Song of Solomon 3
1 Bride: On my bed, throughout the night, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, and 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 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.
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 The watchers who guard the city found me: “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
Then found me the watchmen that walked about the city. “Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth?”
4 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.
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 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.
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 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?
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 Chorus to Bride: Lo, sixty strong ones, out of all the strongest in Israel, stand watch at the bed of Solomon,
Behold, it is the bed, which is Solomon's, sixty valiant men are round about it, of the valiant ones of Israel.
8 all holding swords and well-trained in warfare, each one’s weapon upon his thigh, because of fears in 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 Bride to Chorus: King Solomon made himself a portable throne from the wood of Lebanon.
A palanquin did king Solomon make for himself out of the wood of Lebanon.
10 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.
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 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.
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.
