Song of Solomon 3

1 On my couch during the nights I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he listened not to me.

2 Oh, I must rise now, and go about in the city in the streets, and in the open places; I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

I will rise now, and go about in the city, in the marketplaces, and in the streets, and I will seek him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not.

3 Then found me the watchmen that walked about the city. “Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth?”

The watchmen who go their rounds in the city found me. [I said], Have you seen him whom my soul loves?

4 Scarcely had I passed away from them, when I found him whom my soul loveth: I laid fast hold of him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that had born me.

[It was] as a little [while] after I parted from them, that I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and did not let him go, until I brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

5 I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor excite my love, till it please [to come of itself].—

I have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that you rouse not nor awake [my] love, until he please.

6 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spicy powders of the merchant?

Who is this that comes up from the wilderness as pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the perfumer?

7 Behold, it is the bed, which is Solomon's, sixty valiant men are round about it, of the valiant ones of Israel.

Behold Solomon's bed; sixty mighty men of the mighty ones of Israel are round about it.

8 All of them are girded with the sword, are expert in war; every one hath his sword upon his thigh, because of the terror in the nights.

They all hold a sword, being expert in war: every man [has] his sword upon his thigh because of fear by night.

9 A palanquin did king Solomon make for himself out of the wood of Lebanon.

King Solomon made himself a litter of woods of Lebanon.

10 The pillars thereof he made of silver, its coverlid of gold, its seat of purple: its inner part is arranged lovely, by the daughters of Jerusalem.

He made the pillars of it silver, the bottom of it gold, the covering of it scarlet, in the midst of it a pavement of love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 Go forth, and look, O ye daughters of Zion, on king Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him on the day of his espousals, and on the day of the joy in his heart.

Go forth, you daughters of Sion, 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.