Song of Solomon 3

1 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.

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

2 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.

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

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

4 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.

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

'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 out of the waste places like pillars of smoke, perfumed with sweet spices, with all the spices of the trader?

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

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

8 All of them armed with swords, trained in war; every man has his sword at his side, because of fear in 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 made himself a bed of the wood of Lebanon.

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

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

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 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.

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.