7
The man speaking to the woman
1 How beautiful your feet appear in your sandals, prince's daughter!
The curves of your thighs are like jewels,
the work of the hands of a master craftsman.
2 Your navel is like a round bowl;
may it never lack mixed wine.
Your belly is like a mound of wheat
encircled with lilies.
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like a tower of ivory;
your eyes are the pools in Heshbon
by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower in Lebanon
that looks toward Damascus.
5 Your head is on you like Carmel;
the hair on your head is dark purple.
The king is held captive by its tresses.
6 How beautiful and how lovely you are,
my love, with delights! *
7 Your height is like that of a date palm tree,
and your breasts like clusters of fruit.
8 I said, “I want to climb that palm tree;
I will take hold of its branches.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes,
and may the fragrance of your nose be like apricots.
9 May your palate be like the best wine,
flowing smoothly for my beloved,
gliding over the lips of those who sleep. †
The woman speaking to the man
10 I am my beloved's,
and he desires me.
11 Come, my beloved, let us go out into the countryside;
let us spend the night in the villages. ‡
12 Let us rise early to go to the vineyards;
let us see whether the vines have budded,
whether their blossoms have opened,
and whether the pomegranates are in flower.
There I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes give off their fragrance;
at the door where we are staying are all sorts of choice fruits, new and old,
that I have stored up for you, my beloved.
* 7:6 Some versions read are, loved one, with . † 7:9 Some versions read over my lips and teeth . ‡ 7:11 Some versions read night among the henna plants .