1 I n the night I dreamed that I sought the one whom I love. I looked for him but could not find him.

لَيلَةً بَعدَ لَيلَةٍ، وَأنا عَلَى فِراشِي، اشتَقتُ إلَى حَبِيبِي. بَحَثتُ عَنهُ فَلَمْ أجِدهُ.

2 S o I decided to go out into the city, into the streets and broad ways, and seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I could not find him.

سَأقُومُ وَأطُوفُ فِي المَدِينَةِ، فِي شَوارِعِها وَمَيادِينِها. سَأبحَثُ عَن حَبِيبِ القَلبِ. بَحَثتُ عَنهُ، فَلَمْ أجِدْهُ.

3 T he watchmen who go about the city found me, to whom I said, Have you seen him whom my soul loves?

صادَفَنِي الحُرّاسُ فِي شَوارِعِ المَدِينَةِ. فَسَألتُهُمْ: «هَلْ رَأيتُمْ حَبِيبِي؟»

4 I had gone but a little way past 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, and into the chamber of her who conceived me.

وَما إنْ تَجاوَزْتُهُمْ حَتَّى وَجَدتُ حَبِيبِي. فَأمسَكتُ بِهِ، وَلَمْ أُفلِتْهُ مِنْ يَدِي، إلَى أنْ أحضَرتُهُ إلَى بَيتِ أُمِّي، وَإلَى غُرفَةِ والِدَتِي. هِيَ تَقُولُ للفَتَيات:

5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field that you stir not up nor awaken love until it pleases.

يا بَناتِ القُدْسِ، أستَحلِفُكُنَّ بِالغِزلانِ وَبِالأيائِلِ البَرِّيَّةِ، ألّا تُنَبِّهْنَ أوْ تُيقِظْنَ الحُبَّ، حَتَّى أسْتَعِدَّ لَهُ. فَتياتُ القُدس:

6 W ho or what is this that comes gliding out of the wilderness like stately pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh, frankincense, and all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

مَنْ هَذِهِ الخارِجَةُ مِنَ الصَّحراءِ تارِكَةً أعمِدَةَ دُخّانٍ وَراءَها، يَفُوحُ مِنها شَذَى المُرِّ وَالبَخُورِ، أكثَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ مَساحِيقِ التُّجّارِ؟

7 B ehold, it is the traveling litter (the bridal car) of Solomon. Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

ها هِيَ أرِيكَةُ سُلَيْمانَ. يُحِيطُ بِها سِتِّونَ مُحارِباً مِنْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ.

8 T hey all handle the sword and are expert in war; every man has his sword upon his thigh, that fear be not excited in the night.

كُلُّهُمْ حَمَلَةُ سُيُوفٍ ماهِرُونَ، مُتَمَرِّسُونَ فِي القِتالِ. كُلٌّ يَحْمِلُ سَيفَهُ عَلَى جَنبِهِ، مُستَعِدّاً لِأيِّ خَطَرٍ فِي اللَّيلِ.

9 K ing Solomon made himself a car or a palanquin from the wood of Lebanon.

صَنَعَ سُلَيْمانُ لِنَفسِهِ أرِيكَةً مِنْ أرْزِ لُبنانَ.

10 H e made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple, the inside of it lovingly and intricately wrought in needlework by the daughters of Jerusalem.

طَلَى بِالفِضَّةِ أعمِدَتَها، وَبِخُيُوطِ الذَّهَبِ أغطِيَتَها. وَسائِدُها أُرجُوانٌ، وَداخِلُها مُرَصَّعٌ بِالحُبِّ.

11 G o forth, O you daughters of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of his gladness of heart.

اخرُجنَ، يا بَناتِ صِهْيَوْنَ، وَانظُرنَ إلَى المَلِكِ سُلَيْمانَ، انظُرنَ إلَى التَّاجِ الَّذِي تَوَّجَتهُ بِهِ أُمُّهُ فِي يَومِ عُرسِهِ، فِي يَومِ احتِفالِهِ.