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¹ SHEUpon my couch, in the night-time, sought I the beloved of my soul, - I sought him, but found him not.² Come! I must arise, and go about in the city, In the paths and in the broadways, I must seek the beloved of my soul, - I sought him, but found him not.³ The watchmen that go round in the city, found me, The beloved of my soul, have ye seen?⁴ Scarcely had I passed from them, when I found the beloved of my soul, - I caught him, and would not let him go, until that I had brought him into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. ⁵ HEI adjure you ye, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, - That ye wake not, nor arouse, the dear love until she please. ****

⁶ THEYWho is this, coming up out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke, - with perfume of myrrh, and frankincense, besides all the aromatic powder of the merchant?

⁷ Lo! his couch, ‘tis Solomon's own, Threescore heroes, around it, - of the heroes of Israel:⁸ All of them, grasping the sword, trained for war, - every man, with his sword upon his thigh, because of dread, in the night-time.⁹ A palanquin, King Solomon made himself, of the trees of Lebanon:¹⁰ The supports thereof, made he of silver, the couch thereof, of gold, the seat thereof, of purple, - the midst thereof, hath an inlay of love from the daughters of Jerusalem.¹¹ Go forth and gaze, ye daughters of Zion, upon King Solomon, - wearing the crown, wherewith his mother, crowned him, in the day of his marriage, and in the day of his heart gladness.