1 “ On my bed night after night I looked for him whom my soul loves. I looked for him but did not find him.

In the night I dreamed that I sought the one whom I love. I looked for him but could not find him.

2 ‘ 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.

So I decided to go out into the city, into the streets and broad ways, and seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I could not find him.

3 T he men who watch over the city found me, and I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’

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

4 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

I had gone but a little way past 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, and into the chamber of her who conceived me.

5 “ 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

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field that you stir not up nor awaken love until it pleases.

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

Who or what is this that comes gliding out of the wilderness like stately pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh, frankincense, and all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

7 S ee, it is the traveling wagon of Solomon. Sixty of the strong men of Israel are around it.

Behold, it is the traveling litter (the bridal car) of Solomon. Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

8 A ll 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.

They all handle the sword and are expert in war; every man has his sword upon his thigh, that fear be not excited in the night.

9 K ing Solomon has made for himself a beautiful wagon from the wood of Lebanon.

King Solomon made himself a car or a palanquin from the wood of Lebanon.

10 H e 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.

He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple, the inside of it lovingly and intricately wrought in needlework by the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 G o 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.”

Go forth, O you daughters of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of his gladness of heart.