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.

5 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.

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.

5 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.

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

I yearned for him, but he did not come.

2 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.

3 The watchmen stopped me as they made their rounds,

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

4 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.

5 Promise me, O women of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles and wild deer,

not to awaken love until the time is right.

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.

5 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the gazelles or by the does of the field,

Do not stir up nor awaken love

Until it pleases.

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.

5 Women of Jerusalem, promise me

by the gazelles and the deer

not to awaken

or excite my feelings of love

until it is ready.

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.

5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the roes, or by the hinds of the field,

That ye stir not up, nor awake my love,

Until he please.

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. 5 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

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. 

5 Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me 

by the gazelles 

or by the does in the field, 

that you will not awaken love 

or arouse love before its proper time. 

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.

5 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.

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.

5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the wild does:

do not stir up or awaken love

until it is ready!

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.

5 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!

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.

5 Women of Jerusalem, take an oath and make me a promise.

Let the antelopes and the does serve as witnesses.

Don’t stir up love.

Don’t wake it up until it’s ready.”

The other women say,

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.”

5 “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,

That you will not arouse or awaken my love

Until she pleases.”