Young's Literal Translation YLT
New International Version NIV
1 As a lily among the thorns,
1
I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
2 So [is] my friend among the daughters!
2
Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women.
3 As a citron among trees of the forest, So [is] my beloved among the sons, In his shade I delighted, and sat down, And his fruit [is] sweet to my palate.
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 hath brought me in unto a house of wine, And his banner over me [is] love,
4
Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.
5 Sustain me with grape-cakes, Support me with citrons, for I [am] sick with love.
5
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 doth embrace me.
6
His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.
7 I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the hinds of the field, Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!
7
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 beloved! lo, this -- he is coming, Leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.
8
Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved [is] like to a roe, Or to a young one of the harts. Lo, this -- he is standing behind our wall, Looking from the windows, Blooming from the lattice.
9
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 beloved hath answered and said to me, `Rise up, my friend, my fair one, and come away,
10
My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.
11 For lo, the winter hath passed by, The rain hath passed away -- it hath gone.
11
See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.
12 The flowers have appeared in the earth, The time of the singing hath come, And the voice of the turtle was heard in our land,
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 hath ripened her green figs, And the sweet-smelling vines have given forth fragrance, Rise, come, my friend, my fair one, yea, come away.
13
The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
14 My dove, in clefts of the rock, In a secret place of the ascent, Cause me to see thine appearance, Cause me to hear thy voice, For thy voice [is] sweet, and thy appearance comely.
14
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 Seize ye for us foxes, Little foxes -- destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.
15
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.
16 My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his, Who is delighting among the lilies,
16
My beloved is mine and I am his; he browses among the lilies.
17 Till the day doth break forth, And the shadows have fled away, Turn, be like, my beloved, To a roe, or to a young one of the harts, On the mountains of separation!
17
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.
Young's Literal Translation 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.