Reference ID Tags SupportReference Quote Occurrence Note
front:intro an3g 0 # Introduction to the Song of Songs\n\n## Part 1: General Introduction\n\n### Outline of the Song of Songs\n\n1. The bride longs for the bridegroom to arrive (1:1–2:7)\n1. The bridegroom praises the woman he loves (2:8–3:5)\n1. The bridegroom arrives and praises the bride (3:6–5:1)\n1. The bride longs for the bridegroom (5:2–6:9)\n1. The bridegroom praises the beauty of his bride (6:1–8:4)\n1. Final thoughts about love between a man and a woman (8:5–14)\n\n### What is the Song of Songs about?\n\nThe Song of Songs is a poem or a series of poems that celebrate love and intimacy between a man and a woman. Jews traditionally have interpreted the book as a picture of God’s love for his people Israel. In the same way, many Christians interpret it as a picture of love between Christ and his bride, the church of all believers.\n\n### Who wrote the Song of Songs?\n\nThe first verse of the book (“The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s”) gives the idea that King Solomon of Israel wrote it. However, people have interpreted this verse in different ways, so not everyone is persuaded that Solomon wrote it.\n\n### How should the title of this book be translated?\n\nThis book is traditionally titled “Song of Songs,” which means the very best song, or “Song of Solomon.” It may also be called “Songs of Love,” “Great Poems of Love,” or “The Love Songs of Solomon.” (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])\n\n## Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts\n\n### What place do the descriptions of sexual behavior have in the Song of Songs?\n\nThe Song of Songs approves of sexual behavior expressing love between a husband his wife.\n\n## Part 3: Important Translation Issues\n\n### How many characters are in the Song of Songs?\n\nThe two main characters in this book are the man and the woman, who love each other. The woman also speaks to a group of women called the “daughters of Jerusalem,” and these women make comments. However, it is possible that the group of women is not real and the woman is only imagining them.\n\nSome interpreters believe there may be more characters than these, but this is not certain. The ULT and UST versions recognize only the man, the woman, and the group of women.\n\n### What are the lines about people speaking?\n\nThe Song of Songs is a poem that shows the thoughts and words of a man, a woman, and the woman’s friends. Throughout the poem, the author does not identify the speakers and their audience. So to help readers understand the poem, some translations attempt to identify the speaker and the audience. It is not always certain who the speaker is, so sometimes translations disagree about who is speaking.\n\nBefore each speech, the ULT identifies the speaker and the audience like this: “The woman speaking to the other women,” “The woman speaking to the man,” “The man speaking to the woman,” or “The woman speaking to herself.” Translators are encouraged to include these ways of identifying the speaker and the audience, and to format them differently from the scripture text. The translators should also include a note explaining that these explanations are not actually part of the scripture.\n\n### How should one translate the Song of Songs if the readers will view certain terms as coarse, vulgar, or improper?\n\nReaders might consider many images or forms appearing in the Song of Songs as improper when translated. The translator should try to avoid offensive language if possible, by using expressions that will not cause offense. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism]])\n\n### How do I translate metaphors and similes in this book?\n\nThere are many metaphors and similes in this book. These figures of speech are often unclear. If they have sexual meanings, figures of speech describing feelings or emotions are often used to avoid offense by hiding their meaning. However, since their meanings are often unclear, ambiguity in translation is encouraged. You can translate the words as they are written in order to avoid
1:intro xrm2 0 # Song of Songs 1 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Kisses\n\nThe kisses in this chapter are a type of kiss that was only done between a husband a wife. It is an intimate kiss. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])\n\n### Love and affection\n\nThis chapter is centered on the feelings of love, affection, and attraction. Different cultural standards may make translation difficult and the translator may use euphemisms to avoid offending people. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism]])\n\n## Important figures of speech in this chapter\n\n### Metaphors\n\nIn the ancient Near East, it was common to describe a woman using metaphors involving animals. In many cultures today, this can be considered offensive. Different metaphors of beauty are used in different cultures. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])\n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### “I am dark”\nIn the ancient Near East, rich people usually had lighter skin because they did not need to work outside in the sun. This young woman had to work out in the sun, and her skin became darker than it was when she was younger.
1:1 dsf1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה 1 This verse is the title of this book. Use whatever formatting convention is most natural in your language for indicating that something is the title of a poem or song. The ULT places this line further to the left than the other lines in this book to indicate that this verse is the title of the book.
1:1 qbe2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים 1 The possessive form is being used here to indicate a comparison with other **songs** and to show that this **song** is the best or greatest of all **songs**. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use another form to indicate this. Alternate translation: “The best song” or “The most excellent song” or “The greatest song”
1:1 r5ns לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה 1 The phrase **of Solomon** could mean: (1) Solomon wrote this song. Alternate translation: “Solomon wrote” (2) this song was dedicated to Solomon. Alternate translation: “is dedicated to Solomon” (3) this song was about Solomon. Alternate translation: “is about Solomon”
1:2-4 fna4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry יִשָּׁקֵ֨נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיק֣וֹת פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־טוֹבִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן׃ לְרֵ֨יחַ֙ שְׁמָנֶ֣יךָ טוֹבִ֔ים שֶׁ֖מֶן תּוּרַ֣ק שְׁמֶ֑ךָ עַל־כֵּ֖ן עֲלָמ֥וֹת אֲהֵבֽוּךָ׃ 1 These lines of poetry most likely indicate thoughts or words that the woman is speaking or thinking to herself while she is alone. Your language may have a way of indicating speech that is expressed toward a person who is not present to hear what is being said.
1:2 tulv rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry יִשָּׁקֵ֨נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיק֣וֹת 1 The author is using an emphatic form to indicate the fervor and intensity of the desired kisses. Consider using a natural way in your language to indicate this. Alternate translation: “Let him kiss me again and again with the kisses of” or “Let him cover my face with the kisses of”
1:2 d9mu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-yousingular דֹּדֶ֖יךָ 1 In this book every occurrence of the words **you** and **your** are singular. Your language may require you to mark these forms.
1:2 th64 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns טוֹבִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with a verbal form or in another way. Alternate translation: “the way you love me is better” or “your loving is better”
1:2 nze7 טוֹבִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן 1 Alternate translation: “I enjoy having you near me more than I enjoy drinking wine” or “your love is more pleasant than wine”
1:3 j5ka לְרֵ֨יחַ֙ 1 The Hebrew word which the ULT translates as **As for** could: (1) indicate reference, in which case it should be translated as the ULT translates it or with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “In reference to the smell of” or (2) indicate emphasis or be making an assertion. Alternate translation: “Truly, the smell of” or “Indeed, the smell of”
1:3 si36 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit שְׁמָנֶ֣יךָ טוֹבִ֔ים 1 Here, **oils** refers to colognes or perfumes. In the authors culture pleasant smelling spices were mixed into olive oil in order to make a pleasant smelling perfume which was then put on the skin. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. If men do not use put pleasant smelling things on their skin in your culture you could say that the man being spoken of here smells pleasant. Alternate translation: “your colognes—they are good” or “your scented oils—they are good” or “your skin—it is good” or “your body—it is good”
1:3 z9t3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy שֶׁ֖מֶן תּוּרַ֣ק שְׁמֶ֑ךָ 1 The woman is describing the man she loves and his reputation by association with his **name**. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: “oil poured out is your reputation” or “oil poured out is the honor that people give to you”
1:3 ijen rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor שֶׁ֖מֶן תּוּרַ֣ק שְׁמֶ֑ךָ 1 The woman makes a comparison between the man’s reputation (which she refers to as his **name**) and scented oil that is poured out after which the good smell of the oil spreads as the air moves. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the comparison. Alternate translation: “your reputation spreads more and more like the scent of perfume which spreads after it has been poured out”
1:3 pj62 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result עַל־כֵּ֖ן 1 The words translated as **Therefore** indicate that what follows is a result of what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a result of what came before. Alternate translation: “As a result”
1:4 v83t rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-you אַחֲרֶ֣יךָ 1 The word **you** refers to the man and so is singular. Your language may require you to mark this form. In this book every occurrence of the words **you** and **your** are singular.
1:4 ty2p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive נָּר֑וּצָה 1 The word **us** refers to the young woman and the man that she is addressing so **us** is inclusive. Your language may require you to mark these forms. Alternate translation: “let you and I run”
1:4 xpoe rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit נָּר֑וּצָה 1 Here, the woman uses **run** as a poetic way of expressing her desire that she and the man she loves hurry and go away together. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “let us hurry” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
1:4 vpdi rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ 1 Here, the woman speaks of the man she loves as if he were **The king**. Here, the term **king** is a term of endearment and is an affectionate way for the woman to refer to the man she loves. The woman is not speaking of an actual king but rather this is a poetic way of speaking. The woman is still speaking of the same man that she was speaking of in [1:2-3](../01/02.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning by using a simile. Alternate translation: “He whom I love is like a king to me and” or “He who is like a king to me”
1:4 ieqb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit הֱבִיאַ֨נִי הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ 1 The original language word which the ULT translates as **he has brought me** could be describing: (1) a request or wish that the woman has. If it would help your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “May the king bring me” (2) an action that has already happened. Alternate translation: “The king brought me”
1:4 aoaz rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go הֱבִיאַ֨נִי 1 Your language may say “taken” rather than **brought** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “has taken me”
1:4 at7l נָגִ֤ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ נַזְכִּ֤ירָה דֹדֶ֨יךָ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן 1 The **us** in these two lines could: (1) be a group of young women speaking about the man. Alternate translation: “We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will profess your love more than wine” (2) be the woman continuing to speak to the man she loves and using **us** to refer to herself. Alternate translation: “May I be glad and rejoice in you. May I profess your love more than wine” (3) be the woman continuing to speak and using **us** to refer to herself and the man. Alternate translation: “Let you and I be glad and rejoice in you. Let you and I profess your love more than wine”\n
1:4 isr6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive נָּר֑וּצָה…נָגִ֤ילָה…נַזְכִּ֤ירָה 1 The word *us** is inclusive all three times that it occurs in this verse. Your language may require you to mark these forms. (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]])
1:4 ku0t rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet נָגִ֤ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה֙ 1 The terms **glad** and **rejoice** mean similar things. The author is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: “Let us greatly rejoice” or “Let us rejoice greatly”
1:4 geq4 נַזְכִּ֤ירָה 1 Alternate translation: “Let us praise”
1:4 rc0e מִיַּ֔יִן 1 The phrase **more than wine** could mean: (1) that the women would **profess** the man’s **love** as **more** delightful **than wine**. Alternate translation: “as being more delightful than wine” (2) that the women would **profess** the delightfulness of the man’s **love more than** they would **profess** the delightfulness of **wine**. Alternate translation: “more than we profess wine”
1:4 pmvq rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns דֹדֶ֨יךָ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with a verbal form or in another way. Alternate translation: “the way you love is better than wine” or “the way you love me is better than wine”
1:4 so9x מֵישָׁרִ֖ים אֲהֵבֽוּךָ 1 Here the speaker could be: (1) the woman speaking to the man about the young women who admire him. Alternate translation: “rightly do the young women love you” (2) the young women speaking of other women who admire the man. Alternate translation: “rightly do the other young women love you” or “rightly do the young women love you”. You may wish to indicate who the presumed speaker is here by placing a heading above this section as modeled by the UST.
