Song of Solomon 3

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

On my couch during the nights 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.

Oh, I must rise now, and go about in the city in the streets, and in the open places; 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?”

Then found me the watchmen that walked about the city. “Have ye seen 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.

Scarcely had I passed away from them, when I found him whom my soul loveth: I laid fast hold of him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that had born 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, ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor excite my love, till it please [to come of itself].—

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 from the wilderness, like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spicy powders of the merchant?

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

Behold, it is the bed, which is Solomon's, sixty valiant men are round about it, of the valiant ones 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.

All of them are girded with the sword, are expert in war; every one hath his sword upon his thigh, because of the terror in the nights.

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

A palanquin did king Solomon make for himself out 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.

The pillars thereof he made of silver, its coverlid of gold, its seat of purple: its inner part is arranged lovely, by 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, and look, O ye daughters of Zion, on king Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him on the day of his espousals, and on the day of the joy in his heart.