Song of Solomon 3

1 By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

[SHE] Upon my couch, in the night-time, sought I the beloved of my soul, —I sought him, but found him not.

2 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.

Come! I must arise, and go about in the city, In the paths and in the broadways, I must seek the beloved of my soul, —I sought him, but found him not.

3 The watchmen who go about the city found me; "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"

The watchmen that go round in the city, found me, The beloved of my soul, have ye seen?

4 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.

Scarcely had I passed from them, when I found the beloved of my soul, —I caught him, and would not let him go, until that I had brought him into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

5 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.

[HE] I adjure you ye, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, —That ye wake not, nor arouse, the dear love until she please.

6 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?

[THEY] Who is this, coming up out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke, —with perfume of myrrh, and frankincense, besides all the aromatic powder of the merchant?

7 Look, it is Solomon's carriage. Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

Lo! his couch,’tis Solomon’s own, Threescore heroes, around it, —of the heroes of Israel:

8 They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.

All of them, grasping the sword, trained for war, —every man, with his sword upon his thigh, because of dread, in the night-time.

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

A palanquin, King Solomon made himself, of the trees of Lebanon:

10 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.

The supports thereof, made he of silver, the couch thereof, of gold, the seat thereof, of purple, —the midst thereof, hath an inlay of love from the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 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.

Go forth and gaze, ye daughters of Zion, upon King Solomon, —wearing the crown, wherewith his mother, crowned him, in the day of his marriage, and in the day of his heart gladness.