1:4 gxfw אֲהֵבֽוּךָ 1 Alternate translation: “do they admire you”
1:4 ag8r מֵישָׁרִ֖ים אֲהֵבֽוּךָ 1 Alternate translation: “it is right that other young women adore you” or “no wonder other young women adore you”
1:5 ez2x rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit שְׁחוֹרָ֤ה אֲנִי֙ 1 Here, **I am black** means “My skin is black” or “My skin is very dark.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “My skin is black” or “My skin is very dark”
1:5 jpj9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast וְֽנָאוָ֔ה 1 Here, the word **but** is introducing a contrast. What follows the word **But** is in contrast to what was expected, because in the author’s culture it was not considered attractive for a woman to have skin that was dark as a result of much exposure to the sun. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a contrast. Alternate translation: “yet lovely” or “but still lovely”
1:5 ck9k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession בְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 The woman is using the possessive form to poetically describe where the young women (whom she calls **daughters**) live. The phrase **daughters of Jerusalem** refers to the young women who were from the city of Jerusalem (These are probably the same women as the “marriageable women” in [1:3](../01/03.md) and the women referred to as “they” in [1:4](../01/04.md)). If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could indicate the association between these young women and **Jerusalem** in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “daughters from Jerusalem” or “young women from Jerusalem”
1:5 rbb3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile כְּאָהֳלֵ֣י קֵדָ֔ר כִּירִיע֖וֹת שְׁלֹמֹֽה 1 The Kedar were a tribe of people who used black goat skins to make their tents, thus their tents were dark in color. The woman is comparing her skin to these tents which were dark in color. The phrase **the curtains of Solomon** refers to the curtains in Solomon’s palace which were very beautiful. The point of the first comparison is that the woman’s skin was dark (referring back to and further describing the word **black**) and the point of the second comparison is that the woman was beautiful (referring back to and further describing the word **lovely**). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use equivalent comparisons from your culture or you could retain these similes and express these meanings as plainly as possible. Alternate translation: “like the dark color of the tents of the people of the tribe Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon’s palace” or “as dark as the color of the tents of Kedar, as beautiful as the curtains in Solomon’s palace”
1:6 avcq אַל־ תִּרְא֨וּנִי֙ 1 The phrase **Do not look at me** could mean: (1) that the woman does not want people to look at her with contempt. Alternate translation: “Do not look at me with contempt” or “Do not look down on me” or “Do not look at me disapprovingly” (2) that the woman does not want people to stare at her in admiration of her beauty. Alternate translation: “Do not stare at me because I am so beautiful”
1:6 gy5l rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result שֶׁאֲנִ֣י 1 The word **that** indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: “because”
1:6 nqqb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit שֶׁאֲנִ֣י שְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶת 1 Here, **I am black** means “my skin is black” or “my skin is very dark” as it did in [1:5](../01/05.md). If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “that my skin is black” or “that my skin is very dark”
1:6 im6w rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result שֶׁשֱּׁזָפַ֖תְנִי הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ 1 The word **that** indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: “because the sun scorched me”
1:6 thz7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit שֶׁשֱּׁזָפַ֖תְנִי הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ 1 The phrase **the sun scorched me** refers to sunlight shining on the skin and means “the sun burned me” or “the sun tanned my skin dark.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “that the sun burned me” or “that the sun turned my skin brown” or “that the sun tanned my skin.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
1:6 v86f נֹטֵרָ֣ה אֶת־הַכְּרָמִ֔ים כַּרְמִ֥י שֶׁלִּ֖י לֹ֥א נָטָֽרְתִּי 1 Alternate translation: “as caretaker of the vineyards—my vineyard that is mine, I have not taken care of”
1:6 w18k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor כַּרְמִ֥י שֶׁלִּ֖י לֹ֥א נָטָֽרְתִּי 1 The woman is probably using the phrase **my vineyard** to refer to her complexion. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “my skin, I have not protected from the sun” or “my complexion, I have not protected from the sun”
1:7 f9hi rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche שֶׁ֤אָהֲבָה֙ נַפְשִׁ֔י 1 The woman is using one part of herself, her **soul**, to represent all of her. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “you whom I love”
1:7 mpbu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis אֵיכָ֣ה תִרְעֶ֔ה 1 The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: “where do you graze your flock” or “where do you graze your sheep”
1:7 wsmm rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism אֵיכָ֣ה תִרְעֶ֔ה אֵיכָ֖ה תַּרְבִּ֣יץ בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם 1 The phrase **where do you graze** and the phrase **Where do you make your flocks lie down at noontime** mean basically the same thing. The second phrase emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if saying very similar things twice might confuse your readers, you could combine the phrases into one. Alternate translation: “Where do you pasture your flocks in the middle of the day”
1:7 v54w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion שַׁלָּמָ֤ה אֶֽהְיֶה֙ כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה עַ֖ל עֶדְרֵ֥י חֲבֵרֶֽיךָ 1 The woman is not asking for information, but is using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate her words as a statement, a request, or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “I do not want to be like a woman who covers herself\nbeside the flocks of your companions” or “Please do not let me be like a woman who covers herself\nbeside the flocks of your companions” or “Tell me so that I will not be like a woman who covers herself\nbeside the flocks of your companions”
1:7 f5eb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה עַ֖ל עֶדְרֵ֥י חֲבֵרֶֽיךָ 1 The phrase **covers herself** means **covers herself with a veil** and the phrase **your companions** refers to the other shepherds who pastured their animals near the flocks of the man and were probably his friends. If it would help your readers, you could express these phrases explicitly. Alternate translation: “like a woman who covers herself with a veil beside the flocks of the other shepherds”
1:7 v6rs rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile שַׁלָּמָ֤ה אֶֽהְיֶה֙ כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה עַ֖ל עֶדְרֵ֥י חֲבֵרֶֽיךָ 1 In the authors culture women who were prostitutes often covered their faces with a veil so that people would not recognize them. It would not be normal for a young unmarried woman to be wandering among shepherds and the woman did not want to be mistaken for a prostitute. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the basis of this comparison. Alternate translation: “Tell me where you pasture your flocks so that I will not need to wander around among the flocks of your companions like a prostitute when I am looking for you” or “For why should I be like a prostitute who covers herself with a veil and wanders about\nbeside the flocks of your companions”
1:8 lc64 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical אִם־ לֹ֤א תֵדְעִי֙ לָ֔ךְ הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים צְֽאִי־ לָ֞ךְ 1 If it would help your readers to see that this is a conditional statement then you could supply a word like “then” in your translation. Alternate translation: “If you do not know, most beautiful among women, then go out”
1:8 fu4f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure אִם־ לֹ֤א תֵדְעִי֙ לָ֔ךְ הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים 1 If it would be more natural in your language you could begin this verse with the phrase **most beautiful among women**. Alternate translation: “Most beautiful among women, if you do not know”
1:8 nky4 הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים 1 Alternate translation: “you who are the most beautiful of all women”
1:8 sy7k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go צְֽאִי־ לָ֞ךְ 1 Your language may say “come” rather than **go** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “come out”
1:8 al9c וּרְעִי֙ אֶת־ גְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְ 1 Alternate translation: “and let your young goats graze” or “and graze your young goats”
1:8 fis9 וּרְעִי֙ אֶת־ גְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְ 1 Alternate translation: “graze your young goats” or “let your young goats eat”
1:9 j8xv rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure לְסֻסָתִי֙ בְּרִכְבֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה דִּמִּיתִ֖יךְ רַעְיָתִֽ 1 If it would be more natural in your language you could begin this verse with the phrase **my darling**. Alternate translation: “My darling, I liken you to a mare among the chariots of Pharaoh”
1:9 gw76 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile לְסֻסָתִי֙ בְּרִכְבֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה דִּמִּיתִ֖יךְ 1 Here, it is implied that the man is comparing the woman to the beauty of a mare and not to other other qualities of a horse. The king of Egypt’s horses were known to be the best in the world and so they would have been very beautiful. If it would help your readers you could explain the point of this comparison. Alternate translation: “Your beauty is like the beauty of Pharaoh’s chariot horses” or “I compare your beauty to the beauty of Pharaoh’s chariot horses”
1:9 zyj5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy בְּרִכְבֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה 1 The man is using the phrase **the chariots** to mean “the horses that pull the chariots.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “among the horses that pull Pharaoh’s chariots” or “among the horses that pull the chariots of Pharaoh”
1:9 lnbo rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit פַרְעֹ֔ה 1 Here, the term **Pharaoh** does not refer to a specific Egyptian king but is a title used to designate the acting king of Egypt. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “the king of Egypt”
1:10 hrjd rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בַּתֹּרִ֔ים 1 The term the man uses, which the ULT translates as **earrings**, is a term which refers to strings of small ornaments or jewels which apparently hung down the side of one’s face. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of jewelry you could use a more general term and, if you are using footnotes, you could make a footnote explaining this type of jewelry. Alternate translation: “with neck ornaments” or “strings of jewels”
1:10 u7h9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בַּחֲרוּזִֽים 1 **necklaces** are a type of jewelry worn around the neck in order to make a person look more attractive. If your readers would not be familiar with **necklaces**, you could use the name of something similar in your area worn around the neck for the purpose of looking nice or you could use a more general term and, if it would help your readers, you could make a footnote explaining what a necklace is if you are using footnotes. Alternate translation: “with neck ornaments” or “strings of jewels”
1:11 yuyp rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown תּוֹרֵ֤י 1 See how you translated the term “earrings” in the previous verse.
1:11 dza7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-pronouns נַעֲשֶׂה 1 The man speaks as if he were many people. Some versions change this to singular “I.” Other versions take these to be the words of the woman’s friends. (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]])
1:11 bp6l עִ֖ם נְקֻדּ֥וֹת הַכָּֽסֶף 1 Alternate translation: “with beads of silver” or “that are decorated with silver”
1:12 kec9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor שֶׁ֤הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ 1 See how you translated the phrase “The king” in [1:4](../01/04.md) where it is used with the same meaning.
1:12 zt7d בִּמְסִבּ֔וֹ 1 The word which the ULT translates as **couch** could: (1) refer to a couch and be translated as **couch** as modeled by the ULT. (2) refer to a table. Alternate translation: “was at his table”
1:12 ur66 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown נִרְדִּ֖י 1 The term **nard** refers to pleasant smelling perfumed oil that was made from the roots of the **nard** plant. If your readers would not be familiar with **nard** plants, you could use a general expression or describe what **nard** is. Alternate translation: “my perfumed oil” or “my pleasant smelling perfume made from the nard plant”
1:12 lp8f נָתַ֥ן רֵיחֽוֹ 1 Alternate translation: “gave off its good smell” or “spread its pleasant smell”
1:13 vc5v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor צְר֨וֹר הַמֹּ֤ר ׀ דּוֹדִי֙ לִ֔י בֵּ֥ין שָׁדַ֖י יָלִֽין 1 In the author’s culture women would sometimes place a small bag or pouch of myrrh on a necklace so it would hang on their neck and they could enjoy its pleasant smell. The woman makes a comparison between the enjoyable experience of having a bag of myrrh near her and the enjoyable experience of having the man she loves near her. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use a simile to show the comparison. Alternate translation: “I enjoy having my beloved near me throughout the night like I enjoy the smell of a bag of myrrh”
1:13 d77b rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown הַמֹּ֤ר 1 **myrrh** was a pleasant smelling incense that was made from resin taken from the bark of a certain kind of tree. One of the things it was used for was to make a person smell good. If your readers would not be familiar with **myrrh**, you could use the name of something pleasant smelling in your area that might be used for this purpose or you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: “pleasant smelling perfume”
1:13 bzs7 דּוֹדִי֙ 1 Alternate translation: “is my lover”
1:13 f8y8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism אֶשְׁכֹּ֨ל הַכֹּ֤פֶר ׀ דּוֹדִי֙ לִ֔י 1 If using the word **breasts** would offend your readers, you could use an appropriate euphemism for **breasts** or state the meaning of the phrase **between my breasts it stays** using a more general expression. Alternate translation: “My beloved stays very close to me during the night, like a bundle of myrrh hanging near my chest”
1:13 bl0z יָלִֽין 1 Here, the original language word that the ULT translates with the phrase **it stays** is ambiguous regarding what it is that **stays**. This word could: (1) indicate that the **bundle of myrrh** is what **stays**, in which case it should be translated as something similar to **it stays** as modeled by the ULT. (2) mean that the man **stays**. Alternate translation: “he stays”
1:13 jw0u יָלִֽין 1 Here, the word **stays** could: (1) refer to staying in one place for a prolonged period of time in which case you could translate this word with something similar to **stays** as modeled by the ULT. (2) refer to lying down. Alternate translation: “it lies”
1:14 a6jk rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown הַכֹּ֤פֶר 1 The phrase **henna blossoms** refers to **blossoms** from the **henna** plant which produces clusters of flower blossoms which have a pleasant smell. If your readers would not be familiar with this plant, you could use the name of a plant in your area that has a pleasant smell, you could explain in your translation that henna is a plant that produces fragrant blossoms, or you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: “fragrant flowers” or “fragrant blossoms from the henna plant”
1:14 zh75 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אֶשְׁכֹּ֨ל הַכֹּ֤פֶר ׀ דּוֹדִי֙ לִ֔י בְּכַרְמֵ֖י עֵ֥ין גֶּֽדִי 1 Here, **vineyards of En Gedi** is probably a reference to the woman’s body because at that time **vineyards** were often used to convey a sexual meaning and because the phrase **in the vineyards of Engedi** is in parallel to phrase in the previous verse in which the woman refers to her body by saying that her “beloved” is like a “bundle of myrrh“ which “stays” (the night) “between” her “breasts.” In this verse the woman makes a comparison between the pleasurable experience of the smell of henna blossoms and her enjoyment of having the man she loves near her body. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use a simile to show the comparison. Because the woman describes her body in a poetic way with images, it is recommended that you either maintain these images or select images from your context and language that communicate the same concepts. Alternate translation: “I enjoy being near my beloved’s body like I enjoy the smell of the henna flowers in the vineyards of Engedi” or “I delight in my beloved being near my body like I enjoy the smell of the henna flowers in the vineyards of Engedi”
1:15 tae6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamation הִנָּ֤ךְ…הִנָּ֥ךְ 1 The man is using the term **Behold** to focus attention on what he is about to say. Your language may have a comparable expression that you could use in your translation. Alternate translation: “Look at you! … Look at you!”
1:15 x2d5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism הִנָּ֤ךְ יָפָה֙ רַעְיָתִ֔י הִנָּ֥ךְ יָפָ֖ה עֵינַ֥יִךְ יוֹנִֽים 1 The man uses the phrase **Behold you—you are beautiful** two times for emphasis. If saying the same thing twice might be confusing for your readers, you can combine the phrases into one and provide emphasis in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “Behold you—you are beautiful, my darling. Your eyes are doves”
1:15 m114 רַעְיָתִ֔י 1 See how you translated the phrase **my darling** in [1:9](../01/09.md)
1:15 fb4x rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor עֵינַ֥יִךְ יוֹנִֽים 1 The man makes a comparison between the beauty and gentleness of doves and the woman’s eyes. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use a simile to show the comparison or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “your eyes are like doves” or “your eyes are gentle and beautiful”
1:16 sbi4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamation הִנְּךָ֨ 1 The woman is using the term **Look** to focus attention on what she is about to say. Your language may have a comparable expression that you could use in your translation. Alternate translation: “Behold!”
1:16 febl rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure הִנְּךָ֨ יָפֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ אַ֣ף נָעִ֔ים אַף־ עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ רַעֲנָנָֽה 1 If it would be more natural in your language you could either begin or end this verse with the phrase **my beloved**.
1:16 x3pr דוֹדִי֙ 1 See how you translated the phrase **my beloved** in [1:13](../01/13.md). Alternate translation: “my lover”
1:16 km29 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis אַ֣ף נָעִ֔ים 1 The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: “you are truly pleasant”
1:16 q43e rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ 1 Here, **couch** does not refer to a literal couch but rather to the place where the couple would lie down in the forest. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “the place where we lie down is” or “the place we lie down on like a bed is”
1:16 xed8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit רַעֲנָנָֽה 1 Here, the original language word that the ULT translates as **leafy** refers to plants that are the green color. You could translate **leafy** in a general way such as “green” or if it would help your readers you could indicate specifically what vegetation the word **leafy** refers to. Here, **leafy** could refer to: (1) the grass that the couple layed down on. Alternate translation: “grass” (2) the branches above their meeting place in the forest. Alternate translation: “under the cover of branches” or “shaded by branches”
1:17 v14z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor קֹר֤וֹת בָּתֵּ֨ינוּ֙ אֲרָזִ֔ים רַהִיטֵ֖נוּ בְּרוֹתִֽים 1 Here the woman is speaking of the forest as though it were a **house**, the cedar trees as if they were the **beams** of the house and **pine** trees as if they were the **rafters** of the house. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly or use a simile as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “Our meeting place is shaded by cedar and pine trees” or “Branches of cedar and pine trees will be a canopy over our meeting place”
1:17 c3e5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בְּרוֹתִֽים 1 **pine** is a type of tree that grows tall and close to other trees so that they provide shade from the sun. If your readers would not be familiar with **pine** trees, you could use general phrase describing them or use the name of a tree that grows tall and densely in your area. Alternate translation: “tall leafy trees”
2:intro u8uv 0 # Song of Songs 2 General Notes\n\n## Important figures of speech in this chapter\n\n### Metaphor\n\nWomen are compared to flowers in this chapter. This metaphor may describe a woman’s beauty and delicacy. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])\n\n### Euphemisms\n\nIt is possible that some of the metaphors used in this chapter are actually euphemisms. These euphemisms would refer to sex or the physical love between a husband a wife. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism]])
2:1 cne2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אֲנִי֙ חֲבַצֶּ֣לֶת הַשָּׁר֔וֹן שֽׁוֹשַׁנַּ֖ת הָעֲמָקִֽים 1 The woman is speaking of herself as if she is two different types of flowers in order to make a comparison between herself and these flowers. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly, explain the comparison, or use a simile as modeled by the UST. The reason the woman compares herself to these wildflowers is to express that she thinks she has only common beauty and is no more attractive than the other young women her age. Alternate translation: “I am as common as a wildflower of Sharon or a lily of the valleys” or “my beauty is as common as a wildflower in Sharon or a lily of the valleys”
2:1 ps9x rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown חֲבַצֶּ֣לֶת 1 The original word which the ULT translates as **flower** refers to a specific type of flower which grows on the ground. The exact type of flower that the original word refers to cannot be known with certainty so you could use the name of a pretty wildflower in your area or you could use a general term as modeled by the ULT.
2:1 gh6w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit הַשָּׁר֔וֹן 1 **Sharon** was the name of a specific plain (a flat area). The word **Sharon** refers to a flat, wide area and so by using the word **Sharon** the woman is probably referring to “plains” in general and expressing that she is like a wildflower that grows on the plains. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly as modeled by the UST.
2:1 bw25 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism אֲנִי֙ חֲבַצֶּ֣לֶת הַשָּׁר֔וֹן שֽׁוֹשַׁנַּ֖ת הָעֲמָקִֽים 1 The phrase **a flower of Sharon** and the phrase **a lily of the valleys** mean very similar things. The second phrase emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if saying very similar things twice might confuse your readers, you could combine the phrases into one. Alternate translation: “I am a wildflower that grows in the plains and the valleys”
2:1 cxaq rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis שֽׁוֹשַׁנַּ֖ת 1 The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: “I am a lily of”
2:1 ni5p rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown שֽׁוֹשַׁנַּ֖ת 1 A **lily** is a type of flower. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of flower, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “a flower of”
2:2 ibi6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile כְּשֽׁוֹשַׁנָּה֙ בֵּ֣ין הַחוֹחִ֔ים כֵּ֥ן רַעְיָתִ֖י בֵּ֥ין הַבָּנֽוֹת 1 The man compares the woman he loves to **a lily among thorns**. The point of this comparison is that in the same way that **a lily** is much more beautiful than **thorns** so the woman is much more beautiful than the other young women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent comparison or express this meaning in plain language. Alternate translation: “You my darling, are much more beautiful than all other women”
2:2 l00i rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown כְּשֽׁוֹשַׁנָּה֙ 1 See how you translated the word **lily** in [2:1](../02/01.md)
2:2 bi45 רַעְיָתִ֖י 1 See how you translated the phrase **my darling** in [1:9](../01/09.md).
