Chapter 3.

For this chapter an account is given of an adventure of the church in quest of her beloved; of the time when, and places where, and the persons of whom she sought him: and of her success upon the whole; with a charge she gave to the daughters of Jerusalem, verses 1-5 by whom she is commended, verse 6. And then Christ her beloved is described by her; by his bed, and the guard about it, verses 7, 8, by the chariot he rode in, verses 9, 10, and by the crown he wore on his coronation-day; to which sight the daughters of Zion are invited, verse 11.

VERSE 1.

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth;
I sought him, but I found him not.

VERSE 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.

VERSE 3.

The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said,
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

VERSE 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 unto my mother's house, and into the chamber of her
that conceived me.

VERSE 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.

VERSE 6.

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the
merchant?

VERSE 7.

Behold his bed, which is Solomon's: threescore valiant men are about it,
of the valiant of Israel.

VERSE 8.

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his
sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night.

VERSE 9.

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

VERSE 10.

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.

VERSE 11.

Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and beholding 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.