Song of Solomon 3:6–11

What is that coming up from the wilderness

like columns of smoke,

perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,

with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?

Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!

Around it are sixty mighty men,

some of the mighty men of Israel,

all of them wearing swords

and expert in war,

each with his sword at his thigh,

against terror by night.

King Solomon made himself a carriage

from the wood of Lebanon.

He made its posts of silver,

its back of gold, its seat of purple;

its interior was inlaid with love

by the daughters of Jerusalem.

Go 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.

Who 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?

Look! It is Solomon’s carriage,

escorted by sixty warriors,

the noblest of Israel,

all of them wearing the sword,

all experienced in battle,

each with his sword at his side,

prepared for the terrors of the night.

King Solomon made for himself the carriage;

he made it of wood from Lebanon.

Its posts he made of silver,

its base of gold.

Its seat was upholstered with purple,

its interior inlaid with love.

Daughters of Jerusalem, come 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.

Who is this sweeping in from the wilderness

like a cloud of smoke?

Who is it, fragrant with myrrh and frankincense

and every kind of spice?

Look, it is Solomon’s carriage,

surrounded by sixty heroic men,

the best of Israel’s soldiers.

They are all skilled swordsmen,

experienced warriors.

Each wears a sword on his thigh,

ready to defend the king against an attack in the night.

King Solomon’s carriage is built

of wood imported from Lebanon.

Its posts are silver,

its canopy gold;

its cushions are purple.

It was decorated with love

by the young women of Jerusalem.

Come out to see King Solomon,

young women of Jerusalem.

He wears the crown his mother gave him on his wedding day,

his most joyous day.

What is this coming up from the desert

like a column of smoke,

perfumed with myrrh and frankincense

from all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

Look! It is Solomon’s portable couch!

Sixty mighty men surround it,

the mighty men of Israel.

All of them wield swords;

they are trained in warfare,

each with his sword at his thigh

to guard against terror in the night.

King Solomon made for himself a sedan chair

from the wood of Lebanon.

He made its column of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple;

its interior is inlaid with leather by the maidens of Jerusalem.

Come out and look, O maidens of Zion, at King Solomon,

at the crown with which his mother crowned him

on the day of his wedding,

on the day of the joy of his heart!

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 his bed, which is Solomon’s;

Threescore valiant men are about it,

Of the valiant of Israel.

They all hold swords, being expert in war:

Every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

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

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 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.