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.

By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t 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.

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 didn’t find him.

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 him whom my soul loves?”

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 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 room of her who 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 adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up nor awaken love, until it so desires.

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

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

Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage! Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty 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 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, King Solomon made himself, of the trees of Lebanon:

King Solomon made 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.

He made its pillars of silver, its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, the middle of it being paved with love, from 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 out, 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.