Song of Solomon 2:16–3:4

16 My beloved is mine and I am his;

he browses among the lilies.

17 Until the day breaks

and the shadows flee,

turn, my beloved,

and be like a gazelle

or like a young stag

on the rugged hills.

1 All night long on my bed

I looked for the one my heart loves;

I looked for him but did not find him.

2 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.

3 The watchmen found me

as they made their rounds in the city.

“Have you seen the one my heart loves?”

4 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.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his;

he grazes among the lilies.

17 Until the day breathes

and the shadows flee,

turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle

or a young stag on cleft mountains.

1 On my bed by night

I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him, but found him not.

2 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.

3 The watchmen found me

as they went about in the city.

“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

4 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.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his:

He feedeth among the lilies.

17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away,

Turn, my beloved,

And be thou like a roe or a young hart

Upon the mountains of Bether.

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

I sought him, but I found him not.

2 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.

3 The watchmen that go about the city found me:

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

4 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.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his.

He feeds his flock among the lilies.

17 Until the day breaks

And the shadows flee away,

Turn, my beloved,

And be like a gazelle

Or a young stag

Upon the mountains of Bether.

1 By night on my bed I sought the one I love;

I sought him, but I did not find him.

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.

3 The watchmen who go about the city found me;

I said,

“Have you seen the one I love?”

4 Scarcely 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.

16 My lover is mine, and I am his.

He feeds among the lilies

17 until the day dawns

and the shadows disappear.

Turn, my lover.

Be like a gazelle or a young deer

on the mountain valleys.

1 At night on my bed,

I looked for the one I love;

I looked for him, but I could not find him.

2 I got up and went around the city,

in the streets and squares,

looking for the one I love.

I looked for him, but I could not find him.

3 The watchmen found me as they patrolled the city,

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

4 As soon as I had left them,

I found the one I love.

I held him and would not let him go

until I brought him to my mother’s house,

to the room where I was born.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his:

He feedeth his flock among the lilies.

17 Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away,

Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart

Upon the mountains of Bether.

1 By night on my bed

I sought him whom my soul loveth:

I sought him, but I found him not.

2 I said, 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.

3 The watchmen that go about the city found me;

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

4 It was but a little that I passed from them,

When 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.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his; He feedeth his flock among the lilies, 17 Until the day dawn, and the shadows flee away. Turn, my beloved: be thou like a gazelle or a young hart, Upon the mountains of Bether.

1 On my bed, in the nights, I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 2 I will rise now, and go about the city; In the streets and in the broadways Will I seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: —Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth? 4 —Scarcely had I passed from them, When 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.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his. 

He is the one who grazes his flock among the lilies. 

17 When the day brings a cooling breeze and the shadows flee, 

turn around, my beloved. 

Run like a gazelle or a young stag 

on the mountains that separate us! 

1 Night after night on my bed 

I looked for the one I love. 

I looked for him but did not find him. 

2 I will get up now and roam around the city, 

in the streets, and in the squares. 

I will look for the one I love. 

I looked for him but did not find him. 

3 The watchmen making their rounds in the city found me. 

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

4 I had just left them when I found the one I love. 

I held on to him and would not let him go 

until I had brought him into my mother’s house, 

into the bedroom of the one who conceived me. 

16 My love is mine and I am his;

he feeds among the lilies.

17 Before the day breaks

and the shadows flee,

turn to me, my love, and be like a gazelle

or a young stag on the divided mountains.

1 In my bed at night

I sought the one I love;

I sought him, but did not find him.

2 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.

3 The guards who go about the city found me.

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

4 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.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his;

he pastures his flock among the lilies.

17 Until the day breathes

and the shadows flee,

turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle

or a young stag on the cleft mountains.

1 Upon my bed at night

I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him but found him not;

I called him, but he gave no answer.

2 “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.

3 The sentinels found me,

as they went about in the city.

“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

4 Scarcely had I passed them,

when I found him whom my soul loves.

I held him and would not let him go

until I brought him into my mother’s house

and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

16 My beloved belongs to me and I belong to him;

he pastures his flock among the lilies.

17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee,

turn, my beloved!

Be like a gazelle or young stag on the cleft mountains.

1 On my bed in the night,

I sought him whom my heart loves.

I sought him, but I did not find him.

2 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.

3 The sentinels who go about in the city found me.

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

4 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.

16 “My love belongs to me, and I belong to him.

Like an antelope, he eats among the lilies.

17 Until the day begins

and the shadows fade away,

turn to me, my love.

Be like an antelope

or like a young deer

on the rocky hills.

1 “All night long on my bed

I searched for the one my heart loves.

I looked for him but didn’t find him.

2 I will get up. I’ll go around in the city.

I’ll look through all of its streets.

I’ll search for the one my heart loves.

So I looked for him but didn’t find him.

3 Those on guard duty found me

as they were walking around in the city.

‘Have you seen the one my heart loves?’ I asked.

4 As soon as I had passed by them

I found the one my heart loves.

I threw my arms around him. I didn’t let him go

until I had brought him to my mother’s house.

I took him to my mother’s room.

16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his;

He pastures his flock among the lilies.

17 “Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,

Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle

Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.”

1 “On my bed night after night I sought him

Whom my soul loves;

I sought him but did not find him.

2 ‘I must arise now and go about the city;

In the streets and in the squares

I must seek him whom my soul loves.’

I sought him but did not find him.

3 “The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,

And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’

4 “Scarcely 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.”