Of Benjamin he said: “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders.”

“Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin.

That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.

(To Her Beloved)

Tell me, O you whom I love, Where you feed your flock, Where you make it rest at noon. For why should I be as one who veils herself By the flocks of your companions?

The Beloved

If you do not know, O fairest among women, Follow in the footsteps of the flock, And feed your little goats Beside the shepherds’ tents.

A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, That lies all night between my breasts.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms In the vineyards of En Gedi.

The Beloved

Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes.

The Shulamite

Behold, you are handsome, my beloved! Yes, pleasant! Also our bed is green.

The Beloved

Like a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.

The Shulamite

Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

The Beloved’s Request

The Shulamite

The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills.

My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice.

My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.

The Shulamite

My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies.

(To Her Beloved)

Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.

The Bridegroom Praises the Bride

The Beloved

Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, Going down from Mount Gilead.

The Shulamite

Awake, O north wind, And come, O south! Blow upon my garden, That its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden And eat its pleasant fruits.

The Bride Praises the Bridegroom

The Beloved

I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk.

(To His Friends)

Eat, O friends! Drink, yes, drink deeply, O beloved ones!

The Shulamite’s Troubled Evening

The Shulamite

I sleep, but my heart is awake; It is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, “Open for me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.”

My beloved put his hand By the latch of the door, And my heart yearned for him.

I arose to open for my beloved, And my hands dripped with myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the lock.

I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I am lovesick!

The Daughters of Jerusalem

What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us?

The Shulamite

My beloved is white and ruddy, Chief among ten thousand.

His mouth is most sweet, Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, And this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

I Am My Beloved’s

The Daughters of Jerusalem

Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, That we may seek him with you?

The Shulamite

My beloved has gone to his garden, To the beds of spices, To feed his flock in the gardens, And to gather lilies.

I am my beloved’s, And my beloved is mine. He feeds his flock among the lilies.

Praise of the Shulamite’s Beauty

The Beloved

O my love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, Lovely as Jerusalem, Awesome as an army with banners!

The Beloved and His Friends

Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon you!

The Shulamite

What would you see in the Shulamite— As it were, the dance of the two camps?

Expressions of Praise

The Beloved

How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, The work of the hands of a skillful workman.

And the roof of your mouth like the best wine.

The Shulamite

The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved, Moving gently the lips of sleepers.

I am my beloved’s, And his desire is toward me.

Come, my beloved, Let us go forth to the field; Let us lodge in the villages.

The mandrakes give off a fragrance, And at our gates are pleasant fruits, All manner, new and old, Which I have laid up for you, my beloved.

Love Renewed in Lebanon

A Relative

Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth.

The Shulamite to Her Beloved

Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.

The Beloved

You who dwell in the gardens, The companions listen for your voice— Let me hear it!

The Shulamite

Make haste, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag On the mountains of spices.

God’s Disappointing Vineyard

Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill.

“What has My beloved to do in My house, Having done lewd deeds with many? And the holy flesh has passed from you. When you do evil, then you rejoice.

“I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.

At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:

And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.

And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Israel Beloved of God

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the Lord. “Yet Jacob I have loved;