1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
The Rose of Sharon symbolizes Beauty, while the Lily of the Valleys symbolizes the Second Coming of the Messiah. The soul, in a spiritually enlightened person, is both.
2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
The thorns represent ideas that are not conductive to Spiritual Enlightenment. By maintaining Love, we transcend such ideas. This Transcendence is the Second Coming of the Messiah, symbolized by the lily.
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.
The apple tree symbolizes knowledge, whereas the other trees symbolize ignorance. Spirit is Enlightenment: Knowledge of Divine Mind.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Love is the force that unites Soul and Spirit and nourishes them both.
5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
An Apple is featured both in the Fall of Man and with Yeshua holding it as a symbol of Redemption. It is, thus, ultimately a symbol of Spiritual Transformation. When done with Love,
the Transformation brings Comfort to the Soul.
6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
The Left Hand is a symbol of Passivity, and the Right Hand of Activity. We must always be Receptive to Spirit, while also actively engaging in Spiritual Practices.
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.
The Daughters of Jerusalem are ideas in the soul that promote Peace. Roes are a symbol of Piety and Devotion. This is the nature of the ideas held by the soul at this stage. Spiritual Inspiration comes in its own time, as long as this state is calmly maintained.
8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
When the soul is filled with Peace, Spiritual Illumination bring Joy.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
The Roe or young hart symbolizes thoughts of Harmonious and Faithful Contemplation. These are qualities of the Spiritual Consciousness. Appearing through a Window behind a wall or shewing himself through the lattice means that Spirit can be seen, but not physically touched.
10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Spirit beckons the soul to unite with it, abandoning worldly ideas and sorrow.
11 For, lo, the winter is past, 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.
The Winter and rain both symbolize darkness in the soul. As the darkness departs, the soul becomes more empowered or "fertile", symbolized by the flowers and green figs. Grapes symbolize Divine Gifts. We are being told to "come away" rather than allow ourselves to be distracted from our goal of
Spiritual Enlightenment or Union with God.
14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
The Dove is a symbol of Holy Spirit.
15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
Foxes symbolize sinful appetites and passions that spoil the Spiritual Gifts. These sinful appetites and passions must be transmuted, if we are to maintain our spiritual consciousness.
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
Spiritual Consciousness is the Second Coming of the Messiah.
17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
Bether, in Hebrew, means Division. Solomon being told to travel upon these mountains symbolizes transcending duality through Harmonious and Faithful Contemplation.