< Song of Solomon 3 >
1 On my couch during the nights I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.
2 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.
I will get up now, and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.
3 Then found me the watchmen that walked about the city. “Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth?”
The watchmen who go about the city found me; "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"
4 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.
I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, into the chamber of her who conceived me.
5 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].—
I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, or by the does of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
6 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?
Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?
7 Behold, it is the bed, which is Solomon's, sixty valiant men are round about it, of the valiant ones of Israel.
Look, it is Solomon's carriage. Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.
8 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.
They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.
9 A palanquin did king Solomon make for himself out of the wood of Lebanon.
King Solomon made himself a carriage of the wood of Lebanon.
10 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.
He made its pillars of silver, its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, its midst being paved with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 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.
Go forth, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon, with the crown with which his mother has crowned him, in the day of his weddings, in the day of the gladness of his heart.