Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions' dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards. (Song of Songs 4:8)

An older translation offers "Come thee with me to Lebanon." I prefer this sense of the Lover inviting the Beloved to travel together to place far-away and exotic.

Together let us climb the summits. Together let us sleep with lions. Together let us walk among the leopards.

Love is not safe. To love and be loved is to be vulnerable. To love and be loved is to be challenged, to take risks, and to fully engage the world.

Above is from the Rothschild Canticles. In the upper half of the image, a naked woman dances before a unicorn. To the left, a woman, fully clothed and seated with a bucket by her side, gestures to her companion. In the lower register, a seated woman embraces the unicorn while a man stabs it with a spear. A mounted rider wearing a crown rides into the scene from the right. In seeking to capture the unicorn we too often destroy it. For a larger image click above.