2:2 y9bu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit הַבָּנֽוֹת 1 Here, the phrase **the daughters** refers to the **daughters of Jerusalem** mentioned in [1:5](../01/05.md) and probably refers not just to the young women of Jerusalem but also to all women. If it would help your readers you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “the young women of Jerusalem” or “other young women”
2:3 xz7y rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile כְּתַפּ֨וּחַ֙ בַּעֲצֵ֣י הַיַּ֔עַר כֵּ֥ן דּוֹדִ֖י בֵּ֣ין הַבָּנִ֑ים 1 The woman is saying that the man is like an **apple tree** because in the same way that **an apple tree** is more pleasant than the other **trees of the forest**, so the man she loves is more pleasant than other men. If it would be helpful in your language, you could explain the basis of this comparison. Alternate translation: “As apple trees are more pleasant than other trees, so you my beloved are more pleasant than other men”
2:3 jjo5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure כְּתַפּ֨וּחַ֙ בַּעֲצֵ֣י הַיַּ֔עַר כֵּ֥ן דּוֹדִ֖י בֵּ֣ין הַבָּנִ֑ים 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “Among the other young men my beloved is like an apple tree among the trees of the forest” or “Compared to other men my beloved is like an apple tree among the trees of the forest”
2:3 yr6x rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown כְּתַפּ֨וּחַ֙ 1 An **apple tree** is a tree that produces pleasant tasting fruit and has a pleasant smell. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of tree, you could use the name of a similar tree in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “Like a tree that produces pleasant tasting fruit”
2:3 qtmu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit בַּעֲצֵ֣י הַיַּ֔עַר 1 The phrase **the trees of the forest** refers to the other trees of the forest which were considered common when compared to an apple tree. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “among the other trees of the forest” or “compared to the common trees of the forest”
2:3 q7kl דּוֹדִ֖י 1 See how you translated the phrase **my beloved** in [1:13](../01/13.md).
2:3 eogn rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit בֵּ֣ין הַבָּנִ֑ים 1 Here, the phrase **the sons** refers to the other young men. In the previous verse the man compared the woman to the other “daughters” (young women). Here the woman compares the man she loves to the other young men, whom she calls **the sons**. If it would help your readers you could indicate explicitly what **the sons** means here. Alternate translation: “among the other young men” or “when compared to all the other men”
2:3 pii3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor בְּצִלּוֹ֙ חִמַּ֣דְתִּי וְיָשַׁ֔בְתִּי וּפִרְי֖וֹ מָת֥וֹק לְחִכִּֽי 1 Here the woman continues speaking of the man as if he were **an apple tree**. The word **shadow** refers to the shade of an apple tree which would give both protection from the sun and refreshment. To **sit** represents being near or in the presence of the man and his **fruit** being **sweet** means that he causes the woman to experience pleasurable feelings in a way that is comparable to eating sweet fruit. If it is possible in your language you should try to retain the images used here, or substitute a comparable image if needed. If you are not able to retain the metaphors without causing misunderstanding, you could use similes or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “He provides me with refreshment and protection when I am in his presence, he gives me great pleasure” or “I sit in his presence and he refreshes and protects me, he is delightful to me like sweet fruit”
2:4 o9vh rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit הֱבִיאַ֨נִי֙ 1 See how you translated the phrase “has brought me” in [1:4](../01/04.md). The original language word which the ULT translates here as **He brought me** could be describing: (1) a request or wish that the woman has and not something that has already happened. If it would help your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “May he bring me” or ”I desire him to bring me” (2) an action that has already happened. Alternate translation: “He has brought me”
2:4 f7e2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go הֱבִיאַ֨נִי֙ 1 Your language may say “took” rather than **brought** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “He took me”
2:4 ift6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit בֵּ֣ית הַיָּ֔יִן 1 In the author’s culture the phrase **house of wine** was used to refer to a location that people went for the purpose of drinking wine. The phrase does not necessarily indicate a **house** or building so here it could be referring a private location that used as their meeting place, possibly the “house” (location) where they spent time together in the forest (described in [1:17](../01/17.md)). If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly or use a general expression that allows for either meaning. Alternate translation: “the place where wine is drunk” or ”the place where wine is served” or ”our meeting place”
2:4 hxuz rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism בֵּ֣ית הַיָּ֔יִן 1 Here, **house of wine** most likely does not refer to a literal **house of wine** but instead the woman is probably using this phrase to poetically describe a private meeting place where they could enjoy expressing their love for each other. She is describing their meeting place by using an image that was meaningful in that culture. If it would be helpful in your language, you could retain the literal translation **house of wine** and explain the meaning in a footnote (if you are using them), or you could express the meaning using a different expression that is meaningful in your culture, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “our meeting place so that we could enjoy our love” or ”the place where we could celebrate our love for each other” or ”the place where we could consummate our love”
2:4 rp8q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor וְדִגְל֥וֹ עָלַ֖י אַהֲבָֽה 1 The woman is speaking of the man’s **love** for her as if it were a **banner**. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and he publicly displays his love for me and his intention is to protect me” or “and he covers me with his love”
2:4 jgbx rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown וְדִגְל֥וֹ 1 A **banner** is a flag made out of a large piece of cloth that is attached to the top of a long wooden pole. People groups and kings had their own unique banners by which they identified themselves. If your readers would not be familiar with this term, you could use the name of something used for a similar purpose in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “and his flag”
2:4 cms6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns וְדִגְל֥וֹ עָלַ֖י אַהֲבָֽה 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with a verbal form as modeled by the UST.
2:5 ddvu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism סַמְּכ֨וּנִי֙ בָּֽאֲשִׁישׁ֔וֹת רַפְּד֖וּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִ֑ים 1 These two phrases mean very similar things. In the author’s culture both raisins and **apples** were believed to give people strength for love.The second phrase emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if your readers are unfamiliar with raisins and/or **apples** and you do not have an equivalent food or foods that you could substitute for them here you could combine these two phrases into one and use a general expression. Alternate translation: “Sustain and refresh me with fruit” or “strengthen me with fruit” or “strengthen me for love with fruit”
2:5 ukb7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-plural סַמְּכ֨וּנִי֙…רַפְּד֖וּנִי 1 The phrases **Sustain me** and **refresh me** are plural imperative forms in the original language. The woman is addressing the man using plural forms to show the intensity of her feelings. Your language may allow you to do the same thing. The ULT indicates the intensity that these two plural forms indicate by placing an exclamation point at the end of this verse. Use a natural form in your language for showing intensity of emotion.
2:5 t16z rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result סַמְּכ֨וּנִי֙ בָּֽאֲשִׁישׁ֔וֹת רַפְּד֖וּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִ֑ים כִּי־ חוֹלַ֥ת אַהֲבָ֖ה אָֽנִי 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of the phrases in this verse, since the second part gives the reason for the result that the first part describes. Alternate translation: “Because I am sick with love, sustain me with raisin cakes and refresh me with apples”
2:5 khc1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בָּֽאֲשִׁישׁ֔וֹת 1 A **raisin** is a dried grape. Raisin cakes were cakes made of dried grapes pressed together. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of fruit, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “with cakes made of dried fruit”
2:5 gs2a rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בַּתַּפּוּחִ֑ים 1 An **apple** is a round pleasant tasting fruit that grows on a tree and is about the size of an adult human’s fist. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of fruit, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “fruit”
2:5 y4qy rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole כִּי־חוֹלַ֥ת אַהֲבָ֖ה אָֽנִי 1 The woman speaks of feeling **sick with love** because her feelings of love are so strong for the man that they overwhelm her body as if they were a kind of sickness. She is exaggerating in order to emphasize the strength of her feelings for the man. Alternate translation: “for my love for you is so strong that I feel as if I were sick with love” or “because my love for you overwhelms me like a sickness”
2:5 ijwy rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns אַהֲבָ֖ה 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with a verbal form as modeled by the UST.
2:6 m6ys שְׂמֹאלוֹ֙ תַּ֣חַת לְרֹאשִׁ֔י וִימִינ֖וֹ תְּחַבְּקֵֽנִי 1 This verse could be describing: (1) an action that the man was doing in which case it should be translated in a similar way to the way that the ULT translates it. (2) a request or wish that the woman has and not something that has already happened. Alternate translation: “ I hope he puts his left arm under my head\nand holds me close with his right arm” or ”I want him to put his left arm under my head\nand hold me close with his right arm”
2:7 l67b rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ 1 Here the author portrays the woman as speaking to the **daughters of Jerusalem** as if they were present and could hear her but most likely they are not present but rather the author is depicting the woman as addressing the **daughters of Jerusalem** as a poetic way of giving voice to the woman’s feelings. Because the author does this intentionally for poetic effect it is suggested that you do the same. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate this in a footnote if you are using them.
2:7 f8kj rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-oathformula הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם…בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה 1 **I adjure you** and the word **by** are both parts of Hebrew oath or promise formulas. You can use a natural way of making a promise in your culture that would be appropriate in this context. Alternate translation: “I urge you to promise me … with the female gazelles or the does of the field as our witnesses” or “Please, promise me … with the female gazelles or the does of the field as our witnesses” or “I want you to make an oath … with the female gazelles or the does of the field listening”
2:7 to30 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ 1 See how you translated the phrase **daughters of Jerusalem** in [1:5](../01/05.md).
2:7 n4wq rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה 1 Here, the woman is using the possessive form to describe that **female gazelles** and **does** live in fields and therefore are wild rather than domesticated animals. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could explain the meaning of the phrase **of the field** in your translation. Alternate translation: “by the wild female gazelles and does”
2:7 sz5c rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת 1 A gazelle is an animal that is a small antelope and looks like a deer, moves quickly like a deer, and is very similar in size to a deer. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of animal, you could use the name of something similar in your area or if you do not have two deer-like animals in your area or if your language does not have two different words for deer-like animals you could combine the terms **female gazelles** and **does** into one term. Alternate translation: “by the female deer of” or “by the female gazelles of”
2:7 nt79 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit בְּאַיְל֣וֹת 1 **Does** are female deer. If it would be helpful to your readers you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “the female deer of”
2:7 ekc3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification אִם־ תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־ תְּעֽוֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־ הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ 1 Here **love** is spoken of as if it were a person who could sleep and be awakened and as if it were a person who could have **desires**. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “do not encourage people to love romantically until the appropriate time” or “do not encourage people’s romantic feelings until the appropriate time”
2:7 fz3j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־ תְּעֽוֹרְר֛וּ 1 Here, the words **awaken** and **stir** mean basically the same thing. The repetition is used for emphasis. If your language does not use repetition to do this, you could use one phrase and provide emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “do not awaken”
2:7 z2xm rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns הָאַהֲבָ֖ה 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with a verbal form as modeled by the UST.
2:8 aay2 0 # General Information:\n\nThe second part of the book begins here. It is not clear whether the woman is speaking to herself or to the daughters of Jerusalem.
2:8 fq0o rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ק֣וֹל דּוֹדִ֔י 1 Here the original language word which the ULT translates as **voice** is being used to get the readers attention. If it would help your readers you can indicate that explicitly in your translation. Alternate translation: “Listen, I hear my beloved speaking” or “Listen, I hear my beloved approaching”
2:8 okuh rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamation הִנֵּה 1 **Behold** is an exclamation word that is used to bring attention to something. Here it is used to bring attention to the man’s approach. Use an exclamation that is natural in your language for communicating this. See how you translated “Behold” in [1:15](../01/015.md). Alternate translation: “Look”
2:8 happ rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go בָּ֑א 1 Your language may say “going” rather than **coming** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “is going”
2:8 tymi rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism מְדַלֵּג֙ עַל־ הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים מְקַפֵּ֖ץ עַל־ הַגְּבָעֽוֹת 1 These two phrases mean the same thing. The woman says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to give emphasis to what she is saying. If saying the same thing twice might be confusing in your language, or if you do not have two words for steeply elevated inclines you could combine these two phrases and provide emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “jumping over the mountains!” or “leaping over the hills!”
2:8-9 fr67 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile מְדַלֵּג֙ עַל־הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים מְקַפֵּ֖ץ עַל־הַגְּבָעֽוֹת & דּוֹמֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ לִצְבִ֔י א֖וֹ לְעֹ֣פֶר 1 The woman speaks of the man as if he were **a gazelle or a young stag**. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the basis of this comparison. Alternate translation: “leaping over the mountains, jumping over the hills. My beloved is agile and fast and he exudes freedom and strength like a gazelle or a young stag”
2:8-9 gatn5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure מְדַלֵּג֙ עַל־הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים מְקַפֵּ֖ץ עַל־הַגְּבָעֽוֹת דּוֹמֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ לִצְבִ֔י א֖וֹ לְעֹ֣פֶר 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “My beloved resembles a gazelle or a young stag, leaping over the mountains, jumping over the hills” or “My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag, leaping over the mountains, jumping over the hills”
2:8 j2nl 0 This could mean: (1) “Listen carefully to what I am about to say.” You could use a word in your language that tells the hearer to listen carefully, or (2) “Listen so you can hear him coming.”
2:9 kq5f rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown לִצְבִ֔י 1 See how you translated the plural form “gazelles” in [2:7](../02/07.md) and translate this word as the singular of “gazelles.”
2:9 qbs9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit הָֽאַיָּלִ֑ים 1 A **stag** is a male deer. If it would help your readers you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “male deer”
2:9 s6z4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamation הִנֵּה־זֶ֤ה עוֹמֵד֙ 1 **Behold** is an exclamation word that is used to bring attention to something. Here it is used to draw attention to the man’s arrival. Use an exclamation that is natural in your language in this context. Alternate translation: “Look! Here he is! Standing”
2:9 pppj rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit זֶ֤ה 1 Here, the phrase **this one** refers to the man who the woman calls **My beloved** in the first part of this verse. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “this man” or “my beloved”
2:9 umf5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive אַחַ֣ר כָּתְלֵ֔נוּ 1 Here, the word **our** refers to the woman and her family and does not include the man, so use the exclusive form of that word in your translation if your language marks that distinction. Alternate translation: “behind the wall of my house” or “on the other side of the wall of my family’s house”
2:9 kf9u rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism מַשְׁגִּ֨יחַ֙ מִן־הַֽחֲלֹּנ֔וֹת מֵצִ֖יץ מִן־הַֽחֲרַכִּֽים 1 These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than **and** in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “gazing through the windows, yes, looking through the lattice”
2:9 nuxr rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-plural הַֽחֲלֹּנ֔וֹת…הַֽחֲרַכִּֽים 1 Here, the words **windows** and **lattices** are plural forms and could: (1) be used with singular meanings here. Because the author says that the man **is standing** instead of indicating that he is walking around the outside of the house, it is likely that these terms have singular meanings here. Alternate translation: “the window … the lattice” (2) have a plural meaning indicating that the man was walking around the house and looking into the house through different windows and lattices. If you decide that these two terms have a plural meaning here you can translate them in a similar way to the ULT.
