1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he hearkened not to me. 2 I will rise now, and go about in the city, in the market-places, and in the streets, and I will seek him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not. 3 The watchmen who go their rounds in the city found me. I said, Have ye seen him whom my soul loves? 4 It was a little while after I parted from them, that I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and did not let him go, until I brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
5 I have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that ye rouse not nor awake my love, until he please.
6 Who is this that comes up from the wilderness as pillars of smoke, perfume with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the perfumer? 7 Behold, Solomon’s bed; sixty mighty men of the mighty ones of Israel are round about it. 8 They all hold a sword, being expert in war: every man has his sword upon his thigh because of fear by night.
9 King Solomon made himself a litter of woods of Lebanon. 10 He made the pillars of it silver, the bottom of it gold, the covering of it scarlet, in the midst of it a pavement of love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.