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 couch during the nights I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

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.

Oh, I must rise now, and go about in the city in the streets, and in the open places; I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

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

Then found me the watchmen that walked about the city. “Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth?”

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.

Scarcely had I passed away from them, when I found him whom my soul loveth: I laid fast hold of him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that had born 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.

I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor excite my love, till it please [to come of itself].—

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 that cometh up from the wilderness, like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spicy powders 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 the bed, which is Solomon's, sixty valiant men are round about it, of the valiant ones 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 of them are girded with the sword, are expert in war; every one hath his sword upon his thigh, because of the terror in the nights.

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

A palanquin did king Solomon make for himself out of the wood 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.

The pillars thereof he made of silver, its coverlid of gold, its seat of purple: its inner part is arranged lovely, 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.

Go forth, and look, O ye daughters of Zion, on king Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him on the day of his espousals, and on the day of the joy in his heart.