1 On my couch by night, I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him, and I found him not!

1 עַל־מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּילֹ֔ות בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃

2 -- Pray, let me rise, and go round the city, In the streets and in the broad places, I seek him whom my soul hath loved! -- I sought him, and I found him not.

2 אָק֨וּמָה נָּ֜א וַאֲסֹובְבָ֣ה בָעִ֗יר בַּשְּׁוָקִים֙ וּבָ֣רְחֹבֹ֔ות אֲבַקְשָׁ֕ה אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃

3 The watchmen have found me, (Who are going round about the city), `Him whom my soul have loved saw ye?'

3 מְצָא֙וּנִי֙ הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים הַסֹּבְבִ֖ים בָּעִ֑יר אֵ֛ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י רְאִיתֶֽם׃

4 But a little I passed on from them, Till I found him whom my soul hath loved! I seized him, and let him not go, Till I brought him in unto the house of my mother -- And the chamber of her that conceived me.

4 כִּמְעַט֙ שֶׁעָבַ֣רְתִּי מֵהֶ֔ם עַ֣ד שֶֽׁמָּצָ֔אתִי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י אֲחַזְתִּיו֙ וְלֹ֣א אַרְפֶּ֔נּוּ עַד־שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אִמִּ֔י וְאֶל־חֶ֖דֶר הֹורָתִֽי׃

5 I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes or by the hinds of the field, Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!

5 הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנֹ֤ות יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בִּצְבָאֹ֔ות אֹ֖ו בְּאַיְלֹ֣ות הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּעֹֽורְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃

6 Who `is' this coming up from the wilderness, Like palm-trees of smoke, Perfumed `with' myrrh and frankincense, From every powder of the merchant?

6 מִ֣י זֹ֗את עֹלָה֙ מִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר כְּתִֽימֲרֹ֖ות עָשָׁ֑ן מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת מֹור֙ וּלְבֹונָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל אַבְקַ֥ת רֹוכֵֽל׃

7 Lo, his couch, that `is' Solomon's, Sixty mighty ones `are' around it, Of the mighty of Israel,

7 הִנֵּ֗ה מִטָּתֹו֙ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה שִׁשִּׁ֥ים גִּבֹּרִ֖ים סָבִ֣יב לָ֑הּ מִגִּבֹּרֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

8 All of them holding sword, taught of battle, Each his sword by his thigh, for fear at night.

8 כֻּלָּם֙³ אֲחֻ֣זֵי חֶ֔רֶב מְלֻמְּדֵ֖י מִלְחָמָ֑ה אִ֤ישׁ חַרְבֹּו֙ עַל־יְרֵכֹ֔ו מִפַּ֖חַד בַּלֵּילֹֽות׃

9 A palanquin king Solomon made for himself, Of the wood of Lebanon,

9 אַפִּרְיֹ֗ון עָ֤שָׂה לֹו֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵעֲצֵ֖י הַלְּבָנֹֽון׃

10 Its pillars he made of silver, Its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, Its midst lined `with' love, By the daughters of Jerusalem.

10 עַמּוּדָיו֙ עָ֣שָׂה כֶ֔סֶף רְפִידָתֹ֣ו זָהָ֔ב מֶרְכָּבֹ֖ו אַרְגָּמָ֑ן תֹּוכֹו֙ רָצ֣וּף אַהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנֹ֖ות יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

11 Go forth, and look, ye daughters of Zion, On king Solomon, with the crown, With which his mother crowned him, In the day of his espousals, And in the day of the joy of his heart!

11 צְאֶ֧ינָה׀ וּֽרְאֶ֛ינָה בְּנֹ֥ות צִיֹּ֖ון בַּמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה בָּעֲטָרָ֗ה שֶׁעִטְּרָה־לֹּ֤ו אִמֹּו֙ בְּיֹ֣ום חֲתֻנָּתֹ֔ו וּבְיֹ֖ום שִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבֹּֽו׃