Song of Solomon 3

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

1All night long on my bed I looked for the one I love; I searched for him, but I did not find him.

2I 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.

2I said to myself, 'I will get up now and go around the city; in the streets and squares I will look for the one I love.' I searched for him, but I did not find him.

3The watchmen that go about the city found me; To whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

3The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. I asked them, 'Have you seen the one I love?'

4It 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.

4I had just left them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house, into the room of the woman who gave birth to me.

5I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, Until he please.

5Young women of Jerusalem, I want you to make a promise by the gazelles and the wild deer: Do not stir up or wake up love until it is ready.

6Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all powders of the merchant?

6Who is this coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, smelling of myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant?

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

7Look, it is Solomon’s carriage, surrounded by sixty warriors, the finest soldiers of Israel.

8They all handle the sword, andare expert in war: Every man hath his sword upon his thigh, Because of fear in the night.

8All of them are skilled with the sword and experienced in war; each one has a sword at his side, ready for any danger in the night.

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

9King Solomon made this carriage for himself out of wood from Lebanon.

10He 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.

10He made its posts out of silver, its base out of gold, and its seat out of purple cloth. The inside was lovingly decorated by the women of Jerusalem.

11Go 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.

11Come out, women of Zion, and look at King Solomon. He is wearing the crown his mother placed on his head on his wedding day, the day his heart was full of joy.