Chapter 3

1On my bed at night, I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him but I did not find him.   אעַל־מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָֽהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו:
On my bed at night. when I was troubled; when I sat in the dark for the entire thirty-eight years that the Israelites were under reproach.   עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי בַּלֵּילוֹת.  בַּצַּר לִי, שֶׁיָּשַׁבְתִּי אֲפֵלָה כָּל שְׁלשִׁים וּשְׁמֹנֶה שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נְזוּפִים:
I sought him but I did not find him. (Exod. 33:3): “For I shall not go up in your midst;” (Deut. 1:42): “for I am not in your midst.”   בִּקַּשְׁתִּיו וְלֹא מְצָאתִיו.  "כִּי לֹא אֶעֱלֶה בְּקִרְבְּךָ", "כִּי אֵינֶנִּי בְּקִרְבְּכֶם":
2I will arise now and go about the city, in the market places and in the city squares. I will seek him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but I did not find him.   באָק֨וּמָה נָּ֜א וַֽאֲסֽוֹבְבָ֣ה בָעִ֗יר בַּשְּׁוָקִים֙ וּבָ֣רְחֹב֔וֹת אֲבַקְשָׁ֕ה אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָֽהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו:
I will arise now, etc., I will seek. (Exod. 32:11): “And Moses prayed;” (ibid. verse 30): “I will go up to the Lord.”   אָקוּמָה נָּא וגו' אֲבַקְשָׁה.  "וַיְחַל משֶׁה", "אֶעֱלֶה אֶל ה'":
3The watchmen who patrol the city found me: "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"   גמְצָא֨וּנִי֙ הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים הַסֹּֽבְבִ֖ים בָּעִ֑יר אֵ֛ת שֶׁאָֽהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י רְאִיתֶֽם:
The watchmen who patrol the city found me. Moses and Aaron.   מְצָאוּנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים.  משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן:
Have you seen him whom my soul loves. What did you find in His mouth?   אֵת שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי רְאִיתֶם.  מַה מְּצָאתֶם בְּפִיו?
4I had just passed them by, when I found him whom my soul loves; I held him and would not let him go, until I brought him into my mother's house and into the chamber of her who had conceived me.   דכִּמְעַט֙ שֶֽׁעָבַ֣רְתִּי מֵהֶ֔ם עַ֣ד שֶֽׁמָּצָ֔אתִי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָֽהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י אֲחַזְתִּיו֙ וְלֹ֣א אַרְפֶּ֔נּוּ עַד־שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אִמִּ֔י וְאֶל־חֶ֖דֶר הֽוֹרָתִֽי:
I had just passed them. shortly before their separation from me, at the end of the forty years.   כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי מֵהֶם.  קָרוֹב לִפְרִישָׁתָם מִמֶּנִּי לְסוֹף אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה:
when I found. that He was with me in the days of Joshua to vanquish the thirty-one kings.   עַד שֶׁמָּצָאתִי.  שֶׁהָיָה עִמִּי בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לִכְבּשׁ שְׁלשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים:
I held him and would not let him go. I did not loosen my grasp from Him until I brought Him to the Tabernacle at Shiloh because of all that He had done for me.   אֲחַזְתִּיו וְלֹא אַרְפֶּנּוּ.  לֹא נָתַתִּי לוֹ רִפְיוֹן עַד שֶׁהֲבִיאוֹתִיו אֶל מִשְׁכַּן שִׁילֹה בִּשְׁבִיל כָּל זֹאת שֶׁעָשָׂה לִי:
5I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, that you neither awaken nor arouse the love while it is desirous.   ההִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלַ֙ ִם֙ בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ | וְֽאִם־תְּעֽוֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַֽהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ:
I adjure you. [you] nations, while I am exiled among you.   הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם.  הָאֻמּוֹת, בִּהְיוֹתִי גוֹלָה בֵינֵיכֶם:
that you neither awaken nor arouse. my beloved’s love from me through seduction or enticement to forsake him, to turn from following him.   אִם תָּעִירוּ וְאִם תְּעוֹרְרוּ.  אַהֲבַת דּוֹדִי מִמֶּנִּי עַל יְדֵי פִתּוּי וַהֲסָתָה, לְעָזְבוֹ וְלָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרָיו:
while it is desirous. as long as I still desire his love.   עַד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּץ.  בְּעוֹד שֶׁאַהֲבָתוֹ חָפֵץ עָלַי:
6Who is this coming up from the desert, like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, of all the powder of the peddler?   ומִ֣י זֹ֗את עֹלָה֙ מִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר כְּתִֽימְר֖וֹת עָשָׁ֑ן מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת מֹר֙ וּלְבוֹנָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל אַבְקַ֥ת רוֹכֵֽל:
Who is this coming up from the desert. When I was traveling through the desert and the pillar of fire and cloud were going before me and killing the snakes and scorpions and burning the thorns and thistles to make a straight road, and the cloud and the smoke were ascending, the nations saw them, and were astounded by my greatness, and they said, “Who is this,” i.e., “How great is this one coming up from the desert, etc.!”   מִי זֹאת עֹלָה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר.  כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי מְהַלֶּכֶת בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהָיָה עַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ וְהֶעָנָן הוֹלְכִים לְפָנַי וְהוֹרְגִים נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים וְשׂוֹרְפִין הַקּוֹצִים וְהַבַּרְקָנִים לַעֲשׂוֹת דֶּרֶךְ מִישׁוֹר, וְהָיָה הֶעָנָן וְהֶעָשָׁן וְרוֹאִין אוֹתָן הָאֻמּוֹת וּמַתְמִיהוֹת עַל גְּדֻלָּתִי, וְאוֹמְרוֹת: "מִי זֹאת"? כְּלוֹמַר, כַּמָּה גְדוֹלָה הִיא זֹאת הָעוֹלָה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר וגו':
like columns of smoke. Heb. כְּתִימְרוֹת, tall and erect as a palm tree (תָּמָר).   כְּתִימְרוֹת עָשָׁן.  גָּבֹהַּ וְזָקוּף כְּתָמָר:
perfumed with myrrh. the cloud of incense which would rise straight up from the inner altar.   מְקֻטֶּרֶת מֹר.  עַל שֵׁם עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁהָיָה מִתַּמֵּר מֵעַל מִזְבֵּחַ הַפְּנִימִי:
the peddler. a spice merchant who sells all types of spices.   רוֹכֵל.  בַּשָׂם הַמּוֹכֵר כָּל מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים:
powder. Heb. אַבְקַת, since they crush it and pound it as fine as dust (אַבַק).   אַבְקַת.  עַל שֵׁם שֶׁכּוֹתְשִׁין אוֹתוֹ וְשׁוֹחֲקִין הָדֵק כְּאָבָק:
7Behold the litter of Solomon; sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.   זהִנֵּ֗ה מִטָּתוֹ֙ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה שִׁשִּׁ֥ים גִּבֹּרִ֖ים סָבִ֣יב לָ֑הּ מִגִּבֹּרֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Behold the litter of Solomon. the Tent of Meeting and the Ark, which they carried in the desert.   הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה.  אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהָאָרוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹשְׂאִין בַּמִּדְבָּר:
sixty mighty men are around it. sixty myriad surround it.   שִׁשִּׁים גִּבֹּרִים סָבִיב לָהּ.  שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא סָבִיב לָהּ:
of the mighty men of Israel. of those who go out to the army, in addition to those under twenty [years of age] and those over sixty.   מִגִּבֹּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  מִיּוֹצְאֵי הַצָּבָא, לְבַד פְּחוּתִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים וְהַיְתֵרִים עַל בְּנֵי שִׁשִּׁים:
8They all hold the sword, skilled in warfare; each one with his sword on his thigh because of fear at night.   חכֻּלָּם֙ אֲחֻ֣זֵי חֶ֔רֶב מְלֻמְּדֵ֖י מִלְחָמָ֑ה אִ֤ישׁ חַרְבּוֹ֙ עַל־יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִפַּ֖חַד בַּלֵּילֽוֹת:
skilled in warfare. the war of Torah, and similarly, the priests who surround it, who camp around the Tabernacle, skilled in the order of their service.   מְלֻמְּדֵי מִלְחָמָה.  מִלְחַמְתָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, וְכֵן הַכֹּהֲנִים הַסּוֹבְבִים אוֹתָהּ הַחוֹנִים סְבִיבוֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, מְלֻמְּדֵי סֵדֶר עֲבוֹדָתָם:
each one with his sword. his weapons. These are the Masorah and the mnemonics, by which they preserve the correct version [of the Oral Law] and the masorah (the traditional spelling and reading of the Scriptures), lest it be forgotten.   אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ.  כְּלֵי זֵינוֹ הֵן מְסֹרֶת וְסִימָנִים, שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִים עַל יָדָם אֶת הַגִּרְסָא וְהַמְסוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא תִשְׁתַּכַּח:
because of fear at night. lest they forget it, and troubles will befall them, and so Scripture says (Ps. 2:12): “Arm yourselves with the grain [of Torah] lest He become angry and you perish on the way.”   מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת.  פֶּן יִשְׁכָּחוּהָ, וְיָבוֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם צָרוֹת וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: "נַשְּׁקוּ בַר פֶּן יֶאֱנַף וְתאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ":
9King Solomon made himself a palanquin of the trees of Lebanon.   טאַפִּרְי֗וֹן עָ֤שָׂה לוֹ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵֽעֲצֵ֖י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן:
King Solomon made himself a palanquin. This refers to the Tent of Meeting, which was established in the Tabernacle at Shiloh. He made Himself a crowning canopy for glory.   אַפִּרְיוֹן עָשָׂה לוֹ.  זֶה אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד שֶׁנִּקְבַּע בְּמִשְׁכַּן שִׁילֹה, עָשָׂה לוֹ אַפִּרְיוֹן, חֻפַּת כֶּתֶר לְכָבוֹד:
