Song of Solomon 3

1 At night on my bed I was longing for him whom my soul loves; I looked for him, but I could not find him.

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

2 I said to myself, “I will get up and go through the city, through the streets and squares; I will search for him whom my soul loves.” I searched for him, but I did not find him.

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

3 The watchmen found me as they were making their rounds in the city. I asked them, “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

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

4 It was only a little while after I had passed them that 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 bedroom of the one who had conceived 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 want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and the does of the fields, that you will not awaken or arouse love until she pleases.

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

6 What is that coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the powders sold by merchants?

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 Look, it is the bed of Solomon; sixty warriors surround it, sixty soldiers of Israel.

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

8 All of them are skilled with a sword and are experienced in warfare. Every man has his sword at his side, armed against the terrors of the night.

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

9 King Solomon made himself a sedan chair of the wood from Lebanon.

King Solomon made himself a litter of woods of Lebanon.

10 Its posts were made of silver; the back was made of gold, and the seat of purple cloth. Its interior was decorated with love 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 out, daughters of Zion, and gaze on King Solomon, bearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, on the day of the joy of his heart.

Go forth, ye 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.