Solomon's Royal Litter
Song of Songs 3
The bride recounts seeking her beloved by night through the city streets until she finds him and brings him to her mother's house. The chapter closes with a description of Solomon's litter, guarded by armed men, and his crowning on the day of his wedding.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonBY night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loved. I sought him but did not find him.
BrentonBy night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he hearkened not to me.
GreekἘπὶ κοίτην μου ἐν νυξὶν, ἐζήτησα ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου· ἐζήτησα αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον αὐτόν· ἐκάλεσα αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐχ ὑπήκουσέ μου.
KJVBy night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
JPSBy night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but I found him not.
2
ThomsonI called him but he made me no answer. I will rise now and take a circuit in the city—in the places of public resort and in the streets; and seek him whom my soul loveth. I sought him but did not find him.
BrentonI will rise now, and go about in the city, in the market-places, and in the streets, and I will seek him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not.
GreekἈναστήσομαι δὴ καὶ κυκλώσω ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις, καὶ ζητήσω ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου· ἐζήτησα αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον αὐτόν.
KJVI 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.
JPS’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
ThomsonThe watchmen who take their rounds in the city, met me. Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
BrentonThe watchmen who go their rounds in the city found me. I said, Have ye seen him whom my soul loves?
GreekΕὕροσάν με οἱ τηροῦντες, οἱ κυκλοῦντες ἐν τῇ πόλει. Μὴ ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου, ἴδετε;
KJVThe watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
JPSThe watchmen that go about the city found me: ‘Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?’
4
ThomsonIt was but a little while after I parted from them, till I found him whom my soul loveth. I took hold of him and did not let him go till I brought him to my mother’s house and into the chambers of her who conceived me.
BrentonIt was as a little while after I parted from them, that I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and did not let him go, until I brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
GreekὩς μικρὸν ὅτε παρῆλθον ἀπʼ αὐτῶν, ἕως οὗ εὗρον ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου· ἐκράτησα αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκα αὐτὸν, ἕως οὗ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον μητρός μου, καὶ εἰς ταμεῖον τῆς συλλαβούσης με.
KJVIt 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.
JPSScarce had I passed from them, When 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
ThomsonI charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem by the powers and virtues of the field, not to stir up nor awake my love till he please.
BrentonI have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that ye rouse not nor awake my love, until he please.
GreekὭρκισα ὑμᾶς θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν ταῖς δυνάμεσι, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἰσχύσεσι τοῦ ἀγροῦ· ἐὰν ἐγείρητε καὶ ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην ἕως ἂν θελήσῃ.
KJVI 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.
JPS’I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, That ye awaken not, nor stir up love, Until it please.’
6
ThomsonWhat is this coming up from the wilderness; like a column of smoke, fuming with myrrh and incense made of all the perfumer’s powders?
BrentonWho is this that comes up from the wilderness as pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the perfumer?
GreekΤίς αὕτη ἡ ἀναβαίνουσα ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρήμου, ὡς στελέχη καπνοῦ τεθυμιαμένη σμύρναν καὶ λίβανον ἀπὸ πάντων κονιορτῶν μυρεψοῦ;
KJVWho is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
JPSWho is this that cometh up out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all powders of the merchant?
7
ThomsonIt is the palanquin of Solomon, three score chiefs of the chiefs of Israel are around it.
BrentonBehold Solomon's bed; sixty mighty men of the mighty ones of Israel are round about it.
GreekἸδοὺ ἡ κλίνη τοῦ Σαλωμὼν, ἑξήκοντα δυνατοὶ κύκλῳ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ δυνατῶν Ἰσραήλ·
KJVBehold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
JPSBehold, it is the litter of Solomon; Threescore mighty men are about it, Of the mighty men of Israel.
8
ThomsonAll swordsmen expert in war. Every man with his sword on his thigh, for fear of danger by night.
BrentonThey all hold a sword, being expert in war: every man has his sword upon his thigh because of fear by night.
GreekΠάντες κατέχοντες ῥομφαίαν δεδιδαγμένοι πόλεμον· ἀνὴρ ῥομφαία αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ μηρὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ θάμβους ἐν νυξί.
KJVThey all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
JPSThey all handle the sword, And are expert in war; Every man hath his sword upon his thigh, Because of dread in the night.
9
ThomsonKing Solomon had made himself a palanquin of the wood of Lebanon.
BrentonKing Solomon made himself a litter of woods of Lebanon.
GreekΦορεῖον ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμὼν ἀπὸ ξύλων τοῦ Λιβάνου·
KJVKing Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
JPSKing Solomon made himself a palanquin Of the wood of Lebanon.
10
ThomsonIts columns he made of silver, and his sofa was of gold. Its canopy was purple, and its inside carpeted with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
BrentonHe made the pillars of it silver, the bottom of it gold, the covering of it scarlet, in the midst of it a pavement of love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
GreekΣτύλους αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν ἀργύριον, καὶ ἀνάκλιτον αὐτοῦ χρύσεον· ἐπίβασις αὐτοῦ πορφυρᾶ, ἐντὸς αὐτοῦ λιθόστρωτον, ἀγάπην ἀπὸ θυγατέρων Ἱερουσαλήμ.
KJVHe 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.
JPSHe made the pillars thereof of silver, The top thereof of gold, The seat of it of purple, The inside thereof being inlaid with love, From the daughters of Jerusalem.
11
ThomsonO daughter of Sion go forth and view king Solomon; in the crown with which his mother crowned him; on the day of his espousals.
BrentonGo forth, ye daughters of Sion, 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.
GreekΘυγατέρες Σιὼν ἐξέλθατε, καὶ ἴδετε ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ Σαλωμὼν, ἐν τῷ στεφάνῳ ᾧ ἐστεφάνωσεν αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ νυμφεύσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐφροσύνης καρδίας αὐτοῦ.
KJVGo 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.
JPSGo forth, O ye daughters of Zion, And gaze upon king Solomon, Even upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals, And in the day of the gladness of his heart.