10Its pillars he made of silver, its couch of gold, its curtain of purple, its interior inlaid with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.   יעַמּוּדָיו֙ עָ֣שָׂה כֶ֔סֶף רְפִֽידָת֣וֹ זָהָ֔ב מֶרְכָּב֖וֹ אַרְגָּמָ֑ן תּוֹכוֹ֙ רָצ֣וּף אַֽהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלָֽ ִם:
its couch of gold. His couch and His dwelling were on the Ark cover, which is gold.   רְפִידָתוֹ.  מִשְׁכָּבוֹ וּמִשְׁכָּנוֹ עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת שֶׁהוּא זָהָב:
its curtain of purple. Heb. מֶרְכָּבוֹ. This is the dividing curtain, which hangs and “rides” (רוֹכֵב) on poles from pillar to pillar.   מֶרְכָּבוֹ אַרְגָּמָן.  זֶה הַפָּרֹכֶת, שֶׁהָיָה תָלוּי וְ'רוֹכֵב' עַל כְּלוֹנְסָאוֹת מֵעַמּוּד לְעַמּוּד:
its interior inlaid. arranged with a floor of love-the Ark with an Ark cover, cherubim, and Tablets.   תּוֹכוֹ רָצוּף.  סָדוּר בְּרִצְפַּת אַהֲבָה, אָרוֹן וְכַפֹּרֶת וּכְרוּבִים וְלוּחוֹת:
from the daughters of Jerusalem. Heb. יְרוּשָּׁלָיִם. These are the Israelites, who fear (יְרֵאִים) and are wholehearted (שְּׁלֵמִים) with the Holy One, blessed be He.   מִבְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם.  אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְרֵאִים וּשְׁלֵמִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
11Go out, O daughters of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon, upon the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his nuptials and on the day of the joy of his heart.   יאצְאֶ֧ינָה | וּֽרְאֶ֛ינָה בְּנ֥וֹת צִיּ֖וֹן בַּמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה בָּֽעֲטָרָ֗ה שֶֽׁעִטְּרָה־לּ֤וֹ אִמּוֹ֙ בְּי֣וֹם חֲתֻנָּת֔וֹ וּבְי֖וֹם שִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ:
O daughters of Zion. Heb. צִיוֹן. [This refers to] the sons, who are distinguished (מְצֻיָנִין) for Him with circumcision, phylacteries, and ritual fringes.   בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן.  בָּנִים שֶׁמְּצֻיָּנִין לוֹ בְמִילָה וּבִתְפִלִּין וּבְצִיצִית: בַּעֲטָרָה
upon the crown with which his mother crowned him. [This refers to] the Tent of Meeting, which is crowned with hues: blue, purple, and crimson. Rabbi Nehunia said: Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai asked Rabbi Eleazar the son of Rabbi Jose, “Perhaps you heard from your father what the meaning of ‘upon the crown with which his mother crowned him’ is?” He replied: "This is a parable of a king who had an only daughter of whom he was very fond. He could not stop loving her until he called her 'my daughter,' as it is said (Ps. 45:11): 'Hearken, daughter, and see.' He could not stop loving her until he called her 'my sister,' as it is said (below 5:2): 'Open for me, my sister, my beloved.' He could not stop loving her until he called her 'my mother,' as it is said (Isa. 51:4): 'Hearken to Me, My people, and My nation (וּלְאוּמִי), bend your ears.' It is written: וּלְאֻמִי [which can be read as וּלְאִמִי, and to my mother]." Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai stood up and kissed him on his head, etc.   שֶׁעִטְּרָה לּוֹ אִמּוֹ.  אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד שֶׁהוּא מְעֻטָּר בְּגַוָּנִין: תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי. אָמַר רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא: שָׁאַל רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי אֶת רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי: אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתָּ מֵאָבִיךָ מַהוּ: "בַּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ"? אָמַר לוֹ: מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ בַת יְחִידָה וְהָיָה אוֹהֲבָהּ בְּיוֹתֵר. לֹא זָז מֵחַבְּבָהּ עַד שֶׁקְּרָאָהּ בִּתִּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שִׁמְעִי בַת וּרְאִי". לֹא זָז מֵחַבְּבָהּ עַד שֶׁקְּרָאָהּ אֲחוֹתִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחֹתִי רַעְיָתִי". לֹא זָז מֵחַבְּבָהּ עַד שֶׁקְּרָאָהּ אִמִּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הַקְשִׁיבוּ אֵלַי עַמִּי וּלְאֻמִּי אֵלַי הַאֲזִינוּ". "וּלְאִמִּי" כְּתִיב. עָמַד רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי וּנְשָׁקוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וכו':
on the day of his nuptials. the day of the giving of the Torah, when they crowned Him King for themselves and accepted His yoke.   בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ.  יוֹם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, שֶׁעִטְּרוּהוּ לָהֶם לְמֶלֶךְ וְקִבְּלוּ עֻלּוֹ:
and on the day of the joy of his heart. This refers to the eighth day of the inauguration, when the Tabernacle in the desert was dedicated.   וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ.  זֶה שְׁמִינִי לְמִלּוּאִים, שֶׁנִּתְחַנֵּךְ בּוֹ הַמִּשְׁכָּן בַּמִּדְבָּר: