In honor of our recent Valentine’s Day, here are some lovely verses from the Song of Solomon, 2:1-13:

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2  As the lily among the thorns, so is my love
among the daughters.
3  As the apple tree among the trees of the wood,
so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under
his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was
sweet to my taste.
4  He brought me to the banqueting house, and
his banner over me was love.
5  Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples,
for I am sick of love.
6  His left hand is under my head and his right
hand doth embrace me.
7  I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,
by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that
ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
8  The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh
leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9  My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold,
he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at
the windows, showing himself through the lattice.
10  My beloved spake, and send unto me, Rise up
my love, my fair one, and come away.
11  For, lo, the winter is past, and the rain is over
and gone;
12  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of
the singing of birds is come, and the voice
of the turtle is heard in our land;
13  The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and
the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away….