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Song of Solomon 2
Spring arrives as both season and feeling. The woman calls herself a rose of Sharon and lily of the valleys; he answers that she is a lily among thorns. The high point is his invitation, "Rise up, my love... and come away," as winter ends and turtledoves return. Look for the refrain that anchors the book: she charges the daughters of Jerusalem not to "stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires." It recurs almost verbatim later, a warning against forcing what should ripen on its own.
- 1
I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Lover
- 2
As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. Beloved
- 3
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, his fruit was sweet to my taste.
- 4
He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love.
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Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; for I am faint with love.
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His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me.
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I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
- 8
The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.
- 9
My beloved is like a roe or a young deer. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.
- 10
My beloved spoke, and said to me, “Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
- 11
For behold, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone.
- 12
The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
- 13
The fig tree ripens her green figs. The vines are in blossom. They give out their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.” Lover
- 14
My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside, let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.
- 15
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom. Beloved
- 16
My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.
- 17
Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young deer on the mountains of Bether.
- 1
YO soy la rosa de Sarón, y el lirio de los valles.
- 2
Como el lirio entre las espinas, así es mi amiga entre las doncellas.
- 3
Como el manzano entre los árboles silvestres, así es mi amado entre los mancebos: bajo la sombra del deseado me senté, y su fruto fué dulce á mi paladar.
- 4
Llevóme á la cámara del vino, y su bandera sobre mí fué amor.
- 5
Sustentadme con frascos, corroboradme con manzanas; porque estoy enferma de amor.
- 6
Su izquierda esté debajo de mi cabeza, y su derecha me abrace.
- 7
Yo os conjuro, oh doncellas de Jerusalem, por las gamas y por las ciervas del campo, que no despertéis ni hagáis velar al amor, hasta que quiera.
- 8
¡La voz de mi amado! He aquí él viene saltando sobre los montes, brincando sobre los collados.
- 9
Mi amado es semejante al gamo, ó al cabrito de los ciervos. Helo aquí, está tras nuestra pared, mirando por las ventanas, mostrándose por las rejas.
- 10
Mi amado habló, y me dijo: Levántate, oh amiga mía, hermosa mía, y vente.
- 11
Porque he aquí ha pasado el invierno, hase mudado, la lluvia se fué;
- 12
Hanse mostrado las flores en la tierra, el tiempo de la canción es venido, y en nuestro país se ha oído la voz de la tórtola;
- 13
La higuera ha echado sus higos, y las vides en cierne dieron olor: levántate, oh amiga mía, hermosa mía, y vente.
- 14
Paloma mía, que estás en los agujeros de la peña, en lo escondido de escarpados parajes, muéstrame tu rostro, hazme oir tu voz; porque dulce es la voz tuya, y hermoso tu aspecto.
- 15
Cazadnos las zorras, las zorras pequeñas, que echan á perder las viñas; pues que nuestras viñas están en cierne.
- 16
Mi amado es mío, y yo suya; él apacienta entre lirios.
- 17
Hasta que apunte el día, y huyan las sombras, tórnate, amado mío; sé semejante al gamo, ó al cabrito de los ciervos, sobre los montes de Bether.
The lover at the window
Midway, the perspective tightens to a single vivid image: he comes "leaping on the mountains," then suddenly stands behind the wall, peering through the lattice. Distance collapses into a near, almost playful watching.
The odd little verse about catching "the little foxes that plunder the vineyards" sits right here, a hint that even in blossom-time the relationship needs guarding from small spoilers.
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