(970 B.C.?) The song of songs, Solomon's. The bride desires and describes the kiss of her love, better than wine, drawn to run together, later to be brought into his chambers. She describes herself with humility: black but comely, because of her duties in life. Her soul desires the presence of her love. She finds him by his flock. He expresses a comparison of her and his compassion for her. She responds in kind: he, a cluster of camphire. He then compliments her: fair with dove's eyes. She is euphoric in his presence in their surroundings, lying with him on the grass under the cedar and fir.

She expresses her humility -- a rose of Sharon. He replies: "a lily among thorns." She compares him to an apple tree, she in its shadow. She is brought to a banquet, honored with his banner of love. She swoons, upheld by the hand of his strength, caressed by the other. Love to awaken in its own strength without outside interference. She awakens; he comes to her as a roe. He calls for her to come away; winter has past, spring comes. She recognizes and requests the removal of the "little foxes" that would eat away at their mutual devotion. She declares her betrothal: she his, he hers. Her night temporal, their day everlasting.

She dreams upon her bed while she waits for him to come to her in the night. She searches for him in the city, encountered by the watchmen, discovering him shortly. She clings to him, bringing him to her mother's house. Love again awakens in its own strength. The people are awed and astonished at the regal arrival of the king's procession, his attendants, his carriage, and his nuptial crown.

The king's sevenfold description of his bride, his spouse (the veil now gone, seeing her face). He calls her from the desires of her past to the affection of her present and future with him, for she has ravished his heart with her love. To him she is a garden, enclosed, secured for him alone, with many treasures to be enjoyed, a fountain of gardens with living waters. She appeals to the gentle winds to blow upon her gardens that he, smelling her fragrances, come into his garden to partake of its fruits.

He comes, gathers, eats, and drinks at her banquet. The banquet is opened to his friends. She sleeps, but dreams again. He comes to her chamber in the night seeking admittance; she hesitates, he calls, she rises, he pleads, she opens, he is gone! She goes in search, again encountered by the watchmen, only to be smitten and humiliated. She is sick with his love. She seeks assistance from the daughters of Jerusalem; they want to know of him. She gives them his description; he is not only her husband, but her friend as well!

The virgins ask her of his haunts that they might help in her search. She suspects him to have gone to his gardens to feed and gather his lilies. She discovers him; he is glad, no rebuke, only overcome by her love, unchanged in his opinion of her, impressed in her hunt for him. He sees in her the grace and beauty of the dance of two companies.

He is overcome with her beauty from her feet to her head; how fair she is, how pleasant to him, now mature and fruit bearing, ready for nurturing. The springs now ready to flow forth from the garden. Her allegiance is declared to him, his desire to her. A fourfold joint mission of theirs, to see what she has laid up for him, her husband.

He is unrecognized in the country of their visit; she to be despised if she would kiss him in public, though her heart yearns for such, however, to take him into her mother's house to be taught by him. She is enamored by him; he upholds her with one hand, caressing her with the other. Love again awakens of its own strength. The countrymen express bewilderment upon her arrival in the company of the king, her love. She requests a seal of their hearts, bound in his arms, their love unto death. Her burn for him is unquenchable. She is concerned for her younger sister's destiny, in light of her own great fortune. He will see to her good fortune also, though she be a wall or door (shut or open to the world's advances upon her). She sees her own condition in relation to her sister. And though Solomon had a fine vineyard worth 1000 pieces of silver, she now is just as worthy with many attendants of value. He requests the sound of her voice, that all might hear it and come. She speaks, calling: even so come, come quickly, as a roe!