Højsangen 3

1 På mit Leje om Natten søgte Ham, som min Sjæl har kær, jeg søgte, men fandt ham ikke.

[SHE] Upon my couch, in the night-time, sought I the beloved of my soul, —I sought him, but found him not.

2 "Så står jeg op og går om i Byen, om På dens Gader og Torve og søger ham, som min Sjæl har kær. "Jeg søgte, men fandt ham ikke.

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.

3 Vægterne, som færdes i Byen, traf mig: "Så I mon ham, som min Sjæl har kær?"

The watchmen that go round in the city, found me, The beloved of my soul, have ye seen?

4 Knap var jeg kommet forbi dem, så fandt jeg ham, som min Sjæl har kær; jeg greb ham og slap ham ikke, før jeg fik ham ind i min Moders Hus, i hendes Kammer, som fødte mig.

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.

5 Jeg besværger eder, Jerusalems Døtre, ved Gazeller og Markens Hjorte: Gør ikke Kærligheden Uro, væk den ikke, før den ønsker det selv!

[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.

6 Hvad er det, som kommer fra Ørkenen i Støtter af Røg, omduftet af Myrra og Røgelse, alskens Vellugt?

[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?

7 Se, det er Salomos Bærestol, omgivet af tresindstyve Helte, Israels Helte,

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

8 alle med Sværd i Hånd, oplærte til Krig, hver med sit Sværd ved Lænd mod Nattens Rædsler.

All of them, grasping the sword, trained for war, —every man, with his sword upon his thigh, because of dread, in the night-time.

9 Kong Salomo laved sig en Bærekarm af Træ fra Libanon,

A palanquin, King Solomon made himself, of the trees of Lebanon:

10 gjorde dens Støtter af Sølv, dens Arme af Guld; i Midten er Ibenholt indlagt, Sædet er Purpur.

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.

11 Jerusalems Døtre, gå ud og se på Kong Salomo, på Kronen, hans Moder kroned ham med på hans Brudefærds Dag, hans Hjertens Glædes Dag!

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.