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

By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

2 ‘ 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.

I will get up now, and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

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

The watchmen who go about the city found me; “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

4 “ 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.”

I had scarcely passed from 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, into the room of her who conceived me.

5 “ 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

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

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

Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?

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

Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage! Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

8 “ 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.

They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.

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

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

10 “ 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.

He made its pillars of silver, its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, the middle of it being paved with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 “ 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.”

Go out, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon, with the crown with which his mother has crowned him, in the day of his weddings, in the day of the gladness of his heart.