Song of Solomon 3:1–5

On my bed by night

I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him, but found him not.

I 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.

The watchmen found me

as they went about in the city.

“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

Scarcely 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.

I 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.

All night long on my bed

I looked for the one my heart loves;

I looked for him but did not find him.

I 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.

The watchmen found me

as they made their rounds in the city.

“Have you seen the one my heart loves?”

Scarcely 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.

Daughters 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.

In my bed at night

I sought the one I love;

I sought him, but did not find him.

I will arise now and go about the city,

through the streets and the plazas.

I will seek the one I love.

I sought him, but did not find him.

The guards who go about the city found me.

I asked them, “Have you seen the one I love?”

I had just passed them

when I found the one I love.

I held on to him and would not let him go

until I brought him to my mother’s house—

to the chamber of the one who conceived me.

Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you

by the gazelles and the wild does of the field,

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.

One night as I lay in bed, I yearned for my lover.

I yearned for him, but he did not come.

So I said to myself, “I will get up and roam the city,

searching in all its streets and squares.

I will search for the one I love.”

So I searched everywhere but did not find him.

The watchmen stopped me as they made their rounds,

and I asked, “Have you seen the one I love?”

Then scarcely had I left them

when I found my love!

I caught and held him tightly,

then I brought him to my mother’s house,

into my mother’s bed, where I had been conceived.

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles and wild deer,

not to awaken love until the time is right.

On my bed in the night,

I sought him whom my heart loves.

I sought him, but I did not find him.

Now I will arise, and I will go about in the city,

in the streets and in the squares;

I will seek him whom my heart loves.

I sought him, but I did not find him.

The sentinels who go about in the city found me.

“Have you seen the one whom my heart loves?”

Scarcely had I passed by them

when I found him whom my heart loves.

I held him and I would not let him go

until I brought him to the house of my mother,

into the bedroom chamber of she who conceived me.

I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or by the does of the field,

do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth:

I sought him, but I found him not.

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 that go about the city found me:

To whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

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.

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.