| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. | 1 In my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him. |
| 2I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him. | 2I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and the plazas. I will seek the one I love. I sought him, but did not find him. |
| 3The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?" | 3The guards who go about the city found me. I asked them, "Have you seen the one I love?" |
| 4Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me. | 4I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held on to him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother's house-- to the chamber of the one who conceived me. |
| 5Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. | 5Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and the wild does of the field: do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time. N |
| 6Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant? | 6What is this coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from every fragrant powder of the merchant? |
| 7Look! It is Solomon's carriage, escorted by sixty warriors, the noblest of Israel, | 7It is Solomon's royal litter surrounded by 60 warriors from the mighty of Israel. |
| 8all of them wearing the sword, all experienced in battle, each with his sword at his side, prepared for the terrors of the night. | 8All of them are skilled with swords and trained in warfare. Each has his sword at his side to guard against the terror of the night. |
| 9King Solomon made for himself the carriage; he made it of wood from Lebanon. | 9King Solomon made a sedan chair for himself with wood from Lebanon. |
| 10Its posts he made of silver, its base of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple, its interior inlaid with love. Daughters of Jerusalem, | 10He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, and its seat of purple. Its interior is inlaid with love by the young women of Jerusalem. |
| 11come out, and look, you daughters of Zion. Look on King Solomon wearing a crown, the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, the day his heart rejoiced. | 11Come out, young women of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, wearing the crown his mother placed on him the day of his wedding-- the day of his heart's rejoicing. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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