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

On my couch by night, I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him, and I found him not!

2 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.

-- Pray, let me rise, and go round the city, In the streets and in the broad places, I seek him whom my soul hath loved! -- I sought him, and I found him not.

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

The watchmen have found me, (Who are going round about the city), `Him whom my soul have loved saw ye?'

4 I t 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.

But a little I passed on from them, Till I found him whom my soul hath loved! I seized him, and let him not go, Till I brought him in unto the house of my mother -- And the chamber of her that conceived me.

5 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.

I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the hinds of the field, Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!

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

Who this coming up from the wilderness, Like palm-trees of smoke, Perfumed myrrh and frankincense, From every powder of the merchant?

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

Lo, his couch, that Solomon's, Sixty mighty ones around it, Of the mighty of Israel,

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

All of them holding sword, taught of battle, Each his sword by his thigh, for fear at night.

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

A palanquin king Solomon made for himself, Of the wood of Lebanon,

10 H e 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.

Its pillars he made of silver, Its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, Its midst lined love, By the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 G o 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.

Go forth, and look, ye daughters of Zion, On king Solomon, with the crown, With which his mother crowned him, In the day of his espousals, And in the day of the joy of his heart!