2:9 s9xt rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown הַֽחֲרַכִּֽים 1 A “lattice” is a cover inside a window frame that is made by weaving strips of wood together. **lattices** have holes that people can look through. If your readers would not be familiar with **lattices**, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could describe **lattices** as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “the screen”
2:10 gr22 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go וּלְכִי־לָֽךְ 1 Your language may say “go” rather than **come** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “and go”
2:11 yv91 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamation הִנֵּ֥ה הסתו 1 The man is using the term **Behold** to focus attention on what he is about to say. Use an exclamation that is natural in your language for communicating this. Alternate translation: “see that the winter”
2:11 jmbh rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result כִּֽי 1 Here, the word **for** indicates that what follows is the motivation or reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: “because”
2:11 e658 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown הסתו 1 In Israel **winter** is the time of year when it is cold and rains more heavily than during other seasons. If the seasons do not vary much in your location, you could explain this with a general expression such as “the cold season” as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “the cold rainy season” or “the cold wet season”
2:11 asu3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism הסתו עָבָ֑ר הַגֶּ֕שֶׁם חָלַ֖ף 1 These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the clauses with a word that shows that the second clause is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “the winter has gone; yes, the rain has passed”
2:11 qxz4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go עָבָ֑ר 1 Your language may not say **gone** in contexts such as this. Alternate translation: “is finished” or “is over”
2:11 b8gp rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go הָלַ֥ךְ לֽוֹ 1 Your language may not say **went** in contexts such as this. Alternate translation: “it ended” or “it left”
2:11 eh4t rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet חָלַ֖ף הָלַ֥ךְ לֽוֹ 1 The terms **passed** and **went away** mean similar things. The author is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: “is over and gone” or “has gone away”
2:12 j8f3 בָאָ֔רֶץ 1 Alternate translation: “throughout the land”
2:12 zmw4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive וְק֥וֹל הַתּ֖וֹר נִשְׁמַ֥ע 1 The phrase **the turtledove is heard** can be translated in active form. If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it is people. Alternate translation: “and people hear the voice of the turtledove” or “and people hear the turtledove cooing”
2:13 mk2y rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-collectivenouns הַתְּאֵנָה֙ חָֽנְטָ֣ה פַגֶּ֔יהָ 1 The word **tree** is a singular noun that refers to all the fig trees in that region. If your language does not use singular nouns in that way, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “The fig trees are ripening their green figs” or “The figs on the trees are becoming ripe”
2:13 ef3j וְהַגְּפָנִ֥ים ׀ סְמָדַ֖ר 1 Alternate translation: “and the grapevines are flowering” or “and the grapevines are blossoming”
2:13 xg4l rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit נָ֣תְנוּ רֵ֑יחַ 1 Here, the word **they** refers to blossoms on the grapevines. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “their flowers give off a pleasant smell” or “their blossoms have a sweet smell”
2:13 xhn3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go ק֥וּמִי לכי\n\nרַעְיָתִ֥י יָפָתִ֖י וּלְכִי־לָֽךְ 1 See how you translated the similar phrase in [2:10](../02/10.md). Alternate translation: “Get up, go, my darling, my beauty, and go”
2:14 m3n1 יוֹנָתִ֞י 1 Here, the phrase **My dove** could be: (1) a form of address in which the man is speaking directly to the woman. Alternate translation: “O my dove” (2) the man speaking about the woman rather than addressing her directly. Alternate translation: “The woman I love is a dove”
2:14 wv7q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor יוֹנָתִ֞י בְּחַגְוֵ֣י הַסֶּ֗לַע בְּסֵ֨תֶר֙ הַמַּדְרֵגָ֔ה 1 Here, the man uses a term of affection for the woman, speaking of her as if she were a **dove**. He then explains the way in which she is like a dove. If it would be helpful in your language, you could turn this metaphor into a simile and explain the basis of the comparison. Alternate translation: “O my one who is like a dove. You are like a gentle and timid dove which hides in the clefts of the rock and in the hiding places of the cliff” or “You are like a dove. You are like a gentle and shy dove which hides in the clefts of the rock and in the hiding places of the cliff” or “You are like a dove. Far away in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the cliff”
2:14 y6rv rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism בְּחַגְוֵ֣י הַסֶּ֗לַע בְּסֵ֨תֶר֙ הַמַּדְרֵגָ֔ה 1 These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea (that the woman seems difficult to reach and far away) with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word such as **yes** in order to show that the second phrase is repeating a similar idea to the first one, not saying something additional. However, if saying similar things twice would confuse your readers you could combine the two lines as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “in the clefts of the rock, yes,\nin the hiding places of the cliff”
2:14 zje5 בְּחַגְוֵ֣י הַסֶּ֗לַע 1 Alternate translation: “in the cracks of the rock” or “in the cracks of the rock cliff”
2:14 kkup rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry הַרְאִ֨ינִי֙ אֶתּ־מַרְאַ֔יִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִ֖ינִי אֶת־קוֹלֵ֑ךְ כִּי־קוֹלֵ֥ךְ עָרֵ֖ב וּמַרְאֵ֥יךְ נָאוֶֽה 1 Here two ideas are presented and then they are further explained in reverse order. This is called a chiasm. Biblical Hebrew sometimes uses this literary device. If possible, try to follow this AB-BA sequence of presenting the information here. See the [book introduction](../front/intro.md) for more information regarding chiasms.
2:14 be0w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-imperative הַרְאִ֨ינִי֙ אֶתּ־ מַרְאַ֔יִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִ֖ינִי 1 The phrases **show me** and **make me hear** are imperatives, but they communicate a polite request rather than a command. Use forms in your language that communicate a polite request. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” or “let” to make this clear. Alternate translation: “please let me see your appearance, please make me hear” or “let me see you, let me hear”
2:14 datu קוֹלֵ֥ךְ עָרֵ֖ב 1 Alternate translation: “your voice is sweet-sounding” or “your voice sounds beautiful”
2:15 xns5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אֶֽחֱזוּ־לָ֨נוּ֙ שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים קְטַנִּ֖ים מְחַבְּלִ֣ים כְּרָמִ֑ים וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּ סְמָדַֽר 1 Here, **the foxes** represent things that could harm the man and woman’s developing love relationship with each other. One interpretation is that the harmful things which **the foxes** symbolize are other men. Catching **the foxes** represents removing these harmful things or protecting against them. The term **vineyards** represents the love the man and woman have for each other. The phrase **in blossom** means that the love they have for each other is developing positively and growing, similar to how a plant blossoms and grows. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning of this verse plainly. Alternate translation: “Get rid of the harmful things that hinder and ruin our relationship, for our relationship is blossoming” or “Remove the little things that destroy our growing relationship” or “There are other men who are like little foxes that ruin vineyards; do not allow those men to attack me”
2:15 dac9 לָ֨נוּ֙ שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים קְטַנִּ֖ים 1 The original language word that the ULT translates as **foxes** could refer to: (1) **foxes** in which case you could translate the term as the ULT does. (2) “jackals” which are a wild dogs that resemble wolves and coyotes. Alternate translation: “the jackals for us, the little jackals”
2:15 170A rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown לָ֨נוּ֙ שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים קְטַנִּ֖ים 1 Both **foxes** and jackals are land animals that are similar to small dogs and would ruin vineyards by digging up and eating the budding blossoms that could eventually produce grapes. If your readers would not be familiar with these animals and their habits, you could describe the animal you chose to use in your translation (a fox or a jackal) in general terms or use the name of something similar in your area. Alternate translation: “the dog-like animals for us, the little dog-like animals”
2:15 v31m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive לָ֨נוּ֙ & וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּ 1 Here, the words **us** and **our** refer to the woman and the man, so use the exclusive forms of these words if your language marks that distinction.
2:15 kg0i וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּ סְמָדַֽר 1 Alternate translation: “because the grapevines in our vineyards are blooming” or “because our grapevines are in bloom”
2:16 zb2r rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-123person דּוֹדִ֥י לִי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י ל֔וֹ 1 The woman is speaking as if she is talking about the man to another person even though she is most likely speaking directly to the man. This is common in Hebrew poetry. If this would not be natural in your language you can translate this in a way that indicates that the woman is speaking directly to the man. Alternate translation: “My beloved, you belong to me, and I belong to you”
2:16 lxy4 הָרֹעֶ֖ה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים 1 The phrase **the man grazing among the lilies** could mean: (1) that the man himself is grazing among the lilies in which case you can translate this phrase as the ULT does. (2) that the man grazes his flock of animals among the lilies. Alternate translation: “the man grazing his flock among the lilies”
2:16 n6c3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor הָרֹעֶ֖ה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים 1 The woman is speaking of the man as if he were “a gazelle or a young stag” ([2:9](../02/09.md)) that eats **among the lilies**. She is using **lilies** to represent herself as she did in [2:1](../02/01.md). Here, **the lilies** probably specifically represent the woman’s lips. The meaning here is that the man finds sustenance and enjoyment through being with the woman and kissing her lips. If it would help your readers, you could state the meaning plainly as modeled by the UST or you could explain the meaning in a footnote if you are using footnotes in your translation. Alternate translation: “my beloved gets pleasure grazing among the lilies” or “my beloved gets pleasure as he grazes among the lilies”
2:16 x5db rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים 1 See how you translated “lily” (the singular form of **lilies**) in [2:1](../02/01.md).
2:17 p2uq rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification שֶׁיָּפ֨וּחַ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְנָ֖סוּ הַצְּלָלִ֑ים 1 The phrases **the day breathes** and **the shadows flee** are parallel ideas which have similar meanings. Together they both either refer to: (1) the evening time when the evening breeze blows (**breathes**) and the shadows cast by the sun disappear (**flee**). Alternate translation: “the evening time when the breeze blows and the shadows cast by the sun disappear” (2) the morning when the light from the sun dawns and the morning breeze blows (**breathes**). Alternate translation: “dawn tomorrow morning, when the darkness disappears” If it would be helpful to your readers you could express the meaning you choose in plain language.\n
2:17 h2b1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis וְנָ֖סוּ הַצְּלָלִ֑ים 1 Here, the author is leaving out the word **until** which in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply this words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “and until the shadows flee”
2:17 scgd סֹב֩ דְּמֵה־לְךָ֨ דוֹדִ֜י 1 Alternate translation: “turn; my beloved, and be like”
2:17 d8mw rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown לִצְבִ֗י 1 See how you translated the plural form “gazelles” in [2:7](../02/07.md) and translate this word as the singular form of “gazelles.”
2:17 iwlq rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-transliterate הָ֥רֵי בָֽתֶר 1 The word **Bether** is a transliteration of a Hebrew word which refers to a cleft place with gorges and could: (1) refer to a specific place in Israel. If you choose this option then in your translation you can spell it the way it sounds in your language as modeled by the ULT. (2) be used generically here as a general description for **the mountains**. Alternate translation: “the cleft mountains” or “the rugged mountains” or “the mountain gorges”
3:intro t72h 0 # Song of Songs 3 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Longing\n\n[3:1-3](../03/01.md) describes the feeling of longing that the woman had for the man she loved and it describes her diligently seeking the man loved. [3:4](../03/04.md) describes the woman finding the man that she loved and her response to finding him, holding onto him and bringing him to her mother’s house. \n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n\n### Whether [3:1-4](../03/01.md) describe a dream, a real event or something imagined\n\nBible scholars do not know for certain whether the events described in [3:1-4](../03/01.md) are a real event or something that the woman dreamed in a dream or something that the woman imagined. Many Bible scholars think that [3:1-4](../03/01.md) describe a dream. If you are using footnotes you may wish to explain this in a footnote or you could indicate in a section header whether you think this is a dream, a real event or something that the woman imagined. You could also use a general section header such as “The woman searches for the man she loves at night and finds him” which does not comment on whether this was a dream, a real event or something imagined.
3:1 gagz rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-extrainfo עַל־ מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת 1 Because Bible scholars do not know if the events described in [3:1-4](../03/01.md) describe real events, things that happened in a dream or things the woman imagined, you should not expand on or explain the phrase **On my bed in the night** in the actual text of your translation (by adding a phrase like “I dreamed I was” or “I imagined I was”) though you may wish to use a header or a footnote. See the section “Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter” in the Introduction to this chapter for more information.
3:1 eds0 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-plural בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת 1 In the original language the phrase **in the night** uses a plural form of **night** and could mean: (1) that the woman sought the man during the night. Alternate translation: “during the night” (2) that the woman sought the man throughout the night. Alternate translation: “throughout the night” or “all night long” (3) that the woman sought the man on many nights. Alternate translation: “night after night” or “night upon night”
3:1 ks2u rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו 1 The phrase **I sought him** is repeated for emphasis. Hebrew poetry often uses repetition for emphasis. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to show the emphasis here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of showing the emphasis. Alternate translation: “I desperately sought him whom my soul loves” or “I earnestly sought him whom my soul loves”
3:1 hu3u rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י 1 See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in [1:7](../01/07.md). Alternate translation: “him whom I love”
3:2 zqaa rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit אָק֨וּמָה נָּ֜א 1 The woman is thinking or saying this to herself. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly by beginning this section with an introductory phrase as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “I thought to myself, “I will get up now …’”
3:2 uyu7 וַאֲסוֹבְבָ֣ה בָעִ֗יר 1 Alternate translation: “and walk through the city”
3:2 x9ki rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit וּבָ֣רְחֹב֔וֹת 1 The word **squares** refers to spacious open places where people gathered to sell things and conduct other business matters and handle legal matters. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of place, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “and in the open plazas” or “and in the wide open places”
3:2 afu9 אֲבַקְשָׁ֕ה…בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו 1 Alternate translation: “I will look for … I looked for him”
3:2 tqsh rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י 1 See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in [1:7](../01/07.md). Alternate translation: “him whom I love”
3:3 rdd5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים 1 Here, the word **guards** refers to men who had the job of walking about the city during the night for the purpose of keeping the people safe. If your readers would not be familiar with this term you could use the name of a similar role in your area or you could use a more general term as modeled by the UST.
3:3 ha13 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit אֵ֛ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י רְאִיתֶֽם 1 The woman is asking the **guards** a question. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly by introducing this question with words that indicate that this is a question as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “I said to them, “Have you seen him whom my soul loves’”
3:3 pab8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche אֵ֛ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י 1 See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in [1:7](../01/07.md). Alternate translation: “him whom I love”
3:3 j24q אֵ֛ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י רְאִיתֶֽם 1 Alternate translation: “Do you know where the man who I love is?”
3:4 frj6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י 1 See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in [1:7](../01/07.md). Alternate translation: “him whom I love”
3:4 zhgq rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ 1 Your language may say “taken” rather than **brought** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “I had taken him”
3:4 xfcj rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית אִמִּ֔י וְאֶל־ חֶ֖דֶר הוֹרָתִֽי 1 These two phrases are parallel. The second phrase adds additional information to the first one. This is common in Hebrew poetry and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word such as “then” in order to show that the second phrase is adding additional information. Alternate translation: “I had brought him to the house of my mother\nand then to the room of the woman who had conceived me”
3:5 a3y1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּעֽוֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ 1 This verse is identical to [Song of Songs 2:7](../02/07.md). Translate this verse exactly as you translated that verse. This verse is a refrain (a repeated phrase). Refrains are a common feature of poetry. This refrain closes section 2:8-3:5.
3:5 t61g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe 0 “young women of Jerusalem.” These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her.
