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 loves: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he listened not to me.
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 in the city, in the marketplaces, and in the streets, and I will seek him whom my soul loves: 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 who go their rounds in the city found me. [I said], Have you seen him whom my soul loves?
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.
[It was] as a little [while] after I parted from them, that I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and did not let him go, until I 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 have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that you rouse not nor awake [my] love, until he 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 comes up from the wilderness as pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the perfumer?
7 Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage, escorted by sixty of the mightiest men of Israel.
Behold Solomon's bed; sixty mighty men of the mighty ones of Israel are round about it.
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 hold a sword, being expert in war: every man [has] his sword upon his thigh because of fear by night.
9 King Solomon has made his carriage out of the timber of Lebanon.
King Solomon made himself a litter of woods 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 of it silver, the bottom of it gold, the covering of it scarlet, in the midst of it a pavement of love, for 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, you daughters of Sion, and behold king Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him, in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
