Song of Solomon 3

1 [SHE] Upon my couch, in the night-time, sought I the beloved of my soul, —I sought him, but 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 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.

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

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

4 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.

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 [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.

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 [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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 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.

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 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.

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!