Song of Songs 3
1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he hearkened not to me.
Bride: On my bed, throughout the night, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, and did not find him.
2 I will rise now, and go about in the city, in the market-places, and in the streets, and I will seek him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not.
I will rise up, and I will circle through the city. Through the side streets and thoroughfares, I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, and did not find him.
3 The watchmen who go their rounds in the city found me. [I said], Have ye seen him whom my soul loves?
The watchers who guard the city found me: “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
4 [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.
When I had passed by them a little, I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not release him, until I would bring him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who bore me.
5 I have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that ye rouse not nor awake [my] love, until he please.
Groom to Chorus: I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the does and the stags of the open field, not to disturb or awaken the beloved, until she wills.
6 Who is this that comes up from the wilderness as pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the perfumer?
Chorus to Groom: Who is she, who ascends through the desert, like a staff of smoke from the aromatics of myrrh, and frankincense, and every powder of the perfumer?
7 Behold Solomon's bed; sixty mighty men of the mighty ones of Israel are round about it.
Chorus to Bride: Lo, sixty strong ones, out of all the strongest in Israel, stand watch at the bed of Solomon,
8 They all hold a sword, being expert in war: every man [has] his sword upon his thigh because of fear by night.
all holding swords and well-trained in warfare, each one’s weapon upon his thigh, because of fears in the night.
9 King Solomon made himself a litter of woods of Lebanon.
Bride to Chorus: King Solomon made himself a portable throne from the wood of Lebanon.
10 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.
He made its columns of silver, the reclining place of gold, the ascent of purple; the middle he covered well, out of charity for the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go forth, ye 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.
O daughters of Zion, go forth and see king Solomon with the diadem with which his mother crowned him, on the day of his espousal, on the day of the rejoicing of his heart.
