1By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.2I 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.3The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said , Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?4It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother' house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.5I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.6Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?7Behold his bed, which is Solomon'; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.8They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.9King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.10He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.11Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
1On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not. (So 1:7; So 5:6; Isa 26:9; Joh 7:34)2I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but found him not. (So 3:1; Jer 5:1)3The watchmen found me as they went about in the city. “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” (So 5:7)4Scarcely had I passed 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. (Job 27:6; So 3:1; So 8:2; Ho 2:5)5I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. (So 1:5; So 2:7; So 2:9)
Solomon Arrives for the Wedding
6What is that coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of a merchant? (Ex 13:21; So 4:6; So 4:14; So 6:10; So 8:5; Isa 60:8; Joe 2:30; Mt 2:11; Joh 19:39)7Behold, it is the litter[1] of Solomon! Around it are sixty mighty men, some of the mighty men of Israel, (2Sa 23:8; 1Ch 11:10; So 6:8)8all of them wearing swords and expert in war, each with his sword at his thigh, against terror by night. (Ps 45:3; Ps 91:5)9King Solomon made himself a carriage[2] from the wood of Lebanon.10He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple; its interior was inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem. (So 1:5)11Go out, O daughters of Zion, and look upon King Solomon, with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart. (Isa 3:16; Isa 4:4; Isa 62:5)