New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
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.
1
By night on my bed I was looking for him who is the love of my soul: I was looking for him, but I did not see him.
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.
2
I will get up now and go about the town, in the streets and in the wide ways I will go after him who is the love of my soul: I went after him, but I did not see him.
3 The sentinels found me, as they went about in the city. "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"
3
The watchmen who go about the town came by me; to them I said, Have you seen him who is my heart's desire?
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.
4
I was but a little way from them, when I came face to face with him who is the love of my soul. I took him by the hands, and did not let him go, till I had taken him into my mother's house, and into the room of her who gave me birth.
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!
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I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes of the field, let not love be moved till it is ready.
6 What is that coming up from the wilderness, like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
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Who is this coming out of the waste places like pillars of smoke, perfumed with sweet spices, with all the spices of the trader?
7 Look, it is the litter of Solomon! Around it are sixty mighty men of the mighty men of Israel,
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See, it is the bed of Solomon; sixty men of war are about it, of the army of Israel,
8 all equipped with swords and expert in war, each with his sword at his thigh because of alarms by night.
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All of them armed with swords, trained in war; every man has his sword at his side, because of fear in the night.
9 King Solomon made himself a palanquin from the wood of Lebanon.
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King Solomon made himself a bed of the wood of Lebanon.
10 He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple; its interior was inlaid with love. Daughters of Jerusalem,
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He made its pillars of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple, the middle of it of ebony.
11 come out. Look, O daughters of Zion, at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart.
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Go out, O daughters of Jerusalem, and see King Solomon, with the crown which his mother put on his head on the day when he was married, and on the day of the joy of his heart.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.