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By night on my bed,

    I sought him whom my soul loves.
    I sought him, but I didn’t find him.
I will get up now, and go about the city;
    in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves.
    I sought him, but I didn’t find him.
The watchmen who go about the city found me;
    “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
I had scarcely passed from them,
    when 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 room of her who conceived me.

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,
    by the roes, or by the hinds of the field,
    that you not stir up nor awaken love,
    until it so desires.

Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke,
    perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
    with all spices of the merchant?
Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage!
    Sixty mighty men are around it,
    of the mighty men of Israel.
They all handle the sword, and are expert in war.
    Every man has his sword on his thigh,
    because of fear in the night.

King Solomon made himself a carriage
    of the wood of Lebanon.
10 He made its pillars of silver,
    its bottom of gold, its seat of purple,
    the middle of it being paved with love,
    from the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go out, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon,
    with the crown with which his mother has crowned him,
    in the day of his weddings,
    in the day of the gladness of his heart.

The Bride’s Troubled Dream

“On my bed night after night I sought him
(A)Whom my soul loves;
I (B)sought him but did not find him.
[a]I must arise now and [b]go around in the city;
In the (C)streets and in the public squares
[c]I must seek him whom my soul loves.’
I sought him but did not find him.
(D)The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
(E)Hardly had I [d]left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;
I (F)held on to him and would not let him go
Until I had (G)brought him to my mother’s house,
And into the room of her who conceived me.”

The Groom

(H)Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem,
By the (I)gazelles or by the does of the field,
That you will not disturb or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

Solomon’s Wedding Day

The Bride

[e](J)What is this coming up from the wilderness
Like (K)columns of smoke,
Perfumed with (L)myrrh and (M)frankincense,
With all the scented powders of the merchant?

The Chorus

Behold, it is [f]the traveling couch of Solomon;
Sixty warriors around it,
Of the warriors of Israel.
All of them are wielders of the sword,
(N)Expert in war;
Each man has his (O)sword at his side,
Guarding against the [g](P)terrors of the night.
King Solomon has made for himself a [h]sedan chair
From the timber of Lebanon.
10 He made its posts of silver,
Its [i]back of gold
And its seat of purple fabric,
With its interior lovingly inlaid
By the (Q)daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go out, you (R)daughters of Zion,
And look at King Solomon with the [j]crown
With which his mother has crowned him
On the (S)day of his wedding,
And on the day of the joy of his heart.”

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 3:2 Or Let me arise
  2. Song of Solomon 3:2 Or Let me go about
  3. Song of Solomon 3:2 Or Let me seek
  4. Song of Solomon 3:4 Lit passed
  5. Song of Solomon 3:6 Lit Who
  6. Song of Solomon 3:7 I.e., an elegant couch designed to be carried with poles by servants
  7. Song of Solomon 3:8 Lit terror in the nights
  8. Song of Solomon 3:9 I.e., an elegant throne with poles, carried by servants
  9. Song of Solomon 3:10 Or support
  10. Song of Solomon 3:11 Or wreath