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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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 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.

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.