3:6 c84r rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion מִ֣י זֹ֗את עֹלָה֙ מִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר כְּתִֽימֲר֖וֹת עָשָׁ֑ן מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת מוֹר֙ וּלְבוֹנָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל אַבְקַ֥ת רוֹכֵֽל 1 Here, the phrase **Who is that** could: (1) be rhetorical question that is used to create a sense of expectation and interest. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate these words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way as modeled by the UST. (2) be a request for information. Alternate translation: “Who is it that I see arising from the wilderness like columns of smoke, fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense from all the powders of the merchant? ” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
3:6 y8wr rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit עֹלָה֙ 1 The word **arising** is used by the author because the group of people described is traveling **from the wilderness** to Jerusalem. They must travel upward in elevation in order to reach Jerusalem because **the wilderness** is low in the Jordan valley and Jerusalem is built on hills and is therefore high. Use a word or phrase that expresses moving upward in elevation. Alternate translation: “moving upward”
3:6 si0q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit זֹ֗את עֹלָה֙ מִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר 1 The word translated as **that** here could refer to: (1) Solomon’s “litter,” which is named in the following verse. Alternate translation: “is that group of people that is arising from the wilderness” (2) the woman. Alternate translation: “is this woman that is arising from the wilderness”
3:6 y4z0 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile כְּתִֽימֲר֖וֹת עָשָׁ֑ן מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת מוֹר֙ וּלְבוֹנָ֔ה 1 The word **like** is introducing a comparison. Here, the phrase **a column of smoke** is most likely describing a dust cloud created by a group of people traveling in a dry and dusty area. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate the basis of comparison. Alternate translation: “creating a dust cloud that resembles a column of smoke, which resembles the fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense”
3:6 ej84 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry כְּתִֽימֲר֖וֹת עָשָׁ֑ן מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת מוֹר֙ וּלְבוֹנָ֔ה 1 Here, the phrase **fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense** could: (1) be further describing the word **arising**. Alternate translation: “creating dust clouds that resemble rising columns of smoke. Yes, creating dust clouds that resemble the fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense” (2) describing the phrase **column of smoke**. Alternate translation: “like a column of smoke, incensed with myrrh and frankincense”
3:6 vbjm rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת 1 The author is leaving out a word that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply this word from the context. Alternate translation: “like fragrant smoke of”
3:6 w7kr rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown מוֹר֙ 1 **myrrh** is a pleasant smelling ointment which is made from resin taken from the myrrh tree. If your readers would not be familiar **myrrh** you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternately, you could describe **myrrh** with a descriptive phrase and/or you could include a footnote explaining what myrrh is. Alternate translation: “the sweet smelling incense made from the resin of a myrrh tree”
3:6 i42j rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-words-phrases מִכֹּ֖ל אַבְקַ֥ת רוֹכֵֽל 1 The word translated as **from all** could: (1) be introducing **the powders of the merchant** as additional information about **myrrh and frankincense**. Alternate translation: “which are among the powders of the merchant” (2) indicate that **the powders of the merchant** are being introduced as additional things **the merchant** sells. Alternate translation: “and other powders of the merchants”
3:6 e1ly 0 # General Information:\n\nThe third part of the book begins here. It begins with a description of sixty men carrying Solomon’s bed up from the wilderness to Jerusalem.
3:7 ldh8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamation הִנֵּ֗ה 1 **Behold** is an exclamation that is being used to draw people’s attention to what was “arising from the wilderness”. Use an exclamation that would express that meaning in your language as modeled by the UST.
3:7 sa19 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown מִטָּתוֹ֙ 1 A **litter** was a portable bed or couch that important people were carried on from place to place. It was carried by wooden poles that were attached to it. This **litter** probably had a canopy on top of it that functioned as a roof and curtains around it that could be opened and closed. If your readers would be unfamiliar with this term you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a descriptive phrase as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “portable couch”
3:7 ui2b rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit מִטָּתוֹ֙ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה 1 The phrase **his litter, which belongs to Solomon** could mean: (1) that the woman was riding on the **litter** which belonged to **Solomon** and which he had sent for her. The UST models this interpretation. (2) that **Solomon** himself was riding in the **litter**. Alternate translation: “Solomon riding in his royal portable chair”
3:8 v2yx מְלֻמְּדֵ֖י מִלְחָמָ֑ה 1 Alternate translation: “all of them have been trained in warfare” or “all of them have been trained to use their swords”
3:8 cttn rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit אִ֤ישׁ חַרְבּוֹ֙ עַל־יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִפַּ֖חַד בַּלֵּילּֽוֹת׃ 1 The phrase **Each one has his sword at his thigh** means that each warrior has his **sword** strapped to his thigh so that it is ready to use to defend **against the terrors in the nights**. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “Each warrior has his sword strapped to his thigh so that it is ready to use against the terrors in the nights” or “Each warrior has his sword ready to use to defend\nagainst the terrors in the nights”
3:8 z214 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit מִפַּ֖חַד בַּלֵּילּֽוֹת 1 The phrase **against the terrors in the nights** means “ready to defend against the terrifying things that could happen on any given night.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “ready to guard against dangers that happen during the night” or “ready to defend against the dangers of the night.”
3:9-10 tq2c rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-background אַפִּרְי֗וֹן עָ֤שָׂה לוֹ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵעֲצֵ֖י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן … עַמּוּדָיו֙ עָ֣שָׂה כֶ֔סֶף רְפִידָת֣וֹ זָהָ֔ב מֶרְכָּב֖וֹ אַרְגָּמָ֑ן תּוֹכוֹ֙ רָצ֣וּף אַהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם\n\n 1 These two verses give background information. Use the natural form in your language for expressing background information.
3:9-10 iko4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit אַפִּרְי֗וֹן עָ֤שָׂה לוֹ֙ … עַמּוּדָיו֙ עָ֣שָׂה כֶ֔סֶף 1 These phrases mean that Solomon had people make **a palanquin** for him. It does not mean that he made the **palanquin** himself. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “He had craftsmen make him a palanquin…He had craftsmen make its post with silver” or “He had a palanquin made for him…He had its posts made with silver”
3:9 nnm6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown אַפִּרְי֗וֹן 1 Here, the term **palanquin** refers to the same object that the term “litter” referred to in [3:7](../03/07.md). The term **litter** is a general term meaning “couch” or “bed” and the term **palanquin** is a more descriptive word meaning “sedan chair.” You could translate the term **palanquin** the same way you translated “litter” in [3:7](../03/07.md) or you could use a different word or phrase here. Alternate translation: “portable couch” or “sedan chair”
3:9 hlf4 הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵעֲצֵ֖י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן 1 Alternate translation: “King Solomon\nhad it made from the trees in Lebanon”
3:10 xnj4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit עַמּוּדָיו֙ עָ֣שָׂה כֶ֔סֶף 1 The **posts** were made of wood and overlaid with **silver**. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “He made its posts of wood that was overlaid with silver” or “He made its posts of wood covered in silver”
3:10 q4nz רְפִידָת֣וֹ זָהָ֔ב 1 The phrase **its back gold** could mean: (1) that the base or foundation of the “palanquin” was covered in **gold**. Alternate translation: “its foundation of gold” or “its base of gold” (2) the back of the chair was covered in **gold**. Alternate translation: “its back made from gold”
3:10 akoo מֶרְכָּב֖וֹ אַרְגָּמָ֑ן 1 Alternate translation: “and covered the cushion with purple cloth”
3:10 clqf rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive תּוֹכוֹ֙ רָצ֣וּף אַהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “The daughters of Jerusalem fitted its interior with love” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])
3:10 m0yx rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns תּוֹכוֹ֙ רָצ֣וּף אַהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with an adverb as modeled by the UST or in some other way that is natural in your language. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]])
3:10 oki8 תּוֹכוֹ֙ רָצ֣וּף אַהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 Alternate translation: “The inside of it was lovingly inlaid with decorations by the women of Jerusalem.”
3:10 bjfn rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 See how you translated **daughters of Jerusalem** in [3:10](../03/10.md).
3:11 zwp2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go צְאֶ֧ינָה 1 Your language may say “Come out” rather than **Go out** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “Come out”
3:11 i961 בְּנ֥וֹת צִיּ֖וֹן 1 The possessive form is used here to describe where the young women live. The phrase **daughters of Zion** is a poetic way of referring to the young women who were from the city of Jerusalem (These are probably the same women as the “marriageable women” in [1:3](../01/03.md) and the women referred to as “daughters of Jerusalem” in [2:7](../02/07.md) and [3:5](../03/05.md)). If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could indicate the association between these young women and **Zion** in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “young women from Zion” or “young women from the city of Zion” or “you young women who live in Zion”
3:11 sfn3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism בְּי֣וֹם חֲתֻנָּת֔וֹ וּבְי֖וֹם שִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ 1 These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the clauses with a word that shows that the second clause is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “on the day of his wedding, yes, on the day of the joy of his heart”
3:11 zhva rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns וּבְי֖וֹם שִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **joy**, you could express the same idea with an adjective such as “joyful” or in some other way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “on the day his heart was exceedingly joyful” or “on the day when his heart was very joyful” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]])
3:11 ei7z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy וּבְי֖וֹם שִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ 1 Solomon’s inner being is being described by association with his **heart**, which the Jews viewed as being the center of a persons being and therefore the center of their mind and inner feelings. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language as modeled by the UST.
3:11 sj76 gaze on King Solomon “look at King Solomon.” The word “gaze” refers to look at someone or something for a long time, usually with strong emotional feeling.
4:intro r3aw 0 # Song of Songs 4 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Beauty\n\nThe man describes the woman he loves as the epitome of beauty and attractiveness in [4:1-4:5](../04/01.md) and in [4:7](../04/07.md). \n\n\n### Feelings of longing to be with one’s lover who seems distant and temporarily inaccessible\n\nIn [4:8](../04/08.md) the man speaks of the woman he loves as if she were far away from him and he invites her to “come with” him and “descend from” the height of three high places and be with him. The woman is not actually dwelling in these places but rather the man is using imaginative and poetic language to describe how he feels about being separated from her and to describe his desire to be with her. In [4:12](../04/12.md) the man uses poetic language to describe the fact that the woman he loves is temporarily inaccessible.\n\n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### Metaphors\n\n\n### The Garden Metaphor \n\n[4:12-5:1](../04/12.md) is an extended metaphor. This metaphor is a conversation between the man and the woman he loves in which the man first compares the woman he loves to “a locked garden” (in [4:12-4:15](../04/12.md)) where many delightful things grow and then the woman responds by inviting the man to come to her garden (in [4:16](../04/16.md)). The man then responds to her invitation in [5:1](../05/1.md). The term **garden** is used as a metaphor for the woman in [4:12](../04/12.md), in [4:16](../04/16.md) (two times), and in [5:1](../05/01.md). You should be consistent in how you translate these terms. In [4:13](../04/13.md) the man speaks of the woman’s body as “an orchard of pomegranate trees with delicious fruits” and then in [4:16](../04/16.md) the woman invites the man to **come to his garden and eat its delicious fruit**. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor]])\n\n### The “sister” metaphor\n\nThe phrase **my sister** is used in 4:9; 4:10, 4:12, 5:1, and 5:2. The man uses this phrase as a term of endearment for the woman he loves. The woman is not actually his sister. You should translate this phrase the same way each of the five times it occurs in this book because the author uses it with the same meaning every time. See the note at the first occurrence of this phrase in 4:9 for more information regarding this phrase.\n\n
4:1 rg3f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism הִנָּ֨ךְ יָפָ֤ה רַעְיָתִי֙ הִנָּ֣ךְ יָפָ֔ה 1 See how you translated these two parallel phrases in [1:15](../01/15.md).
4:1 m3g6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor עֵינַ֣יִךְ יוֹנִ֔ים מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵ֑ךְ 1 See how you translated the phrase **Your eyes are doves** in [1:15](../01/15.md).
4:1 pnn4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile שַׂעְרֵךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הָֽעִזִּ֔ים שֶׁגָּלְשׁ֖וּ מֵהַ֥ר גִּלְעָֽד 1 Both the color and the motion of the woman’s **hair** is being compared to **a flock of goats that hop down from the slopes of Gilead**. Goats in Israel were black so the original readers would have understood this comparison to mean that the woman’s hair was black. Seen from a distance, a flock of black goats descending down from the high elevation of **Mount Gilead** would have created a majestic visual effect because the goats would have looked like one long flowing mass of black. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly these two points of comparison. Alternate translation: “Your black hair moves in graceful waves like a flock of black goats moving down the slopes of Mount Gilead” or “Your long black hair flows in graceful waves like a flock of black goats coming down the slopes of Mount Gilead”
4:2 bdg1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile שִׁנַּ֨יִךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הַקְּצוּב֔וֹת שֶׁעָל֖וּ מִן־ הָרַחְצָ֑ה 1 The color (whiteness) of the woman’s teeth is being compared to the color (whiteness) of sheep after they have had their wool cut off and then washed in the water of a stream. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly these two points of comparison as modeled by the UST.
4:2 cj59 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive הַקְּצוּב֔וֹת 1 If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who did the action, it is implied that “shepherds” did it. Alternate translation: “sheep whose wool shepherds have cut off” or “sheep whose wool people have cut off”
4:2 jw1w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile שֶׁכֻּלָּם֙ מַתְאִימ֔וֹת וְשַׁכֻּלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין בָּהֶֽם 1 Here the woman’s teeth are being compared to a flock of female sheep which all have birthed twin lambs. The author is saying that in a similar way to how twin lambs have a matching sibling that resembles it so each of the woman’s teeth has a matching tooth on the other side of her mouth. She has not lost any of her teeth. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the basis of this comparison. If it would help your readers you could also start a new sentence as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “As a flock of female sheep that has born twin lambs without losing any, so your mouth has its teeth, each with a match, and none of them are missing”
4:2 sb14 וְשַׁכֻּלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין בָּהֶֽם 1 Alternate translation: “and there is not one among them which has died”
4:3 t9kf rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile כְּח֤וּט הַשָּׁנִי֙ שִׂפְתֹתַ֔יִךְ 1 **Scarlet** is a term that describes a bright red color. The woman’s lips were a beautiful red color. The woman’s lips are being compared to the color of scarlet thread and not to the thinness of the thread. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the basis of this comparison. Also, if it would help your readers you could use a term for a material that is thicker than **thread** such as ribbon. Alternate translation: “Your lips are a beautiful red like scarlet thread” or “Your lips are a beautiful red like scarlet ribbon”
4:3 x68e כְּפֶ֤לַח הָֽרִמּוֹן֙ רַקָּתֵ֔ךְ 1 The term translated as **cheeks** could refer to: (1) the **woman’s two cheeks** on the side of her mouth as rendered by the ULT. (2) the woman’s two temples on the side of her forehead. Alternate translation: “Like a slice of pomegranate are your temples” (3) the woman’s forehead. Alternate translation: “Like a slice of pomegranate is your forehead”
4:3 j2a3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile כְּפֶ֤לַח הָֽרִמּוֹן֙ רַקָּתֵ֔ךְ 1 This comparison could be comparing: (1) the shape of the woman’s **cheeks** to the shape of a **pomegranate** which has been sliced in half and to the outside color of a **pomegranate** (which is the color red). Alternate translation: “Your cheeks are red and rounded like a slice of pomegranate” or “Your cheeks resemble the color and shape of a slice of pomegranate” (or if you decided that the term **cheek** refers to the woman’s temples “Your temples are red like a slice of pomegranate”) (2) the way the woman’s cheeks looked through the inside of the veil to the color and pattern of the inside of a pomegranate which has been sliced in half. Alternate translation: “Your cheeks resemble the color and pattern of the inside of a slice of pomegranate” (or if you decided that the term **cheeks** refers to the woman’s temples “Your temples are the color of the inside of a slice of pomegranate”)
4:3 y47i מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵֽךְ 1 See how you translated the phrase **from behind your veil** in [4:1](../04/01.md).
