1 “ On my bed night after night I looked for him whom my soul loves. I looked for him but did not find him.
By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did 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.
“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.
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; I said, “Have you seen the one I love?”
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
Scarcely 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.
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 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
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 is this coming out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all the merchant’s fragrant powders?
7 S ee, it is the traveling wagon of Solomon. Sixty of the strong men of Israel are around it.
Behold, it is Solomon’s couch, With sixty valiant men around it, Of the valiant 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 hold swords, Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night.
9 K ing Solomon has made for himself a beautiful wagon from the wood of Lebanon.
Of the wood of Lebanon Solomon the King Made himself a palanquin:
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 pillars of silver, Its support of gold, Its seat of purple, Its interior paved with love 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 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.