SHE
2
1 I
am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
HE
2
Like a lily among thorns
is my darling among the maidens.
SHE
3
Like an apple tree
among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young
men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet
to my taste.
4
He has taken me to
the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.
5
Strengthen me with
raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
6
His left arm is under
my head, and his right arm embraces me.
7
Daughters of Jerusalem,
I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do
not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
8
Listen! My lover! Look!
Here he comes, leaping across the mountains,
bounding
over the hills.
9
My lover is like a
gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our
wall, gazing through the windows, peering through
the lattice.
10
My lover spoke and
said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and
come with me.
11
See! The winter is
past; the rains are over and gone.
12
Flowers appear on the
earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
13
The fig tree forms
its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise,
come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."
HE
14
My dove in the clefts
of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show
me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is
sweet, and your face is lovely.
15
Catch for us the foxes,
the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards
that are in bloom.
SHE
16
My lover is mine and
I am his; he browses among the lilies.
17
Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee, turn, my lover, and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag on the rugged hills.
|
(Still
looking at him she speaks to herself)
“Oh
dear, I'm but a common flower of the countryside, so ordinary.
(They
are still apart on opposite sides of the stage, simply speaking
their thoughts. He continues)
“She
stands out like a flower among thorns. She is exceptional,
she is wonderful, my darling one, standing out from all
the other girls I know.
(They
remain apart, revealing their thoughts from afar. She speaks)
He
so stands out from the rest, like an apple tree in a forest
glade, does he stand out. I see myself sitting beside him,
and his presence and his words are so sweet.
Out
here in the countryside, it's like he's brought me into
his banqueting hall and between the trees is hung a banner
declaring his love for me. Oh, I feel weak at the thought
of it. Oh feed me, refresh me, I am in need!
I
imagine that here on the soft grass as we sit together,
and I lie back, so he puts an arm under my head for me to
rest upon, and his other arm comes around me in an embrace.
Oh,
don't be silly, don't rush love until it is ready, don't
spoil anything with haste!
(The
background scene changes to a house in the country, on a
hillside. She continues speaking)
“Listen,
I hear singing. It is him! Look, I see him bounding down
the hill side – he's like a young stag, so strong, so sure,
and yet so gentle.
Look,
he comes to the house and peers in, he is looking for me!
(The
backdrop changes to outside the house as she goes on)
He
called me to rise and go out with him. Look, he says, the
winter is passed and the beauty of Spring is here. It's
too good to stay indoors. Come out my love, come with me.
(‘Outside'
he speaks)
“I
came to find her. Her gentle timidity that reminds me of
that of the dove, makes me think of her in her home on the
hillside, as a dove hidden away in the hillside rocks. Oh
my love, come out, show me your face, let me hear your voice,
let me enjoy your beauty and your gentleness.
Nothing
must be allowed to spoil you my love. In the vineyards come
the foxes that dig holes and ruin the plants, they spoil
the beauty there. Your beauty must not be spoiled by anything.
You must be cherished.
(She
responds)
“He
is mine! I am his! Oh the wonder of it. It's as if he's
browsed among all the other girls that could have been his,
but he has chosen me!
Oh
my love, while we have the time to be together, stay and
be strong but gentle with me.
(The
lights dim, the background fades) |