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¶ By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but I did not find him.

I will rise now and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but I did not find him.

The watchmen that go about the city found me, to whom I said, Have ye seen him whom my soul loves?

It was but a little that I passed from 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 and into the chamber of her that brought me into the light.

I charge you, O ye virgins of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the field, that ye not awake nor stir up love, until he pleases.

¶ Who is she that rises out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense and with all the aromatic powders?

¶ Behold it is the bed of Solomon; sixty valiant men are about it of the valiant of Israel.

They all hold swords, being expert in war; each one has his sword upon his thigh because of the fears of the night.

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

10 He made its pillars of silver, the bottom of it of gold, the covering of it of purple, its interior being paved with love, for the virgins of Jerusalem.

11 Go forth, O ye virgins of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

A Troubled Night

The Shulamite

By (A)night on my bed I sought the one I love;
I sought him, but I did not find him.
“I will rise now,” I said,
“And go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I will seek the one I love.”
I sought him, but I did not find him.
(B)The watchmen who go about the city found me;
I said,
“Have you seen the one I love?”

Scarcely had I passed by them,
When I found the one I love.
I held him and would not let him go,
Until I had brought him to the (C)house of my mother,
And into the [a]chamber of her who conceived me.

(D)I [b]charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the does of the field,
Do not stir up nor awaken love
Until it pleases.

The Coming of Solomon

The Shulamite

(E)Who is this coming out of the wilderness
Like pillars of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all the merchant’s fragrant powders?
Behold, it is Solomon’s couch,
With sixty valiant men around it,
Of the valiant of Israel.
They all hold swords,
Being expert in war.
Every man has his sword on his thigh
Because of fear in the night.

Of the wood of Lebanon
Solomon the King
Made himself a [c]palanquin:
10 He made its pillars of silver,
Its support of gold,
Its seat of purple,
Its interior paved with love
By the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go forth, O daughters of Zion,
And see King Solomon with the crown
With which his mother crowned him
On the day of his wedding,
The day of the gladness of his heart.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 3:4 room
  2. Song of Solomon 3:5 adjure
  3. Song of Solomon 3:9 A portable enclosed chair

The Bride's Dream

On my bed (A)by night
I sought (B)him whom my soul loves;
    (C)I sought him, but found him not.
I will rise now and go about the city,
    in (D)the streets and in the squares;
I will seek (E)him whom my soul loves.
    I sought him, but found him not.
(F)The watchmen found me
    as they went about in the city.
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
Scarcely had I passed them
    when I found (G)him whom my soul loves.
I (H)held him, and would not let him go
    until I had (I)brought him into my mother's house,
    and into the chamber of (J)her who conceived me.
(K)I adjure you, (L)O daughters of Jerusalem,
    (M)by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

Solomon Arrives for the Wedding

(N)What is that coming up from the wilderness
    like (O)columns of smoke,
perfumed with (P)myrrh and frankincense,
    with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?
Behold, it is the litter[a] of Solomon!
Around it are (Q)sixty (R)mighty men,
    some of the mighty men of Israel,
all of them wearing swords
    and expert in war,
each with his (S)sword at his thigh,
    against (T)terror by night.
King Solomon made himself a carriage[b]
    from the wood of Lebanon.
10 He made its posts of silver,
    its back of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior was inlaid with love
    by (U)the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go out, O (V)daughters of Zion,
    and look upon King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother crowned him
    on (W)the day of his wedding,
    on the day of the gladness of his heart.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 3:7 That is, the couch on which servants carry a king
  2. Song of Solomon 3:9 Or sedan chair