12 The 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;

13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Read full chapter