| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not. | 1All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. |
| 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. | 2I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him. |
| 3The watchmen found me as they went about in the city. “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” | 3The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?" |
| 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. | 4Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me. |
| 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. | 5Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. |
| 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? | 6Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant? |
| 7Behold, it is the litter of Solomon! Around it are sixty mighty men, some of the mighty men of Israel, | 7Look! It is Solomon's carriage, escorted by sixty warriors, the noblest of Israel, |
| 8all of them wearing swords and expert in war, each with his sword at his thigh, against terror by night. | 8all of them wearing the sword, all experienced in battle, each with his sword at his side, prepared for the terrors of the night. |
| 9King Solomon made himself a carriage from the wood of Lebanon. | 9King Solomon made for himself the carriage; he made it of wood from 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. | 10Its posts he made of silver, its base of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple, its interior inlaid with love. Daughters of Jerusalem, |
| 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. | 11come out, and look, you daughters of Zion. Look on King Solomon wearing a crown, the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, the day his heart rejoiced. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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