The Bride Searches for Her Beloved
Study note
The bride describes lying in bed at night, aching with longing for the one she loves. Unable to rest, she goes out into the dark city streets to search for him. The city watchmen find her, but they cannot help. Soon after passing them, she finds her beloved and holds him tight, refusing to let him go. She brings him to her mother's house, a place of safety and belonging. She again asks the daughters of Jerusalem not to rush or force love before its time.
1 Night after night as I lay in bed, my heart searched for the one I love. I looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
2 I thought, "I need to get up right now and search the whole city, every street and every open square, until I find the one my heart loves." I searched everywhere but could not find him. 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 night watchmen patrolling the city came across me. I asked them, "Have you seen the one my heart loves?" The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
4 I had only gone a short distance past them when suddenly, there he was! I grabbed onto him and refused to let go until I had brought him home to my mother's house, into the very room where I was born. 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 Promise me, daughters of Jerusalem. By the deer and wild gazelles, do not rush love. Do not wake it before the right time. 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.
Solomon's Wedding Procession
Study note
The scene changes to a grand royal procession. Someone comes up from the wilderness surrounded by clouds of perfumed smoke from myrrh and frankincense. It is Solomon's royal bed or carriage, guarded by sixty of Israel's bravest warriors, all armed with swords to protect against danger at night. Solomon built a special carriage from the fine wood of Lebanon, with silver posts, a gold base, and purple cushions. The daughters of Zion are invited to come see the king wearing the crown his mother placed on his head on his wedding day.
6 What is that coming up from the desert like tall columns of smoke? It smells of myrrh and frankincense and every costly spice a trader could offer. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
7 Look! It is Solomon's royal carriage. Sixty of the bravest warriors in all of Israel surround it. Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
8 Every one of them is an expert fighter carrying a sword. Each soldier has his weapon strapped to his side, standing ready to protect against any threat that might come in the night. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
9 King Solomon had a beautiful carriage built from the finest wood brought from Lebanon. King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
10 Its columns were silver, its base was gold, and its seat was covered in rich purple fabric. The daughters of Jerusalem decorated the inside with care and love. 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.
11 Step outside and look, daughters of Zion! See King Solomon wearing the crown his mother placed on his head on the day he was married, the day his heart was more full of joy than any other. Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king 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.