Daily Bread

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
    for your love^(B) is more delightful than wine.^(C)
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;^(D)
    your name^(E) is like perfume poured out.
    No wonder the young women^(F) love you!
⁴ Take me away with you—let us hurry!
    Let the king bring me into his chambers.^(G)

We rejoice and delight^(H) in you^[b];
    we will praise your love^(I) more than wine.

How right they are to adore you!

⁸ If you do not know, most beautiful of women,^(P)
    follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
    by the tents of the shepherds.

⁹ I liken you, my darling, to a mare
    among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.^(Q)
10 Your cheeks^(R) are beautiful with earrings,
    your neck with strings of jewels.^(S)
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
    studded with silver.

¹² While the king was at his table,
    my perfume spread its fragrance.^(T)
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh^(U)
    resting between my breasts.
¹⁴ My beloved^(V) is to me a cluster of henna^(W) blossoms
    from the vineyards of En Gedi.^(X)

¹⁵ How beautiful^(Y) you are, my darling!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes are doves.^(Z)

¹⁶ How handsome you are, my beloved!^(AA)
    Oh, how charming!
    And our bed is verdant.

¹⁷ The beams of our house are cedars;^(AB)
    our rafters are firs.

2 I am a rose^[e](AC) of Sharon,^(AD)
    a lily^(AE) of the valleys.

² Like a lily among thorns
    is my darling among the young women.

³ Like an apple^[f] tree among the trees of the forest
    is my beloved^(AF) among the young men.
I delight^(AG) to sit in his shade,
    and his fruit is sweet to my taste.^(AH)
4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall,^(AI)
    and let his banner^(AJ) over me be love.
⁵ Strengthen me with raisins,
    refresh me with apples,^(AK)
    for I am faint with love.^(AL)
6 His left arm is under my head,
    and his right arm embraces me.^(AM)
7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you^(AN)
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.^(AO)