| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. | 1All night long on my bed I longed for my lover. I longed for him but he never appeared. |
| 2“I will rise now,” I said, “And go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him. | 2"I will arise and look all around throughout the town, and throughout the streets and squares; I will search for my beloved." I searched for him but I did not find him. |
| 3The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, “Have you seen the one I love?” | 3The night watchmen found me--the ones who guard the city walls. "Have you seen my beloved?" |
| 4Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, Until I had brought him to the house of my mother, And into the chamber of her who conceived me. | 4Scarcely had I passed them by when I found my beloved! I held onto him tightly and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother's house, to the bedroom chamber of the one who conceived me. |
| 5I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases. | 5I 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!" |
| 6Who is this coming out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all the merchant’s fragrant powders? | 6Who is this coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, like a fragrant billow of myrrh and frankincense, every kind of fragrant powder of the traveling merchants? |
| 7Behold, it is Solomon’s couch, With sixty valiant men around it, Of the valiant of Israel. | 7Look! It is Solomon's portable couch! It is surrounded by sixty warriors, some of Israel's mightiest warriors. |
| 8They all hold swords, Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night. | 8All of them are skilled with a sword, well-trained in the art of warfare. Each has his sword at his side, to guard against the terrors of the night. |
| 9Of the wood of Lebanon Solomon the King Made himself a palanquin: | 9King Solomon made a sedan chair for himself of wood imported from Lebanon. |
| 10He made its pillars of silver, Its support of gold, Its seat of purple, Its interior paved with love By the daughters of Jerusalem. | 10Its posts were made of silver; its back was made of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple wool; its interior was inlaid with leather by the maidens of Jerusalem. |
| 11Go forth, O daughters of Zion, And see King Solomon with the crown With which his mother crowned him On the day of his wedding, The day of the gladness of his heart. | 11Come 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! |
|
    |