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

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.

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

It was but a little that I passed from them, but 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.

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

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

10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

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

Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.

Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.

Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

All night long on my bed
    I looked(A) for the one my heart loves;
    I looked for him but did not find him.
I will get up now and go about the city,
    through its streets and squares;
I will search for the one my heart loves.
    So I looked for him but did not find him.
The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.(B)
    “Have you seen the one my heart loves?”
Scarcely had I passed them
    when I found the one my heart loves.
I held him and would not let him go
    till I had brought him to my mother’s house,(C)
    to the room of the one who conceived me.(D)
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(E)
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(F)

Who is this coming up from the wilderness(G)
    like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh(H) and incense
    made from all the spices(I) of the merchant?
Look! It is Solomon’s carriage,
    escorted by sixty warriors,(J)
    the noblest of Israel,
all of them wearing the sword,
    all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
    prepared for the terrors of the night.(K)
King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
    he made it of wood from Lebanon.
10 Its posts he made of silver,
    its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
    its interior inlaid with love.
Daughters of Jerusalem, 11 come out,
    and look, you daughters of Zion.(L)
Look[a] on King Solomon wearing a crown,
    the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
    the day his heart rejoiced.(M)

He

How beautiful you are, my darling!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes behind your veil(N) are doves.(O)
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from the hills of Gilead.(P)
Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
    not one of them is alone.(Q)
Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
    your mouth(R) is lovely.(S)
Your temples behind your veil
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.(T)
Your neck is like the tower(U) of David,
    built with courses of stone[b];
on it hang a thousand shields,(V)
    all of them shields of warriors.
Your breasts(W) are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle(X)
    that browse among the lilies.(Y)
Until the day breaks
    and the shadows flee,(Z)
I will go to the mountain of myrrh(AA)
    and to the hill of incense.
You are altogether beautiful,(AB) my darling;
    there is no flaw(AC) in you.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,(AD)
    come with me from Lebanon.
Descend from the crest of Amana,
    from the top of Senir,(AE) the summit of Hermon,(AF)
from the lions’ dens
    and the mountain haunts of leopards.
You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;(AG)
    you have stolen my heart
with one glance of your eyes,
    with one jewel of your necklace.(AH)
10 How delightful(AI) is your love(AJ), my sister, my bride!
    How much more pleasing is your love than wine,(AK)
and the fragrance of your perfume(AL)
    more than any spice!
11 Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride;
    milk and honey are under your tongue.(AM)
The fragrance of your garments
    is like the fragrance of Lebanon.(AN)
12 You are a garden(AO) locked up, my sister, my bride;(AP)
    you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.(AQ)
13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates(AR)
    with choice fruits,
    with henna(AS) and nard,
14     nard and saffron,
    calamus and cinnamon,(AT)
    with every kind of incense tree,
    with myrrh(AU) and aloes(AV)
    and all the finest spices.(AW)
15 You are[c] a garden(AX) fountain,(AY)
    a well of flowing water
    streaming down from Lebanon.

She

16 Awake, north wind,
    and come, south wind!
Blow on my garden,(AZ)
    that its fragrance(BA) may spread everywhere.
Let my beloved(BB) come into his garden
    and taste its choice fruits.(BC)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 3:11 Or interior lovingly inlaid / by the daughters of Jerusalem. / 11 Come out, you daughters of Zion, / and look
  2. Song of Songs 4:4 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  3. Song of Songs 4:15 Or I am (spoken by She)