4:4 i3qt rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile כְּמִגְדַּ֤ל דָּוִיד֙ צַוָּארֵ֔ךְ בָּנ֖וּי לְתַלְפִּיּ֑וֹת 1 The woman’s **neck** is being compared to **the tower of David** which was a tall fortress **built of layers** or rows. A long neck was considered beautiful in the authors culture. King David built some of his towers of beautiful white marble rock. It is probable that this tower was made from white marble rock since this tower is being used here in comparison with the beauty of the woman’s neck. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the basis of this comparison. Alternate translation: “Your neck is long and beautiful like the tower of David” or “Your neck is beautiful like the tower of David”
4:4 gvns rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown כְּמִגְדַּ֤ל דָּוִיד֙ 1 The **tower of David** was a tall building that was built for defense. Towers were significantly taller than other buildings and often built more narrow so that they were not wide. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of structure, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “Like the tall, narrow defense structure of David is” or “Like David’s tall thin rock defense building is”
4:4 v4ae rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive בָּנ֖וּי לְתַלְפִּיּ֑וֹת 1 If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who did the action, the context implies that David instructed men to build it. Alternate translation: “that men built in layers” or “which David instructed men to build of layers” or “that David had men build of layers”
4:4 vwef בָּנ֖וּי לְתַלְפִּיּ֑וֹת 1 Alternate translation: “built using rows of stones”
4:4 c4nk rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile אֶ֤לֶף הַמָּגֵן֙ תָּל֣וּי עָלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל שִׁלְטֵ֥י הַגִּבּוֹרִֽים 1 In the authors culture it was a common practice to hang **shields** on walls as decorations. Here, the man compares the beauty of the woman’s neck with shields hanging on the tower. This comparison probably included the decorations of the woman’s necklaces which probably went around her neck many times. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the basis of this comparison. Alternate translation: “The beauty of your neck jeweled in necklaces is like a thousand warriors shields hanging from a tower”
4:4 byh2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers אֶ֤לֶף 1 In the authors culture the number **a thousand** was often used to represent a very large, but not precise, amount. This is how the number is being used here. Alternate translation: “many” or “with many”
4:4 swd3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism אֶ֤לֶף הַמָּגֵן֙ תָּל֣וּי עָלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל שִׁלְטֵ֥י הַגִּבּוֹרִֽים 1 The phrase **all the shields of the warriors** is parallel to the statement **a thousand shields hanging on it** and adds the additional information that the **shields** belonged to **warriors**. Hebrew poetry often used this kind of parallel statement, in which the second line gives additional information, so it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect these two parallel phrases with “each of which” or “each one” in order to show that the second phrase is not repeating the first one, but rather is saying something additional. Alternate translation: “a thousand shields hanging on it, each of which belongs to the warriors” or “a thousand shields hanging on it, each one belonging to the warriors”
4:5 ea9j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile שְׁנֵ֥י שָׁדַ֛יִךְ כִּשְׁנֵ֥י עֳפָרִ֖ים תְּאוֹמֵ֣י צְבִיָּ֑ה הָרוֹעִ֖ים בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים 1 Here, the man compares the woman’s **two breasts** to two young twin gazelles that are grazing. The context does not explicitly indicate how exactly the woman’s **two breasts** are like two young gazelles so you could simply say that they resemble young gazelles or if it would be helpful to your readers, you could use a general point of comparison such as their beauty as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “Your two breasts resemble two young twin gazelles grazing among lilies”
4:5 gu86 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown צְבִיָּ֑ה 1 See how you translated the plural form “gazelles” in [2:7](../02/07.md).
4:5 bb93 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים 1 See how you translated the singular form “lily” in [2:1](../02/01.md).
4:6 y1xu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification עַ֤ד שֶׁיָּפ֨וּחַ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְנָ֖סוּ הַצְּלָלִ֑ים 1 See how you translated the phrase **Until the day breathes and the shadows flee** in [2:17](../02/17.md).
4:6 xt1n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go אֵ֤לֶךְ לִי֙ 1 Your language may say “come” rather than **go** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “I myself will come”
4:6 yze6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown הַמּ֔וֹר 1 See how you translated **myrrh** in [1:13](../01/13.md).
4:6 re83 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אֵ֤לֶךְ לִי֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר הַמּ֔וֹר וְאֶל־גִּבְעַ֖ת הַלְּבוֹנָֽה 1 The phrases **the mountain of myrrh** and **the hill of frankincense** are both metaphors that refer to the woman’s “breasts” (mentioned in the previous verse). The man is discreetly indicating that the woman’s breasts are pleasant smelling and that he wants to enjoy them (The man and the woman are now married). It would be good to retain this discreet and beautiful poetic imagery if possible. If you are using footnotes you could indicate what these two metaphors mean there. If you decide that it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning using a simile. Alternate translation: “I myself will go to your breasts which are like two sweet-smelling mountains” or “I myself will be close to your breasts, which are like two pleasant smelling hills”
4:7 wt7k כֻּלָּ֤ךְ יָפָה֙ 1 Alternate translation: “Every part of you is beautiful”
4:8 ojmm rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אִתִּ֤י מִלְּבָנוֹן֙ כַּלָּ֔ה אִתִּ֖י מִלְּבָנ֣וֹן תָּב֑וֹאִי תָּשׁ֣וּרִי ׀ מֵרֹ֣אשׁ אֲמָנָ֗ה מֵרֹ֤אשׁ שְׂנִיר֙ וְחֶרְמ֔וֹן מִמְּעֹנ֣וֹת אֲרָי֔וֹת מֵֽהַרְרֵ֖י נְמֵרִֽים 1 This entire verse is a metaphor. This is poetry and the author is not literally indicating that the woman is physically in the mountains and near wild and dangerous animals. Rather, the that author is using this metaphor to express the man’s feelings regarding being physically distant from the woman and his strong desire to have the woman near him and away from anything that could harm her. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly using a simile as modeled by the UST.
4:8 h4yw rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go אִתִּ֤י…תָּב֑וֹאִי 1 Your language may say “come” rather than **go** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “Go with me … go”
4:8 hwn4 תָּשׁ֣וּרִי 1 The word translated as **Descend** here could mean: (1 to come down from a height. If you choose this meaning you can follow the model of the ULT and UST. Alternate translation: “Climb down” (2) to bend down and look. Alternate translation: “Bend down and look”
4:8 m2km rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names מֵרֹ֣אשׁ אֲמָנָ֗ה מֵרֹ֤אשׁ שְׂנִיר֙ וְחֶרְמ֔וֹן 1 **Hermon** is a mountain range in northern Israel and **Amana** and **Senir** are both mountain peaks.
4:8 l03h rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism מִמְּעֹנ֣וֹת אֲרָי֔וֹת מֵֽהַרְרֵ֖י נְמֵרִֽים 1 These two phrases mean very similar things. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same general idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if saying the same thing twice might be confusing for your readers, you could combine the phrases into one as modeled by the UST.
4:9 waew rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure לִבַּבְתִּ֖נִי אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה לִבַּבְתִּ֨ינִי֙ 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases and add the word “yes” to show that the phrase **you have enchanted my heart** is repeated in order to add emphasis. Alternate translation: “My sister, my bride; you have enchanted my heart. Yes, you have enchanted my heart”
4:9 d7n7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom לִבַּבְתִּ֖נִי…לִבַּבְתִּ֨ינִי֙ 1 The phrase translated as **you have enchanted my heart** is an idiom which could mean: (1) to steal or capture a persons heart. In Jewish thinking the **heart** was the center of a persons thinking. To capture a persons **heart** probably also had the added meaning of causing them to be so in love that they could not think clearly because they were so overcome with feelings of love. Alternate translation: “You have captured my heart … you have captured my heart” or “It is as though you have captured my heart … it is as though you have captured my heart” or “You have made me feel so in love with you that it is as if I have lost my mind … you have made me feel so in love with you that it is as if I have lost my mind“ (2) the the woman had made the man’s **heart** beat faster. Alternate translation: “You have caused my heart to beat fast … you have caused my heart to beat fast” (3) that the woman had encouraged the man’s **heart**. Alternate translation: “You have encouraged my heart … you have encouraged my heart” or “You have given me heart … you have given me heart”
4:9 vdf7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אֲחֹתִ֣י 1 The man and woman are not actually brother and sister. The phrase **my sister** is a term of endearment which expresses affection between lovers. This phrase indicates that the man and woman have a close companionship and deep emotional bond. If calling a lover **my sister** would be offensive or socially inappropriate in your culture you could use a different term of endearment or indicate the meaning of **my sister** with a footnote. Alternately, you could indicate the meaning explicitly as modeled by the UST.
4:10 qy7v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamation מַה־…מַה־ 1 Here, the word **How** is used as an exclamation to introduce two statements about how wonderful the woman’s **love** is. Use an exclamation that is natural in your language for communicating this.
4:10 v1gy rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אֲחֹתִ֣י 1 See how you translated the phrase **my sister** in [4:9](../04/09.md).
4:10 pb12 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure מַה־יָּפ֥וּ דֹדַ֖יִךְ אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה מַה־טֹּ֤בוּ דֹדַ֨יִךְ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “My sister, my bride; how your love is beautiful! How your love is better than wine”
4:10 ibb8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns מַה־יָּפ֥וּ דֹדַ֖יִךְ…מַה־טֹּ֤בוּ דֹדַ֨יִךְ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with a verb form as modeled by the UST or in some other way that is natural in your language.
4:10 d1m6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְ 1 Here, **oils** refers to perfumes. In the authors culture pleasant smelling spices were mixed into olive oil in order to make a pleasant smelling perfume which was then put on the skin. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “your scented oils” or “the perfumed oils on your skin”
4:10 ts8k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְ 1 The author is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply the words “is better” from the context as modeled by the UST.
4:11 fw88 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor נֹ֛פֶת תִּטֹּ֥פְנָה שִׂפְתוֹתַ֖יִךְ 1 Here the the woman’s **lips** refer to the kisses from her **lips** and the man says that they **drip with nectar** to indicate the pleasantness of her kisses. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a simile or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Your kisses are so pleasant that it is as if your lips drip with nectar” or “Your kisses are delightfully sweet” or “Being kissed by you is as enjoyable as eating honey”
4:11 l8xe rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit נֹ֛פֶת 1 The word translated as **nectar** refers specifically to honey which drips or flows from honeycomb. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly by translating it as “honey” as modeled by the UST.
4:11 vc6y rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor דְּבַ֤שׁ וְחָלָב֙ תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנֵ֔ךְ 1 The phrase **honey and milk are under your tongue** could mean: (1) that the taste of the woman’s kisses was as pleasant as milk and honey. Alternate translation: “your kisses are like milk and honey to me” or “your kisses are as pleasant and delightful as milk and honey” (2) that the woman’s words were as pleasant as milk and honey. Alternate translation: “your words are as pleasant as milk and honey” (3) that both the woman’s kisses and her words were as pleasant as milk and honey. Alternate translation: “the kisses from your mouth and your words are as pleasant as milk and honey to me”
4:11 nyc9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit וְרֵ֥יחַ שַׂלְמֹתַ֖יִךְ כְּרֵ֥יחַ לְבָנֽוֹן 1 **Lebanon** is known for its forests of cedar trees. Cedar trees have a very pleasant smell. The phrase **the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon** probably means that the woman’s clothes smelled like the smell of cedar wood. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “and the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon’s pleasant smelling cedar”
4:12 ik5j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure גַּ֥ן ׀ נָע֖וּל אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה גַּ֥ל נָע֖וּל מַעְיָ֥ן חָתֽוּם 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “My sister, my bride; you are a locked garden, a locked spring, a sealed fountain”
4:12 j45u rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor גַּ֥ן ׀ נָע֖וּל אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה 1 The man is speaking of the woman as if she were a **locked garden**. He uses **garden** as a poetic way of referring to the woman herself and by saying she is a **locked garden** he means that the woman is both beautiful and seemingly inaccessible like a **locked garden**. If it would help your readers you could express the meaning as a simile. Alternate translation: “You are like a locked garden my sister, my bride”
4:12 nxse rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown גַּ֥ן ׀ נָע֖וּל אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה 1 The word translated as **garden** refers to a large enclosed area where bushes, flowers, plants, and trees grow. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of garden, you could use the name of something similar in your area that would fit this context or you could use a descriptive phrase to explain it or explain it in a footnote. Alternate translation: “A locked park where many trees and plants grow is my sister, my bride”
4:12 i5nb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor גַּ֥ל נָע֖וּל מַעְיָ֥ן חָתֽוּם 1 The man continues to draw an extended comparison between the woman he loves and a **garden** by speaking of the woman as if she were **a locked spring** and **a sealed fountain** within a **locked garden**. The man means that the woman’s body is beautiful and seemingly inaccessible like a **a locked spring** or **a sealed fountain**. If you translated **A locked garden is my sister, my bride** as a simile then you should also translate these two phrases as similes. Alternate translation: “you are like a locked spring, you are like a sealed fountain”
4:12 z4b8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism גַּ֥ל נָע֖וּל מַעְיָ֥ן חָתֽוּם 1 The phrase **a locked spring** and the phrase **a sealed fountain** mean basically the same thing. The author is saying the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, for emphasis. If saying the same thing twice might be confusing for your readers, you can combine the phrases into one, as modeled by the UST, and show the emphasis in some other way.
4:13 nsr3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor שְׁלָחַ֨יִךְ֙ 1 The word translated as **shoots** refers to the parts of something that come out from it. Here, the word refers to the stems and roots that come out (shoot out) from trees and plants. The word **shoots** is used here to refer to the woman so if it would help your readers you could translate the phrase **Your shoots** as “You” as modeled by the UST. Alternately, you could translate **shoots** with a general word that your language uses to speak of what grows out of plants and trees. Alternate translation: “Your sprouts”
4:13-14 unsg rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor שְׁלָחַ֨יִךְ֙ פַּרְדֵּ֣ס רִמּוֹנִ֔ים עִ֖ם פְּרִ֣י מְגָדִ֑ים כְּפָרִ֖ים עִם־נְרָדִֽים…נֵ֣רְדְּ ׀ וְכַרְכֹּ֗ם קָנֶה֙ וְקִנָּמ֔וֹן עִ֖ם כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י לְבוֹנָ֑ה מֹ֚ר וַאֲהָל֔וֹת עִ֖ם כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֥י בְשָׂמִֽים 1 The man is making a comparison between these things and the woman by speaking of her as if she is **an orchard of pomegranate trees** and as as if she is various other spices and pleasant smelling plants and trees that are in the “locked garden” ([4:12](../04/12.md)). If you translated [4:12](../04/12.md) as a simile you should also translate these two verses as a simile. Alternate translation: “You are like an orchard of pomegranate trees with delicious fruits;\nhenna with nard, nard and saffron;\ncalamus and cinnamon with all trees of frankincense;\nmyrrh and aloes with all the best spices”
4:13-14 dju5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown כְּפָרִ֖ים עִם־נְרָדִֽים…נֵ֣רְדְּ 1 See how you translated the word **nard** in [1:12](../01/12.md) and the word **henna** in [1:14](../01/14.md).
4:14 dxj9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown וְכַרְכֹּ֗ם קָנֶה֙ וְקִנָּמ֔וֹן…וַאֲהָל֔וֹת 1 The word **saffron** refers to a beautiful flowering plant that produces purple flowers and the word **calamus** refers to a cane. Both **saffron** and **calamus** were used to make a pleasant smelling oil. The term **cinnamon** refers to a spice made from the bark of the **cinnamon**. The term **aloes** refers to the pleasant smelling resin that comes from specific trees in Asia. If one or more of these plants are unknown in your area you could use use the name of something similar in your area or you could retain the name and use a footnote explaining what the plant is. Alternate translation: “and saffron flowers, calamus canes and cinnamon trees … pleasant smelling resin called aloes”
4:15 z2an rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor מַעְיַ֣ן גַּנִּ֔ים בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֑ים וְנֹזְלִ֖ים מִן־לְבָנֽוֹן 1 Here, the man continues the metaphor that he began in [4:12](../04/12.md) and speaks of the woman he loves as if she were **a fountain** in a garden, **a well of living water** and **flowing streams from Lebanon**. If you translated [4:12-14](../04/12.md) as a simile you should also translate this verse as a simile. See how you translated the word “garden” in [4:12](../04/12.md). Alternate translation: “you are like a fountain of gardens,\nlike a well of living water\nand like flowing streams from Lebanon”
4:15 bj5a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit מַעְיַ֣ן גַּנִּ֔ים 1 The term translated as **fountain** refers to a spring or underground well that is dug in order to be used as a water source. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “a garden spring” or “a garden well”
4:15 t9ch rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-plural מַעְיַ֣ן גַּנִּ֔ים 1 Here, the author could be using the plural form **gardens** to: (1) designate the kind of **fountain** that would be in **gardens**. Alternate translation: “a garden fountain” (2) designate a large garden. Alternate translation: “a fountain in a large garden”
4:15 ke0n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֑ים 1 Here, the term **living** means that the water is fresh and flowing. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “fresh water” or “flowing water”
4:16 jv5g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe ע֤וּרִי צָפוֹן֙ וּב֣וֹאִי תֵימָ֔ן הָפִ֥יחִי גַנִּ֖י יִזְּל֣וּ בְשָׂמָ֑יו 1 The woman is speaking to the **wind** which she knows cannot hear her. She is doing this to communicate her strong desire that the pleasant smell of her body will flow through the air and attract the man she loves so that he will come to her. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate these words as a wish or desire. Alternate translation: “I wish that the north wind and south wind would come and blow on my garden and let its spices flow”
4:16 x71g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go וּב֣וֹאִי…יָבֹ֤א דוֹדִי֙ 1 Your language may say “go” rather than **come** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “and go … Let my beloved go”
4:16 l273 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor ע֤וּרִי צָפוֹן֙ וּב֣וֹאִי תֵימָ֔ן הָפִ֥יחִי גַנִּ֖י יִזְּל֣וּ בְשָׂמָ֑יו יָבֹ֤א דוֹדִי֙ לְגַנּ֔וֹ וְיֹאכַ֖ל פְּרִ֥י מְגָדָֽיו 1 Here, the woman continues the “garden” metaphor (that the man began in [4:12](../04/12.md)) by referring to her body as **my garden** and then **his garden**. In this verse the woman calls to the wind to blow on her **garden** so that **its spices flow** into the air and attract the man she loves. The woman then offers her body to the man she loves by inviting him to **come to his garden** (a poetic way of inviting him to come to her and enjoy her body). You should translate the term **garden** here the same way you did in [4:12](../04/12.md) because both uses refer to the woman’s body. In [4:13](../04/13.md) the man spoke of the woman’s body as “an orchard of pomegranate trees with delicious fruits” and here the woman invites the man to **come to his garden and eat its delicious fruit**. If you translated [4:12-15](../04/12.md) as a simile, you should also translate the sentence **Let my beloved come to his garden\nand eat its delicious fruit** as a simile.
