Song of Solomon 3

1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

2  I said, I will rise now, and go about the city; In the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

3 The watchmen that go about the city found me; To whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

4 It was but a little that I passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loveth: 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 conceived me.

5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, Until he please.

6 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all powders of the merchant?

7 Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; Threescore mighty men are about it, Of the mighty men of Israel.

8 They all handle the sword, and are expert in war: Every man hath his sword upon his thigh, Because of fear in the night.

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

10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, The bottom thereof of gold, the seat of it of purple, The midst thereof being paved with love, From the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon, With the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him In the day of his espousals, And in the day of the gladness of his heart.

Song of Solomon 3

The Lost Lover is Found

1 All night longts on my bedt
I longed fort my lover.t
I longed fort him but he never appeared.st

2 “I will arisest and look all aroundt throughout the town,
and throughout the streetss and squares;
I will search for my beloved.”
I searched for him but I did not find him.s

3 The night watchmen found me – the ones who guard the city walls.t
“Have you seen my beloved?”t

4 Scarcelyt had I passed them by
when I found my beloved!
I held onto himt tightly and would not let him got
until I brought him to my mother’s house,s
to the bedroom chambert of the one who conceived me.

5 t I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles and by the young does of the open fields:
“Do not awake or arouse love until it pleases!”

The Royal Wedding Procession

6 Who is this coming up from the desert
like a column of smoke,
liket a fragrant billowt of myrrh and frankincense,t
every kind of fragrant powdert of the traveling merchants?t

7 Look! It is Solomon’s portable couch!t
It is surrounded by sixty warriors,
some of Israel’s mightiest warriors.

8 All of them are skilled with a sword,t
well-trained in the art of warfare.t
Each has his sword at his side,
to guard against the terrors of the night.

9 King Solomon made a sedan chairt for himself
of wood imported from Lebanon.t

10 Its posts were madet of silver;t
its backt was made of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple wool;t
its interior was inlaidt with leathert by the maidenst of Jerusalem.

11 Come out, O maidens of Zion,
and gaze upon King Solomon!
He is wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him
on his wedding day,
on the most joyous day of his life!t