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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 3

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Upon my couch at night I sought the one I love— I sought, but found him not.

al-mish-KA-vee ba-lei-LOT bi-ka-SH'-ti et she-a-ha-VAH naf-SHEE, bi-ka-SH'-tee-VU v'-lo m'-tza-TEE-VU.

אעַל־מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃

2“I must rise and roam the town, Through the streets and through the squares; I must seek the one I love.” I sought but found him not.

a-KUM-a NA va-a-sov-VAH ba-IR ba-sh'-va-KEEM u-va-RO-khoht a-va-KH'-sha et she-a-ha-VAH naf-SHEE bi-ka-SH'-tee-VO v'-lo m'-tza-TEE-VO

באָק֨וּמָה נָּ֜א וַאֲסוֹבְבָ֣ה בָעִ֗יר בַּשְּׁוָקִים֙ וּבָ֣רְחֹב֔וֹת אֲבַקְשָׁ֕ה אֵ֥ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃

3I met the watchmen Who patrol the town. “Have you seen the one I love?”

m'-tza-U-NEE ha-sho-M'-REEM ha-so-v'-VEEM ba-EER, AYT she-a-ha-VAH naf-SHEE r'-ee-TEM

גמְצָא֙וּנִי֙ הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים הַסֹּבְבִ֖ים בָּעִ֑יר אֵ֛ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י רְאִיתֶֽם׃

4Scarcely had I passed them When I found the one I love. I held him fast, I would not let him go Till I brought him to my mother's house, To the chamber of her who conceived me

ki-m'a-at she-a-va-RTI me-HEM, ad she-ma-TZA-ti et she-a-ha-VAH naf-SHI, a-cha-Z'-TI-v'lo ar-PE-nu, ad-she-ha-VEE-ti-v'el beit i-MI, v'-el-che-DER ho-ra-TI.

דכִּמְעַט֙ שֶׁעָבַ֣רְתִּי מֵהֶ֔ם עַ֣ד שֶׁמָּצָ֔אתִי אֵ֥ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י אֲחַזְתִּיו֙ וְלֹ֣א אַרְפֶּ֔נּוּ עַד־שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אִמִּ֔י וְאֶל־חֶ֖דֶר הוֹרָתִֽי׃

5I adjure you, O maidens of Yerushalayim, By gazelles or by hinds of the field: Do not wake or rouse Love until it please!

hish-BA-ti et-KHEM b'-not ye-ru-sha-LA-im bi-tz'-va-OT o b'-a-y'-LOT ha-sa-DEH, im ta-IRU v'-im t'-o-r'-RU et ha-a-ha-VAH ad sh'-tekh-PA-ts

ההִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּע֥וֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃

6Who is she that comes up from the desert Like columns of smoke, In clouds of myrrh and frankincense, Of all the powders of the merchant?

mi ZOT o-LAH min ha-mid-BAR, ke-ti-ME-rot a-SHAN, me-ku-TE-ret MOR u-le-vo-NAH, mi-KOL av-KAT ro-KHEL

ומִ֣י זֹ֗את עֹלָה֙ מִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר כְּתִֽימְר֖וֹת עָשָׁ֑ן מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת מֹר֙ וּלְבוֹנָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל אַבְקַ֥ת רוֹכֵֽל׃

7There is Shlomo's couch, Encircled by sixty warriors Of the warriors of Yisrael,

hi-NEH mit-TA-to SHE-l'-sh'-lo-MO shi-SHEEM gi-bo-REEM sa-VEEV LAH mi-gi-bo-REI yis-ra-AYL

זהִנֵּ֗ה מִטָּתוֹ֙ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה שִׁשִּׁ֥ים גִּבֹּרִ֖ים סָבִ֣יב לָ֑הּ מִגִּבֹּרֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

8All of them trained in warfare, Skilled in battle, Each with sword on thigh Because of terror by night.

KU-lam a-KHU-zay khe-REV me-lu-m'-DEI mil-kha-MAH, EESH khar-BO al ye-RE-kho mi-pa-KHAD ba-lei-LOT. (S)

חכֻּלָּם֙ אֲחֻ֣זֵי חֶ֔רֶב מְלֻמְּדֵ֖י מִלְחָמָ֑ה אִ֤ישׁ חַרְבּוֹ֙ עַל־יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִפַּ֖חַד בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃

9King Shlomo made him a palanquin Of wood from Lebanon.

a-pir-YON a-SAH lo ha-ME-lekh she-LO-mo me-a-tzei ha-le-va-NON

טאַפִּרְי֗וֹן עָ֤שָׂה לוֹ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵעֲצֵ֖י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃

10He made its posts of silver, Its back of gold, Its seat of purple wool. Within, it was decked with love By the maidens of Yerushalayim.

a-mu-DAV a-SAH KHE-sef r'-fee-da-TO za-HAV mer-ka-VO ar-ga-MAN to-KHO ra-TZUF a-ha-VAH mi-b'-NOT y'-ru-sha-LA-im

יעַמּוּדָיו֙ עָ֣שָׂה כֶ֔סֶף רְפִידָת֣וֹ זָהָ֔ב מֶרְכָּב֖וֹ אַרְגָּמָ֑ן תּוֹכוֹ֙ רָצ֣וּף אַהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

 3:10   By the maidens of Yerushalayim

Jerusalem

In a number of places throughout Shir Hashirim in addition to this verse, the “maidens” or “daughters” of Yerushalayim represent the nations of the world (see 1:5, 2:7, 3:5, 5:8, 8:4). The medieval commentator Rashi explains that this is because in the future, Yerushalayim will be the metropolis of all countries, and all people will accept its centrality. Though the nations of the world will one day accept Yerushalayim as their political and religious capital, the Jewish people have always seen it as their eternal capital, providing inspiration and the means for fulfilling their spiritual needs even when they were in exile.

11O maidens of Tzion, go forth And gaze upon King Shlomo Wearing the crown that his mother Gave him on his wedding day, On his day of bliss.

t'-E-na u-r'-E-na b'-not tzi-YON ba-ME-lekh sh'-LO-mo ba-a-ta-RAH sh'-i-t'-RAH-lo i-MO b'-YOM cha-tu-NA-to u-v'-YOM sim-CHAT li-BO

יאצְאֶ֧נָה ׀ וּֽרְאֶ֛ינָה בְּנ֥וֹת צִיּ֖וֹן בַּמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה בָּעֲטָרָ֗ה שֶׁעִטְּרָה־לּ֤וֹ אִמּוֹ֙ בְּי֣וֹם חֲתֻנָּת֔וֹ וּבְי֖וֹם שִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ׃