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.

[[M.]] Upon my bed, in the night, I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but found him not.

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.

I will arise now [[said I]], and go about the city; In the streets and the broad ways will I seek him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but found him not.

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

The watchmen who go about the city found me; “Have you seen [[said I]] him whom my soul loveth?”

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.

I had but just passed them, When I found him whom my soul loveth; I held him, and would not let him go, Till I had brought him into my mother's house, Into the apartment of her that bore 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.

[[Lov.]] I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem! By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till she please.

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 that cometh up from the wilderness, Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all the powders of the merchant?

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

Behold, the carriage of Solomon! Threescore valiant men are around it, Of the valiant men 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.

They all wear swords, Being skilled in war. Every one hath his sword girt upon his thigh, On account of danger in the night.

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

King Solomon made for himself a carriage 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.

The pillars thereof he made of silver, The railing of gold, The seat of purple, Its interior curiously wrought by a lovely one of 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, O ye daughters of Zion! And behold King Solomon In the crown with which his mother crowned him, In the day of his espousals, In the day of the gladness of his heart.