1 O n my bed, in the nights, I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

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

2 I will rise now, and go about the city; In the streets and in the broadways Will I seek 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 loves; I sought him, but I did not find him.

3 T he watchmen that go about the city found me:—Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth?

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

4 — Scarcely had I passed from them, When 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.

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 charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake love, till he please.

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 is this, that cometh up from the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all 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 his couch, Solomon's own: Threescore mighty men are about it, Of the mighty of Israel.

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

8 T hey all hold the sword, Experts in war; Each hath his sword upon his thigh Because of alarm in the nights.

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 palanquin Of the wood of Lebanon.

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

10 I ts pillars he made of silver, Its support of gold, Its seat of purple; The midst thereof was paved love 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, 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.

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.