< Song of Solomon 3 >
1 On my couch by night, I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him, and I found him not!
By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
2 — Pray, let me rise, and go round the city, In the streets and in the broad places, I seek him whom my soul hath loved! — I sought him, and I found him not.
I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
3 The watchmen have found me, (Who are going round about the city), 'Him whom my soul have loved saw ye?'
The watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
4 But a little I passed on from them, Till I found him whom my soul hath loved! I seized him, and let him not go, Till I brought him in unto the house of my mother — And the chamber of her that conceived me.
[It was] but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
5 I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the hinds of the field, Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, till he please.
6 Who [is] this coming up from the wilderness, Like palm-trees of smoke, Perfumed [with] myrrh and frankincense, From every powder of the merchant?
Who [is] this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
7 Lo, his couch, that [is] Solomon's, Sixty mighty ones [are] around it, Of the mighty of Israel,
Behold his bed, which [is] Solomon’s; threescore valiant men [are] about it, of the valiant of Israel.
8 All of them holding sword, taught of battle, Each his sword by his thigh, for fear at night.
They all hold swords, [being] expert in war: every man [hath] his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
9 A palanquin king Solomon made for himself, Of the wood of Lebanon,
King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
10 Its pillars he made of silver, Its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, Its midst lined [with] love, By the daughters of Jerusalem.
He made the pillars thereof [of] silver, the bottom thereof [of] gold, the covering of it [of] purple, the midst thereof being paved [with] love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go forth, and look, ye 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!
Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.