The bride

8 Listen, my dearest is coming,

leaping over the mountains,

≈jumping over the hills.

9 My dearest is being like a gazelle or a young stag.

Look, that one is standing behind our wall,

gazing through the windows—

≈looking through the lattices.

10 My dearest answered and said to me,

“Stand up, my darling, my beauty, and come,

11 because, look, the winter is over.

The rain has passed—

≈it went away.

12 Blossoms have appeared across the land.

The time of birds tweeting has arrived,

≈and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree ripens its green figs,

≈and the grapevines are in blossom.

They give off a scent.

Stand up, my beautiful darling and come.

14 My dove, in the holes in the rocks,

≈in the hiding places of the cliff,

Show me your appearance,

≈make me hear your voice,

because your voice is sweet, and you look lovely.

15 Catch the foxes for us—

the little foxes that destroy the vineyards,

and our vineyards are in blossom.