Cantiques 3

1 J'ai cherché durant les nuits sur mon lit celui qu'aime mon âme; je l'ai cherché, mais je ne l'ai point trouvé.

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

2 Je me lèverai maintenant, et je ferai le tour de la ville, des carrefours et des places, et je chercherai celui qu'aime mon âme. Je l'ai cherché, mais je ne l'ai point trouvé.

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.

3 Le guet, qui faisait la ronde par la ville, m'a trouvée. N'avez-vous point vu, [leur ai-je dit], celui qu'aime mon âme?

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

4 A peine les avais-je passés, que je trouvai celui qu'aime mon âme; je le pris, et je ne le lâcherai point que je ne l'aie amené à la maison de ma mère, et dans la chambre de celle qui m'a conçue.

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.

5 Filles de Jérusalem, je vous adjure par les chevreuils et par les biches des champs, que vous ne réveilliez point celle que j'aime, que vous ne la réveilliez point, jusqu'à ce qu'elle le veuille.

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.

6 Qui est celle-ci qui monte du désert, comme des colonnes de fumée en forme de palmiers, parfumée de myrrhe et d'encens, et de toute sorte de poudre de parfumeur?

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?

7 Voici le lit de Salomon, autour duquel il y a soixante vaillants hommes, des plus vaillants d'Israël;

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

8 tous maniant l'épée, et très-bien dressés à la guerre, ayant chacun son épée sur sa cuisse à cause des frayeurs de la nuit.

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.

9 Le Roi Salomon s'est fait un lit de bois du Liban.

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

10 Il a fait ses piliers d'argent et l'intérieur d'or, son ciel d'écarlate, et au milieu il a placé celle qu'il aime entre les filles de Jérusalem.

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.

11 Sortez, filles de Sion, et regardez le Roi Salomon, avec la couronne dont sa mère l'a couronné au jour de ses épousailles, et au jour de la joie de son cœur.

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.