Song of Solomon 3

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

On my bed by night, I sought him whom my soul has loved; I sought him, and I did not find him!

2 '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.

Now let me rise, and go around the city, In the streets and in the broad places, I seek him whom my soul has loved! I sought him, and I did not find him.

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

The watchmen have found me (Who are going around the city), “Have you seen him whom my soul has loved?”

4 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.

But I passed on a little from them, Until I found him whom my soul has loved! I seized him, and did not let him go, Until I brought him to the house of my mother—And the chamber of her that conceived me.

5 '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.'

I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor wake the love until she pleases!

6 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?

Who [is] this coming up from the wilderness, Like palm-trees of smoke, Perfumed [with] myrrh and frankincense, From every powder of the merchant?

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

Behold, his couch, that [is] of Solomon, Sixty mighty ones [are] around it, Of the mighty of Israel,

8 They all handle the sword, and are expert in war; every man hath his sword upon his thigh, because of dread in the night.

All of them holding sword, taught of battle, Each his sword by his thigh, for fear at night.

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

A palanquin King Solomon made for himself, Of the wood of Lebanon,

10 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.

Its pillars he made of silver, Its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, Its midst lined [with] love, By the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 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.

Go forth, and look, you daughters of Zion, On King Solomon, with the crown, With which his mother crowned him, In the day of his espousals, And in the day of the joy of his heart!