Study Desk

"On my bed night after night I sought him Whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him.

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

'I must arise now and go around in the city; In the streets and in the public squares I must seek him whom my soul loves.' I sought him but did not find him.

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.

"The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, And I said, 'Have you seen him whom my soul loves?'

The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

"Hardly had I left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother's house, And into the room of her who conceived me."

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.

"Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, That you will not disturb or awaken my love Until she pleases."

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.

"What is this coming up from the wilderness Like columns of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all the scented powders of the merchant?

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

"Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; Sixty warriors around it, Of the warriors of Israel.

Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

"All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert in war; Each man has his sword at his side, Guarding against the terrors of the night.

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

"King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair From the timber of Lebanon.

King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

"He made its posts of silver, Its back of gold And its seat of purple fabric, With its interior lovingly inlaid By the daughters of Jerusalem.

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.

"Go out, you daughters of Zion, And look at King Solomon with the crown With which his mother has crowned him On the day of his wedding, And on the day of the joy of his heart."

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.