Song of Songs 3

1 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.

One night when I was lying in bed, I longed for the one I love. I longed for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

2 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.

So I said to myself, “I will get up now and go through the city, looking in its streets and squares for the one I love.” I looked for him but I didn't find him.

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

The watchmen found me as they went through the city. “Have you seen the one I love?” I asked them.

4 [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.

Only a little farther on after I'd passed them I found my love! I held him close and would not let him go until I'd brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.

5 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.

Women of Jerusalem, swear to me by the gazelles or the wild deer that you won't disturb our love until the right time.

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

Who is this coming in from the wilderness like a plume of smoke, like a burning sacrifice scented with myrrh and frankincense, with all kinds of imported perfumed powders?

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

Look, it's Solomon's sedan chair, accompanied by sixty of Israel's best warriors.

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

All of them are expert swordsmen who have battle experience. They each carry a sword strapped to the thigh, ready for any night-time attacks.

9 King Solomon made himself a litter of woods of Lebanon.

(Solomon's sedan chair was made for him with wood from Lebanon.

10 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.

Its posts were covered in silver, and the back was covered in gold. The seat cushion was purple. The interior was lovingly decorated.) Women of Jerusalem,

11 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.

come out! Look, women of Zion! See King Solomon wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head on his wedding day, his happiest day.