3 On my bed ^(A)by night
I sought ^(B)him whom my soul loves;
    ^(C)I sought him, but found him not.
² 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.
^3 (F)The watchmen found me
    as they went about in the city.
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
⁴ 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.

² I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is ^(A)knocking.
“Open to me, my ^(B)sister, my ^(C)love,
    my ^(D)dove, my ^(E)perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
    my ^(F)locks with the drops of the night.”
^3 (G)I had put off my garment;
    how could I put it on?
I had ^(H)bathed my feet;
    how could I soil them?
⁴ My beloved put his hand to the latch,
    and my heart was thrilled within me.
⁵ I arose to open to my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with ^(I)liquid myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
⁶ I opened to my beloved,
    but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he ^(J)spoke.
^(K)I sought him, but found him not;
    ^(L)I called him, but he gave no answer.