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

“On my bed night after night I looked for him whom my soul loves. I looked for him but 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 must get up now and go about the city, in the streets and in the open places. I must look for him whom my soul loves.’ I looked for him but did not find him.

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

The men who watch over the city found me, and I said, ‘Have you 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.

I had just passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held on to him and would not let him go, until I had brought him to my mother’s house, and into the room of her who gave birth to me.” King Solomon

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 tell you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the deer of the field, you must not wake up my love until it is pleasing to her.” The Third Song The Woman

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? …

“What is this coming up from the desert like smoke? It has the smell of special perfumes, with all the perfumes of the traders.

7 B ehold his couch, Solomon's own: Threescore mighty men are about it, Of the mighty of Israel.

See, it is the traveling wagon of Solomon. Sixty of the strong men of Israel are around it.

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

All of them use the sword and are very able in war. Each man has his sword at his side, keeping watch against trouble in the night.

9 K ing Solomon made himself a palanquin Of the wood of Lebanon.

King Solomon has made for himself a beautiful wagon from 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 long pieces of silver, its back of gold, and its seat of purple cloth. The inside of it was made beautiful by the daughters 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 out, O daughters of Zion, and look at King Solomon as he wears the crown his mother put on his head on the day of his wedding, on the day his heart was glad.”