W

8The sound of my lover! here he comes*

springing across the mountains,

leaping across the hills.

9My lover is like a gazelle*

or a young stag.

See! He is standing behind our wall,

gazing through the windows,

peering through the lattices.

10My lover speaks and says to me,

M

“Arise, my friend, my beautiful one,

and come!

11For see, the winter is past,

the rains are over and gone.

12The flowers appear on the earth,

the time of pruning the vines has come,

and the song of the turtledove is heard in our land.

13The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.

Arise, my friend, my beautiful one,

and come!

14My dove in the clefts of the rock,*

in the secret recesses of the cliff,

Let me see your face,

let me hear your voice,

For your voice is sweet,

and your face is lovely.”

W

15Catch us the foxes,* the little foxes

that damage the vineyards; for our vineyards are in bloom!

16e My lover belongs to me and I to him;

he feeds among the lilies.

17f Until the day grows cool* and the shadows flee,

roam, my lover,

Like a gazelle or a young stag

upon the rugged mountains.