Song of Solomon 3

The bride searches for her beloved by night through the city streets and finds him after passing the watchmen. She charges the daughters of Jerusalem not to stir up love until it pleases. The poem then describes Solomon's royal procession from the wilderness, his bed guarded by sixty mighty men, and the crown his mother placed on him on his wedding day.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.	By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.
2	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.	"I will rise now and go about the city — through the streets and the broad ways — I will seek him whom my soul loves." I sought him, but I did not find him.
3	The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?	The watchmen who go about the city found me. I said to them, "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"
4	It 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's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.	I had scarcely passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him to my mother's house, into the room of her who conceived me.
5	I 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.	I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the does of the field: do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.
6	Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?	Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
7	Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.	See, it is the bed of Solomon, with sixty valiant men around it — the mighty men of Israel.
8	They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.	They all hold swords, skilled in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh because of the terrors of the night.
9	King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.	King Solomon made himself a royal carriage of the wood of Lebanon.
10	He 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.	He made its pillars of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple. Its interior was lovingly fitted by the daughters of Jerusalem.
11	Go 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.	Go forth, O daughters of Zion, and see King Solomon wearing the crown his mother placed on him on the day of his wedding — the day of the gladness of his heart.