Song of Solomon 3
The bride searches for her beloved throughout the city at night but is unable to find him until she encounters the city guards, who seem to know her beloved. After passing by the guards, she finds her beloved and holds onto him, taking him to her mother's house. The groom then warns the daughters of Jerusalem not to disturb his beloved until she is ready. The chorus describes the bride as ascending through the desert, surrounded by the aromas of myrrh and frankincense, and notes that King Solomon's bed is guarded by sixty strong warriors.
1Bride: On my bed, throughout the night, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, and did not find him2I will rise up, and I will circle through the city. Through the side streets and thoroughfares, I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, and did not find him3The watchers who guard the city found me: "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?4When I had passed by them a little, I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not release him, until I would bring him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who bore me5Groom to Chorus: I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the does and the stags of the open field, not to disturb or awaken the beloved, until she wills6Chorus to Groom: Who is she, who ascends through the desert, like a staff of smoke from the aromatics of myrrh, and frankincense, and every powder of the perfumer7Chorus to Bride: Lo, sixty strong ones, out of all the strongest in Israel, stand watch at the bed of Solomon8all holding swords and well-trained in warfare, each one’s weapon upon his thigh, because of fears in the night9Bride to Chorus: King Solomon made himself a portable throne from the wood of Lebanon10He made its columns of silver, the reclining place of gold, the ascent of purple; the middle he covered well, out of charity for the daughters of Jerusalem11O daughters of Zion, go forth and see king Solomon with the diadem with which his mother crowned him, on the day of his espousal, on the day of the rejoicing of his heart
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