4:16 kdi9 יִזְּל֣וּ בְשָׂמָ֑יו 1 Alternate translation: “and carry the pleasant smell of its spices through the air” or “and make the pleasant smell of its spices flow through the air”
5:intro kdw4 0 # Song of Songs 5 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n\n5:1 The conclusion of the garden metaphor\n\n5:2-8 The theme of longing and searching. \n\n5:9 The women of Jerusalem ask the young women why she thinks the man she loves is special\n\n5:10-16 The woman responds to the question the young women of Jerusalem asked her\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### The attractiveness of the man\n\nThe woman describes the man as the epitome of male attractiveness.\n\n## Important figures of speech in this chapter\n\n### Metaphors\n\nAs the author has done throughout this book so far, he continues to use metaphors to describe feeling and events that are common to romantic relationships. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])\n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### Order of events\n\n5:2-8 seems to describe events that would have chronologically and logically occurred before the events described in 3:6-5:1. The solution to this seeming problem is to understand that this book is poetry and that the author is poetically describing emotions and feelings that occur between a man and woman who romantically love each other. Because the author is using poetry to describe the couple’s romantic relationship and its associated feelings, he does not need to follow the conventions of chronological story telling.\n\n### Whether 5:2-8 describes events that really happened or that happened in a dream.\n\nThere are two main views among Bible scholars regarding the events described in 5:2-8. One view is that the events which 5:2-8 describe happened in a dream. The other view is that the events that 5:2-8 describe actually happened after the man awakened the women from sleeping or from being nearly asleep. The vast majority of Bible scholars think that the first view is correct, that the events described in 5:2-8 happened in a dream.\n\n### The “sister” metaphor\n\nThe phrase **my sister** is used in 4:9; 4:10, 4:12, 5:1, and 5:2. The man uses this phrase as a term of endearment for the woman he loves. The woman is not actually his sister. You should translate this phrase in 5:1, and 5:2 the same way as you translated it in 4:9; 4:10, and 4:12 because the author uses it with the same meaning in this chapter. See the note at the first occurrence of this phrase in 4:9 for more information regarding this phrase.\n\n
5:1 f2qr rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor בָּ֣אתִי לְגַנִּי֮ אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּה֒ אָרִ֤יתִי מוֹרִי֙ עִם־בְּשָׂמִ֔י אָכַ֤לְתִּי יַעְרִי֙ עִם־דִּבְשִׁ֔י שָׁתִ֥יתִי יֵינִ֖י עִם־חֲלָבִ֑י 1 The man continues using the “garden” metaphor that he began in [4:12](../04/12.md) by again referring to the woman’s body as a **garden**. Here the man accepts the woman’s invitation (that she gave in the previous verse) to enjoy her body. The lines **I have plucked my myrrh with my spice** and **I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey** and **I have drunk my wine with my milk** are all metaphors for the man enjoying the woman’s body. If you used similes to translate [4:12-16](../04/12.md) you should continue to do so here. Alternate translation: “You who are as dear to me as a sister, my bride, I am ready to go with you and enjoy the delights of your body, it will be as though I will be gathering myrrh with my other spices, and eating my honey and honeycomb, and drinking my wine and my milk”
5:1 dr7h rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit בָּ֣אתִי לְגַנִּי֮ אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּה֒ אָרִ֤יתִי מוֹרִי֙ עִם־בְּשָׂמִ֔י אָכַ֤לְתִּי יַעְרִי֙ עִם־דִּבְשִׁ֔י שָׁתִ֥יתִי יֵינִ֖י עִם־חֲלָבִ֑י 1 Though the man is speaking as if he has already done these things. He is actually getting ready to do them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “I am going to come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I will pluck my myrrh with my spice.\nI will eat my honeycomb with my honey;\nI will drink my wine with my milk”
5:1 m575 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go בָּ֣אתִי 1 Your language may say “gone” rather than **come** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “I have gone”
5:1 jf09 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure בָּ֣אתִי לְגַנִּי֮ אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּה֒ 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “My sister, my bride, I have come to my garden”
5:1 bxja rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-extrainfo אִכְל֣וּ רֵעִ֔ים שְׁת֥וּ וְשִׁכְר֖וּ דּוֹדִֽים 1 The author does not say who is speaking to the couple here so you should not indicate the speakers explicitly in the text of your translation. However, if you are using section headers to indicate who is speaking, as the UST does, the speakers could be: (1) the “daughters of Jerusalem” who spoke earlier in the book. The daughters of Jerusalem are speaking to the couple at the couple’s wedding. If you are using section headers you can use a phrase such as “The young women of Jerusalem speaking to the couple” or “The young women of Jerusalem speak to the couple at their wedding” (2) a group of people who are the couple’s. If you are using section headers you can use a phrase such as “The couple’s friends speak ” or “The couple’s wedding guests speak”
5:1 i16q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor אִכְל֣וּ רֵעִ֔ים שְׁת֥וּ וְשִׁכְר֖וּ דּוֹדִֽים 1 Eating and drinking are metaphors which are used to represent the newly married couple enjoying their sexual union. The phrase **be drunk with love** is an encouragement to fully enjoy the delights of their sexual union. If it would help your readers you could express the meaning with a simile. Alternate translation: “Enjoy your marital intimacy and make love until you are fully satisfied as if you are eating food until full and drinking wine freely”
5:1 doim rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns אִכְל֣וּ רֵעִ֔ים שְׁת֥וּ וְשִׁכְר֖וּ דּוֹדִֽים 1 If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of **love**, you could express the same idea with a verb phrase, as modeled by the UST, or you could translate it in some other way that is natural in your language.
5:2 biy3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy אֲנִ֥י יְשֵׁנָ֖ה וְלִבִּ֣י עֵ֑ר 1 Here, the term **heart** could represent: (1) the woman’s thoughts and mental awareness in which case the phrase **my heart is awake** means that her mind is alert and dreaming after she had started to sleep. Alternate translation: “I am asleep, but my mind is dreaming” or “I am asleep, but my mind is alert and dreaming” (2) the woman’s entire person in which case the phrase **my heart is awake** means that she had been awakened after falling **asleep** or after she was almost **asleep**. Alternate translation: “I was almost asleep, now I am awakened” or “I was asleep, but now I have been awakened”
5:2 kri6 ק֣וֹל ׀ דּוֹדִ֣י דוֹפֵ֗ק 1 Alternate translation: “I hear a sound, it is my beloved knocking” or “I hear a sound, it is the sound of my beloved knocking on my door”
5:2 tk43 דּוֹדִ֣י 1 See how you translated the phrase **my beloved** in [1:13](../01/13.md). Alternate translation: “my lover”
5:2 rx38 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom אֲחֹתִ֤י רַעְיָתִי֙ יוֹנָתִ֣י 1 See how you translated the phrase **my sister** in [4:9](../04/09.md), **my darling** in [1:9](../01/09.md), and **my dove** in [2:14](../02/14.md).
5:2 yh2r rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom שֶׁרֹּאשִׁי֙ נִמְלָא־טָ֔ל 1 Here, the phrase **full of** is a Hebrew idiom which means “wet with.” If your readers would not understand this, you could use an equivalent idiom or use plain language. Alternate translation: “because my head is with with dew”
5:2 d3gt rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis קְוֻּצּוֹתַ֖י 1 The words “is full of” are understood from the previous phrase. If it would help your readers, they can be repeated here as modeled by the ULT.
5:3 m1u3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-quotemarks פָּשַׁ֨טְתִּי֙ אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתִּ֔י אֵיכָ֖כָה אֶלְבָּשֶׁ֑נָּה רָחַ֥צְתִּי אֶת־רַגְלַ֖י אֵיכָ֥כָה אֲטַנְּפֵֽם 1 In this verse, the author quotes: (1) what the woman thought to herself. Alternate translation: “I thought to myself; I have taken off my robe; how will I put it on?\nI have washed my feet; how could I get them dirty?” (2) the woman speaking directly to the man. Alternate translation: “I said to the man I love; I have taken off my robe; how will I put it on? I have washed my feet; how could I get them dirty?”
5:3 g6z2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion אֵיכָ֖כָה אֶלְבָּשֶׁ֑נָּה רָחַ֥צְתִּי אֶת־רַגְלַ֖י אֵיכָ֥כָה אֲטַנְּפֵֽם 1 The woman is using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation and express the emphasis in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “I do not want to put it back on! I have already washed my feet so I do not want to get them dirty again!”
5:4 nns1 דּוֹדִ֗י 1 See how you translated the phrase **my beloved** in [1:13](../01/13.md).
5:4 xks3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy וּמֵעַ֖י הָמ֥וּ עָלָֽיו 1 Here, **belly** represents the center of a person’s emotions. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and my feelings for him roared”
5:4 az6q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor וּמֵעַ֖י הָמ֥וּ עָלָֽיו 1 Here, the phrase **my belly roared** means that the woman’s feelings were aroused. The term **belly** represents the woman’s feelings and the woman saying that her feelings **roared** is a poetic way of saying that her feelings were aroused. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or express the meaning in plain language. Alternate translation: “and my feelings for him were aroused” or “and my concerning him were aroused”
5:5 w3k2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism וְיָדַ֣י נָֽטְפוּ־מ֗וֹר וְאֶצְבְּעֹתַי֙ מ֣וֹר עֹבֵ֔ר 1 The phrase **my hands dripped with myrrh** and the phrase **my fingers dripped with flowing myrrh** mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than **and** in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “and my hands dripped with myrrh, yes, my fingers dripped with flowing myrrh”
5:5 ycr1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit מ֣וֹר עֹבֵ֔ר 1 The phrase translated as **flowing myrrh** refers to liquid myrrh. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “liquid myrrh”
5:5 yfag rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis וְאֶצְבְּעֹתַי֙ 1 The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: “and my fingers dripped with”
5:6 y1yc rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go עָבָ֑ר 1 Your language may say “went” rather than **gone** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “and went”
5:6 fxej rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go נַפְשִׁי֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה 1 Your language may say “gone” rather than **went** in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: “My soul had gone out”
5:6 z8na rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom נַפְשִׁי֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה 1 Here, **soul** represents the entire person, and the phrase **My soul went out** is a Hebrew idiom that means means to feel extreme despair. If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use an idiom from your language that does have this meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “My heart sank”
5:6 s6qy rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit וְלֹ֥א עָנָֽנִי 1 The reason the man did not answer is because he was not there. If your readers might mistakenly think that the phrase **he did not answer me** implies that the man was present and chose not to answer, you could state explicitly that the man was not there or you could use a different phrase. Alternate translation: “but he did not answer me because he was not there” or “but there was no answer”
5:7 a9yk rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown מְצָאֻ֧נִי הַשֹּׁמְרִ֛ים הַסֹּבְבִ֥ים בָּעִ֖יר 1 See how you translated the sentence **The guards going about in the city found me** in [3:3](../03/03.md).
5:7 fr13 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure הִכּ֣וּנִי פְצָע֑וּנִי נָשְׂא֤וּ אֶת־רְדִידִי֙ מֵֽעָלַ֔י שֹׁמְרֵ֖י הַחֹמֽוֹת 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “The guards of the walls beat me and wounded me;\nthey lifted my shawl from me”
5:7 ektd rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit הִכּ֣וּנִי פְצָע֑וּנִי 1 The reason that the city watchmen **beat** and **wounded** the woman is because they thought she was a prostitute. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly as modeled by the UST.
5:7 nnql rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown אֶת־רְדִידִי֙ 1 The word translated as **shawl** could refer to: (1) a light article of clothing like a **shawl** or cloak that was worn as an outer garment and wrapped around the body. Alternate translation: “my cloak” (2) a large veil. Alternate translation: “my veil”
5:7 euu8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit שֹׁמְרֵ֖י הַחֹמֽוֹת 1 The men called **the guards of the walls** are the same men as **The guards going about in the city**. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “those guards who were going about in the city guarding the walls”
5:8 czu7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-oathformula הִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּנ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 See how you translated the phrase **I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem** in [2:7](../02/07.md).
5:8 v5m3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole שֶׁחוֹלַ֥ת אַהֲבָ֖ה אָֽנִי 1 See how you translated the phrase **sick with love am I** in [2:5](../02/05.md)
5:8 r20s rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis שֶׁחוֹלַ֥ת אַהֲבָ֖ה אָֽנִי 1 The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply these words from the context as modeled by the ULT.
5:9 tgep rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד שֶׁכָּ֖כָה הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ 1 The phrase **What is your beloved more than another beloved** is repeated for emphasis. This is a common feature of Hebrew poetry, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if asking the same question twice would be confusing to your readers you could combine them into one. Alternate translation: “What is your beloved more than another beloved, most beautiful among women, that thus you adjure us” or “Most beautiful among women, what is your beloved more than another beloved, that thus you adjure us”
5:9 vbc6 מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד 1 Alternate translation: “What makes the man you love better than other men” or “What is so special about the man you love”
5:9 zeav rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-infostructure מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים 1 If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “Most beautiful among women, what is your beloved more than another beloved”
5:9 eap5 הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים 1 See how you translated the phrase **most beautiful among women** in [1:8](../01/08.md).
5:9 sj0b שֶׁכָּ֖כָה הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ 1 Alternate translation: “with the result that thus you adjure us” or “with the result that you request us to promise that we tell him that” or “that would make you want to thus adjure us”
5:9 zp43 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-oathformula הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ 1 See how you translated the word **adjure** in the previous verse.
