1 a lotus blossom from the valley pools.
2 that's my dear friend among the girls in the village.
3 my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love.
4 but his eyes feasted on me!
5 Apricots, raisins—anything. I'm about to faint with love!
6 and his right arm encircles my waist!
7 by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer: Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you're ready.
8 Do you see him coming? Vaulting the mountains, leaping the hills.
9 like a young stag, virile. Look at him there, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes—ready!
10 and he's speaking to me! Get up, my dear friend, fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
11 the winter rains are over, gone!
12 The whole world's a choir—and singing! Spring warblers are filling the forest with sweet arpeggios.
13 and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms. Oh, get up, dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
14 leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing and your face is ravishing.
15 foxes on the prowl, Foxes who would like nothing better than to get into our flowering garden.
16 Nightly he strolls in our garden, Delighting in the flowers
17 Turn to me, dear lover. Come like a gazelle. Leap like a wild stag on delectable mountains!
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