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

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

2 - - 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.

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

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

4 B ut 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.

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 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!

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

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

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 holding sword, taught of battle, Each his sword by his thigh, for fear at 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 A palanquin king Solomon made for himself, Of the wood of Lebanon,

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

10 I ts pillars he made of silver, Its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, Its midst lined love, 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 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!

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.