<t /><p class="sosspeaker"><b><i>The Lover to His Beloved:i>b>p> <p class="poetry">My darling, you are as beautiful as Tirzah,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">as lovely as Jerusalem,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">as awe-inspiring<n id="3" /> as bannered armies!p>

<t /><p class="sosspeaker"><b><i>The Beloved to the Maidens:i>b>p> <p class="poetry">I am dark but lovely, O maidens<n id="1" /> of Jerusalem,p> <p class="poetry">dark<n id="2" /> like the tents of Qedar,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">lovely<n id="4" /> like the tent curtains<n id="5" /> of Salmah.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">Its posts were made<n id="1" /> of silver;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">its back<n id="3" /> was made of gold.p> <p class="poetry">Its seat was upholstered with purple wool;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">its interior was inlaid<n id="5" /> with leather<n id="6" /> by the maidens<n id="7" /> of Jerusalem.p>

<p class="poetry">His mouth is very sweet;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he is totally desirable.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">This is my beloved!p> <p class="poetry">This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!p>

<p class="sosspeaker"><b><i>The Beloved to the Maidens:i>b>p> <p class="poetry">I admonish you, O maidens<n id="1" /> of Jerusalem:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Do not<n id="2" /> arouse or awaken love until it pleases!&#8221;p>

<p class="sosspeaker"><b><i>The Beloved to the Maidens:i>b>p> <p class="poetry">I adjure you,<n id="1" /> O maidens of Jerusalem,p> <p class="poetry">by the gazelles and by the young does<n id="2" /> of the open fields:<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not awaken or arouse<n id="4" /> love<n id="5" /> until it pleases!<n id="6" />p>

<t /><p class="sosspeaker"><b><i>The Beloved to the Maidens:i>b>p><n id="1" /><p class="poetry">I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem,p> <p class="poetry">by the gazelles and by the young does of the open fields:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Do not awake or arouse love until it pleases!&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="sosspeaker"><b><i>The Beloved to the Maidens:i>b>p> <p class="poetry">O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">If you find my beloved, what will you tell him?p> <p class="poetry">Tell him that I am lovesick!<n id="1" />p>