Song of Solomon 3

1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.

2 [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.

I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and squares. I will seek the one I love. So I sought him but did not find him.

3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city: “Have you seen the one I love?”

4 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.

I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me.

5 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.

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.

6 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?

Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?

7 Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; threescore mighty men are about it, of the mighty men of Israel.

Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage, escorted by sixty of the mightiest men of Israel.

8 They all handle the sword, [and] are expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night.

All are skilled with the sword, experienced in warfare. Each has his sword at his side prepared for the terror of the night.

9 King Solomon made himself a palanquin of the wood of Lebanon.

King Solomon has made his carriage out of the timber of Lebanon.

10 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.

He has made its posts of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple fabric. Its interior is inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 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.

Come out, O daughters of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, wearing the crown his mother bestowed on the day of his wedding— the day of his heart’s rejoicing.