The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
1 I am a rose of Sharon, a flower of the valleys.
1
I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
2 As the lily-flower among the thorns of the waste, so is my love among the daughters.
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Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women.
3 As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my loved one among the sons. I took my rest under his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
3
Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 He took me to the house of wine, and his flag over me was love.
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Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.
5 Make me strong with wine-cakes, let me be comforted with apples; I am overcome with love.
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Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand is round about me.
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His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.
7 I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes of the field, do not let love be moved till it is ready.
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Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
8 The voice of my loved one! See, he comes dancing on the mountains, stepping quickly on the hills.
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Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.
9 My loved one is like a roe; see, he is on the other side of our wall, he is looking in at the windows, letting himself be seen through the spaces.
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My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.
10 My loved one said to me, Get up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
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My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.
11 For, see, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
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See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.
12 The flowers are come on the earth; the time of cutting the vines is come, and the voice of the dove is sounding in our land;
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Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.
13 The fig-tree puts out her green fruit and the vines with their young fruit give a good smell. Get up from your bed, my beautiful one, and come away.
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The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
14 O my dove, you are in the holes of the mountain sides, in the cracks of the high hills; let me see your face, let your voice come to my ears; for sweet is your voice, and your face is fair.
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My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
15 Take for us the foxes, the little foxes, which do damage to the vines; our vines have young grapes.
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Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.
16 My loved one is mine, and I am his: he takes his food among the flowers.
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My beloved is mine and I am his; he browses among the lilies.
17 Till the evening comes, and the sky slowly becomes dark, come, my loved one, and be like a roe on the mountains of Bether.
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Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.