1 B y night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him.

¶ 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,” I said, “And go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him.

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 who go about the city found me; I said, “Have you seen the one I love?”

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

4 S carcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, Until I had brought him to the house of my mother, And into the chamber of her who 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, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases. The Coming of Solomon The Shulamite

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 coming out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all the merchant’s fragrant powders?

¶ 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, it is Solomon’s couch, With sixty valiant men around it, Of the valiant 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 swords, Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night.

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

9 O f the wood of Lebanon Solomon the King Made himself a palanquin:

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

10 H e made its pillars of silver, Its support of gold, Its seat of purple, Its interior paved with 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, O daughters of Zion, And see King Solomon with the crown With which his mother crowned him On the day of his wedding, 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.