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 loveth: I sought him, but I 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 said], 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 that go round in the city, found me, The beloved of my soul, have ye seen?

The watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye 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.

It was but a little that I passed from them, when 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 [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, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awaken love, until it 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 out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

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

Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; threescore mighty men are about 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 hath his sword upon 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 palanquin 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 the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the seat of it of purple, the midst thereof 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 forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.