Song of Solomon 3

1 On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but I found him not.

2 I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and squares. I will seek the one I love. So I sought him but did not find him.

'I will rise now, and go about the city, in the streets and in the broad ways, I will seek him whom my soul loveth.' I sought him, but I found him not.

3 I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city: “Have you seen the one I love?”

The watchmen that go about the city found me: 'Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?'

4 I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me.

Scarce had I passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loveth: 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 that conceived me.

5 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.

'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please.'

6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?

Who is this that cometh up out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

7 Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage, escorted by sixty of the mightiest men of Israel.

Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; threescore mighty men are about it, of the mighty men of Israel.

8 All are skilled with the sword, experienced in warfare. Each has his sword at his side prepared for the terror of the night.

They all handle the sword, and are expert in war; every man hath his sword upon his thigh, because of dread in the night.

9 King Solomon has made his carriage out of the timber of Lebanon.

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

10 He has made its posts of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple fabric. Its interior is inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.

He made the pillars thereof of silver, the top thereof of gold, the seat of it of purple, the inside thereof being inlaid with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 Come out, O daughters of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, wearing the crown his mother bestowed on the day of his wedding— the day of his heart’s rejoicing.

Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and gaze upon king Solomon, even upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.