1 ل َيلَةً بَعدَ لَيلَةٍ، وَأنا عَلَى فِراشِي، اشتَقتُ إلَى حَبِيبِي. بَحَثتُ عَنهُ فَلَمْ أجِدهُ.

“ On my bed night after night I sought him Whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him.

2 س َأقُومُ وَأطُوفُ فِي المَدِينَةِ، فِي شَوارِعِها وَمَيادِينِها. سَأبحَثُ عَن حَبِيبِ القَلبِ. بَحَثتُ عَنهُ، فَلَمْ أجِدْهُ.

‘ I must arise now and go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I must seek him whom my soul loves.’ I sought him but did not find him.

3 ص ادَفَنِي الحُرّاسُ فِي شَوارِعِ المَدِينَةِ. فَسَألتُهُمْ: «هَلْ رَأيتُمْ حَبِيبِي؟»

“ The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’

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

“ Scarcely had I left 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 conceived me.”

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

“ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you will not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases.” Solomon’s Wedding Day

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

“ What is this coming up from the wilderness Like columns of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all scented powders of the merchant?

7 ه ا هِيَ أرِيكَةُ سُلَيْمانَ. يُحِيطُ بِها سِتِّونَ مُحارِباً مِنْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ.

“Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; Sixty mighty men around it, Of the mighty men of Israel.

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

“All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert in war; Each man has his sword at his side, Guarding against the terrors of the night.

9 ص َنَعَ سُلَيْمانُ لِنَفسِهِ أرِيكَةً مِنْ أرْزِ لُبنانَ.

“King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair From the timber of Lebanon.

10 ط َلَى بِالفِضَّةِ أعمِدَتَها، وَبِخُيُوطِ الذَّهَبِ أغطِيَتَها. وَسائِدُها أُرجُوانٌ، وَداخِلُها مُرَصَّعٌ بِالحُبِّ.

“He made its posts of silver, Its back of gold And its seat of purple fabric, With its interior lovingly fitted out By the daughters of Jerusalem.

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

“Go forth, O daughters of Zion, And gaze on King Solomon with the crown With which his mother has crowned him On the day of his wedding, And on the day of his gladness of heart.”