Song of Solomon 3

1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

By night on my bed I was looking for him who is the love of my soul: I was looking for him, but I did not see him.

2 I said, I will rise now, and go around the city. In the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

I will get up now and go about the town, in the streets and in the wide ways I will go after him who is the love of my soul: I went after him, but I did not see him.

3 The watchmen who go about the city found me. I said, Did ye see him whom my soul loves?

The watchmen who go about the town came by me; to them I said, Have you seen him who is my heart's desire?

4 It was but a little that I passed from them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her who conceived me.

I was but a little way from them, when I came face to face with him who is the love of my soul. I took him by the hands, and did not let him go, till I had taken him into my mother's house, and into the room of her who gave me birth.

5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake love, until it please.

I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes of the field, let not love be moved till it is ready.

6 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

Who is this coming out of the waste places like pillars of smoke, perfumed with sweet spices, with all the spices of the trader?

7 Behold, it is the litter of Solomon. Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

See, it is the bed of Solomon; sixty men of war are about it, of the army of Israel,

8 They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night.

All of them armed with swords, trained in war; every man has his sword at his side, because of fear in the night.

9 King Solomon made himself a palanquin of the wood of Lebanon.

King Solomon made himself a bed of the wood of Lebanon.

10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the seat thereof of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.

He made its pillars of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple, the middle of it of ebony.

11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown with which his mother has crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

Go out, O daughters of Jerusalem, and see King Solomon, with the crown which his mother put on his head on the day when he was married, and on the day of the joy of his heart.