Shir Hashirim 2

1. I am the rose of Sharon, and the shoshan (lily) of the valleys.

2. As the shoshan (lily) among thorns, so is my love among the banot.

3. As the tapuach (apple tree) among the trees of the wood, so is dodi (my beloved) among the banim. Betzilloh (in his shade, shadow) chimmadti (I desire [see Shir HaShirim 5:16]), and his p’ri (fruit) is sweet to my taste.

4. He brought me to the Bais HaYayin, and his degel (standard, banner, flag) over me is ahavah.

5. Sustain me with cakes of raisins, comfort me with apples: ki cholat ahavah ani (for I am faint with ahavah, lovesick).

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

7. I charge you, O ye banot Yerushalayim, by the gazelles, and by the deer of the sadeh, that ye arouse nor awake HaAhavah till it pleases [i.e., until its own time—see 3:5; 8:4].

8. Kol dodi (the voice of my beloved)! Hinei, he cometh leaping upon the harim, bounding over the hills.

9. Dodi (my beloved) is like a gazelle or a young deer; hinei, he standeth behind our Kotel (Wall); he looketh forth at the chalonot (windows), peering through the lattices [Rev 3:20].

10. Dodi (my beloved) spoke, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11. For, hinei, the winter is past, the geshem (rain) is over and gone;

12. The flowers appear on ha’aretz; the time of zemer (song, singing of birds) has come; and the voice of the turtledove is heard in Artzeinu (our Land);

13. The te’enah (fig tree) putteth forth her early figs, and the vines with the tender grape give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

14. O my yonah (dove), that art in the clefts of the rock, in the seter (secret place) of the cliff, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is lovely.

15. Catch the shu’alim (foxes), the shu’alim ketanim (little foxes), that spoil the kramim (vines); for krameinu (our [blooming] vines) have tender grapes.

16. Dodi (my beloved) is mine, and I am his; he feedeth among the lilies.

17. Until HaYom (the day) break, and the shadows flee away, turn, dodi (my beloved), and be thou like a gazelle or a young deer upon the hills of Beter.