5:10 xuy2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit דּוֹדִ֥י צַח֙ וְאָד֔וֹם 1 The word translated here as **shimmering** means refers to something that is “radiant” or “glowing” and here it means that the man’s skin had a healthy glow. The word **red** refers to the man’s healthy color of skin that was a brownish red or reddish brown color. Together these two words mean that the man’s skin and complexion looked healthy and handsome. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate explicitly that these two words refer to his skin or you could summarize what they mean as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: “My beloved has radiant and healthy skin” or “My beloved’s skin glows and is a handsome reddish-brown” or “My beloved’s skin is radiant and reddish-brown”
5:10 ie7h rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive דָּג֖וּל מֵרְבָבָֽה 1 If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state the phrase **able to be distinguished from** in active form, use an adjective such as “distinguishable” or “outstanding,” or express the meaning in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “he is distinguishable from ten thousand other men”
5:10 hms2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor דָּג֖וּל מֵרְבָבָֽה 1 In the Hebrew language **ten thousand** is the highest number that was used when making comparisons so the woman uses this number here to stand for an uncountable number of **other people**. If you have a similar expression in your culture you could use that. Alternately, if it would help your readers, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “better than anyone else” or “there is no one else is like him” or “one in a million”
5:11 s23z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor His head is the purest gold 0 The man’s head is as precious to the woman as the purest gold.
5:11 m1w4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile a raven 0 a bird with very black feathers
5:12 m6e7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy His eyes are like doves 0 Translate “eyes are like doves” as in [Song of Songs 1:15](../01/15.md). This could mean: (1) the Israelites considered doves to be gentle and soft birds, and the woman considers the man’s eyes beautiful because the way the man looks at her makes her think he is gentle. Alternate translation: “His eyes are gentle like doves” or (2) the woman is speaking of the man’s white eyeballs or the shape of his eyes, the shape of a dove.
5:12 knr8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor doves beside streams of water 0 Birds that the Israelites considered gentle sitting beside a gently flowing stream are a metaphor for a gentle person.
5:12 tr46 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor bathed in milk 0 Milk is a metaphor for the whiteness of the doves. Alternate translation: (1) “doves that are white like milk” or (2) milk is a metaphor for the white part of the man’s eyes. Alternate translation: “his pupils are like doves bathing in white milk”
5:12 qe85 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile mounted like jewels 0 His eyes are beautiful. Jewels that a craftsman has carefully put in place are beautiful.
5:13 ip4j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile His cheeks … aromatic scents 0 This explains that his cheeks are like beds of spices because they both give off wonderful smells.
5:13 mtt8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor beds of spices 0 gardens or parts of gardens where people grow spices. Spices give people pleasure. The man’s body gives the woman pleasure.
5:13 a4hu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor His lips are lilies 0 The woman probably compares his lips with lilies because they are beautiful and smell wonderful.
5:13 x8c2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor dripping liquid myrrh 0 “that drip with the best myrrh.” His lips are moist and have a wonderful smell like myrrh.
5:14 nl6y rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor His arms are rounded gold set with jewels 0 “His arms are cylinders of gold that have jewels all over them.” The woman uses this image to say that his arms are beautiful and precious. The first readers would have understood this as a metaphor for the male body part ([Song of Songs 5:3](./03.md)), but this would be difficult to bring out in translation.
5:14 bg51 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor his abdomen is ivory covered with sapphires 0 “his belly is smooth ivory that has sapphires all over it.” The woman uses this image to say that his belly is beautiful and precious.
5:15 z75c rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile his appearance is like Lebanon 0 “he looks like Lebanon.” Lebanon was a very beautiful area with many mountains and cedar trees.
5:16 sc8p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy His mouth is most sweet 0 The mouth is a metonym for either: (1) the man’s sweet kisses or (2) the sweet words that he says.
5:16 w3vr he is completely lovely 0 Alternate translation: “every part of him is lovely” or “all of him is lovely”
5:16 pi1a This is my beloved, and this is my friend 0 The word “This” refers to the man that the woman has just finished describing. Alternate translation: “That is what the one I love is like, and that is what my friend is like”
5:16 zd7b my beloved 0 This phrase refers to the man whom the woman loves. In some languages it may be more natural for her to refer to him as “my lover.” See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 1:13](./12.md). Alternate translation: “my dear one” or “my lover”
5:16 r6zc rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe daughters of Jerusalem 0 “young women of Jerusalem.” These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:7](../02/07.md).
6:intro fa9a 0 # Song of Songs 6 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Beauty\n\nThe woman is described as the epitome of beauty in ancient Israel. Not all cultures share the same standards of beauty.\n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### Metaphors\n\nIn the ancient Near East, it was common to describe a woman using metaphors involving animals. In many cultures today, this can be considered offensive. Different metaphors of beauty are used in different cultures. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
6:1 z4sf rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry 0 # General Information:\n\nThe fifth part of the book begins here. (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])
6:1 xnv3 In what direction has your beloved gone 0 Alternate translation: “Which way did your beloved go”
6:1 wr5y your beloved 0 This phrase refers to the man whom the woman loves. In some languages it may be more natural for the other women to refer to him as “your lover.” See how you translated “my beloved” in [Song of Songs 1:13](./12.md). Alternate translation: “your dear one” or “your lover” or “the man you love”
6:1 emy4 most beautiful among women 0 “you who are the most beautiful of all women.” See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 1:8](../01/08.md).
6:1 ise2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit gone, so that we may seek him with you? 0 The words “tell us” are understood from the context. They can be stated clearly Alternate translation: “gone? Tell us, so that we can look for him with you.”
6:2 vrq9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor My beloved has gone down to his garden 0 The word “garden” is a metaphor for the woman. The man is finally able to fully enjoy the woman as they make love. See the explanation of this metaphor in [Song of Songs 5:1](../05/01.md). (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism]])
6:2 v5x3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor beds of spices 0 gardens or parts of gardens where people grow spices. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 5:13](../05/13.md).
6:2 w7gn rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor to graze in the garden and to gather lilies 0 These words are metaphors for the man enjoying her body.
6:2 st2n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor graze 0 “feeds” or “eats grass.” The woman speaks of the man as if he were “a gazelle or a young stag” ([Song of Songs 2:17](../02/16.md)) that eats plants among the lilies. Grazing is probably a metaphor for lovemaking ([Song of Songs 2:1–2](../02/01.md)). See how you translated “he grazes” in [Song of Songs 2:16](../02/16.md).
6:2 gp6q lilies 0 sweet-smelling flowers that grow in places where there is much water. Translate as the plural of “lily” in [Song of Songs 2:1](../02/01.md).
6:3 z5rf my beloved 0 This phrase refers to the man whom the woman loves. In some languages it may be more natural for her to refer to him as “my lover.” See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 1:13](./12.md). Alternate translation: “my dear one” or “my lover”
6:3 lr7w I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine 0 See how you translated the similar phrase “My beloved is mine, and I am his” in [Song of Songs 2:16](../02/16.md).
6:3 p4l4 he grazes among the lilies with pleasure 0 See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:16](../02/16.md).
6:4 xk88 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile as beautiful as Tirzah, my love, as lovely as Jerusalem 0 These cities were famous for being beautiful and pleasant to be in. The man thinks the woman is beautiful, and he takes pleasure in being with her.
6:5 lbz1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile שַׂעְרֵךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הָֽעִזִּ֔ים שֶׁגָּלְשׁ֖וּ מִן־הַגִּלְעָֽד 1 See how you translated the sentence **Your hair is like a flock of goats\nthat hop down from Gilead** in [4:1](../04/01.md).
6:6 lxi1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile שִׁנַּ֨יִךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הָֽרְחֵלִ֔ים שֶׁעָל֖וּ מִן־הָרַחְצָ֑ה שֶׁכֻּלָּם֙ מַתְאִימ֔וֹת וְשַׁכֻּלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין בָּהֶֽם 1 See how you translated the almost identical verse in [4:2](../04/02.md).
6:6 j7se rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit coming up from the washing place 0 The ewes are coming up out of the water. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 4:2](../04/02.md). Alternate translation: “that are coming up out of the water after people have washed them”
6:6 x7hr rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor Each one has a twin 0 Sheep usually give birth to two lambs at one time. These twin lamb usually look like one another. Each of the woman’s teeth has a matching tooth on the other side of her mouth. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 4:2](../04/02.md).
6:6 s4qj none among them is bereaved 0 Each of the woman’s teeth has a matching tooth on the other side of her mouth. She has not lost any of her teeth. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 4:2](../04/02.md).
6:6 j4u3 bereaved 0 lost a loved one who has died. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 4:2](../04/02.md).
6:7 zid1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile are like pomegranate halves 0 Pomegranates are smooth, round, and rich red. The man thinks the woman’s cheeks are beautiful and show that she is healthy. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 4:3](../04/03.md). Alternate translation: “are red and round like two halves of a pomegranate” or “are red and full and healthy”
6:9 a2hh rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor My dove 0 The Israelites considered doves beautiful birds with pleasant voices. The man thinks the woman’s face and voice are beautiful. If calling a woman a “dove” would be offensive, you could leave out the metaphor. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:14](../02/14.md). Alternate translation: “You beautiful woman”
6:10 cw4k 0 # General Information:\n\nThe ULT understands this to be what the queens and the concubines said about the woman. However, some versions understand these to be the words of the man.
6:10 g6e9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion Who is this who appears like the dawn … banners? 0 They are using this question to say that they think the young woman is amazing. Alternate translation: “This is an amazing woman! She comes into view like the dawn … banners!”
6:10 y3dp rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile who appears like the dawn 0 The dawn is beautiful. The woman is beautiful. Alternate translation: “who comes into view like the dawn”
6:10 vb8c rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile as awe-inspiring as an army with its banners 0 See how you translated the similar phrase “terrifying like bannered armies” in [6:4](../06/04.md).
6:12 lt9y rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile I was so happy that I felt I was riding in the chariot of a prince 0 The man uses this image to express how happy he is.
6:13 u681 0 # General Information:\n\nThis is 7:1, the first verse of chapter seven, in some versions. The ULT understands this to be the friends and the woman talking to each other. Some versions understand this to be the man speaking to the woman.
6:13 sm5j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-pronouns Turn back … gaze on you 0 Possible meanings here are: (1) the friends are speaking to the woman or (2) the man is referring to himself in plural.
6:13 za54 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-pronouns we may gaze 0 Some versions understand the plural to refer to the man speaking of himself. Alternate translation: “I may gaze”
6:13 e2bm rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-pronouns Why do you gaze on the perfect woman … armies 0 Possible meanings here are: (1) the woman refers to herself as another person and is speaking to the friends or (2) the woman is speaking to the man as if he were many men.
7:intro hqv7 0 # Song of Songs 7 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Beauty\n\nThe woman is described as the epitome of beauty in ancient Israel. Not all cultures share the same the same standards of beauty.\n\n## Important figures of speech in this chapter\n\n### Similes\n\nThere are many similes in this chapter. Their purpose is to describe the beauty of the woman. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])
7:1 e9bd rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile The curves of your thighs are like jewels 0 The shape of the woman’s thighs remind the speaker of a beautiful precious stone that a skilled workman has carved. Alternate translation: “The curves of your thighs are beautiful like the beautiful curves of jewel that a skilled craftsman has made”
7:1 fc12 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche the work of the hands of a master craftsman 0 The hands are a synecdoche for the person. Alternate translation: “the work of a master craftsman” or “something that a master craftsman has made”
7:2 u88e rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile Your navel is like a round bowl 0 A bowl is round. The woman’s navel is round.
7:2 n59p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor may it never lack mixed wine 0 People used large bowls to mix wine with water or spices at feasts. Drinking wine is a metaphor for enjoying beauty. The litotes can be translated as a positive. Alternate translation: “may it always contain mixed wine” or “may I always enjoy its beauty” (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-litotes]])
7:2 q8fy rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile Your belly is like a mound of wheat encircled with lilies 0 The Israelites thought mounds of wheat and lilies were pleasant to look at. Much wheat was a sign that there would be much food to eat. They threshed wheat in high, dry places, and lilies grow in low, wet places, so this simile combines beautiful sights that people would not usually see at the same time.
7:2 w6nh rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile Your belly is like a mound of wheat 0 People thought that the color of wheat was the most beautiful color of skin and that round piles of wheat were beautiful. Alternate translation: “Your belly has a beautiful color and is round like a pile of wheat”
7:2 ah1p a mound of wheat 0 This is a pile of the grains of wheat after people remove the parts of it that they do not use.
7:2 cz8d encircled with lilies 0 Alternate translation: “with lilies all around it”
7:2 ue5r lilies 0 sweet-smelling flowers that grow in places where there is much water. Translate as the plural of “lily” in [Song of Songs 2:1](../02/01.md).
7:4 uv17 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile Your neck is like a tower of ivory 0 A tower is long and straight. Ivory is white. The woman’s neck is long and straight, and her skin is light in color.
7:4 h4ih rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor your eyes are the pools in Heshbon 0 The woman’s eyes are spoken of as if they are clear pools of water. Pools of water are clear and sparkle in the sunlight and so are pleasant to look at. The woman’s eyes are clear and sparkle and so are pleasant to look at. This can be stated as a simile. Alternate translation: “your eyes are as clear as the pools in Heshbon” (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])
7:4 md6s rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names Heshbon 0 This is the name of a city east of the Jordan River
7:4 r1vf rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names Bath Rabbim 0 This is the name of a city.
7:4 a4vg rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile nose is like the tower in Lebanon 0 A tower is tall and straight, and her nose is tall and straight.
7:5 hkk7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor The king is held captive by its tresses 0 This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “Your hair that hangs down is so beautiful that the king is not able to stop admiring it” (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])
7:7 jy1s rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile Your height is like that of a date palm tree 0 “You stand up like a date palm tree.” Date palm trees are tall and straight, and their branches are only at the top, with the fruit under the branches.
7:7 jr1v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile your breasts like clusters of fruit 0 The dates on a palm tree grow soft and round in large bunches that hang from the tree just below the branches, which are all at the top. The woman’s breasts are soft and round and are just lower than her arms.
7:8 zfb8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile may the fragrance of your nose be like apricots 0 The word “nose” is a metonym for the breath coming out of the nose. Alternate translation: “may the breath coming from your nose smell sweet like apricots”
7:9 yrg1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy May your palate be like the best wine 0 The palate is a metonym for the lips. Wine tastes good. The man wants to kiss the woman’s lips. (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])
7:9 rq12 flowing smoothly for my beloved 0 “that flows smoothly for the one I love.” The man enjoys the smooth kisses of the woman.
7:9 ed64 gliding over the lips of those who sleep 0 Alternate translation: “that flows over our lips as we sleep”
7:10 k7zq I am my beloved’s 0 See how you translated a similar phrase in [Song of Songs 6:3](../06/01.md).
7:10 j44v my beloved’s 0 This phrase refers to the man whom the woman loves. In some languages it may be more natural for her to refer to him as “my lover.” See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 1:13](./12.md). Alternate translation: “my dear one’s” or “my lover’s”
7:10 a143 he desires me 0 Alternate translation: “he wants to make love to me” or “he wants me”
7:11 bhr6 spend the night in the villages 0 Though the words here translated “spends the night” and “villages” appear together in [Song of Songs 1:13–14](../01/12.md) as “spends the night” and “henna flowers,” and the context both here and there is lovemaking, the ULT chooses this reading because the immediate metaphor is of the man and woman sleeping in the village, rising in the morning, and going out into the vineyards. The word for “henna plants” and the word for “villages” sound exactly the same.
7:13 v61b rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown mandrakes 0 This is the name of plants that give off a strong but pleasant scent. The scent is slightly intoxicating and stimulating, which increases the desire to make love.
7:13 xbk7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit at the door 0 The doors belong to their house. Alternate translation: “above the entrances of our house” or “by the doors of our house”
7:13 c2ah are all sorts of choice fruits, new and old 0 Alternate translation: “is every kind of the best fruit, both old fruit and new fruit”
7:13 jsb8 stored up for you 0 Alternate translation: “saved so I can give to you”
7:13 h8r2 my beloved 0 This phrase refers to the man whom the woman loves. In some languages it may be more natural for her to refer to him as “my lover.” See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 1:13](./12.md). Alternate translation: “my dear one” or “my lover”
8:intro d35n 0 # Song of Songs 8 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Kisses\n\nThe kisses in this chapter are a type of kiss that was only done between a husband a wife. It is an intimate kiss. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])\n\n### Passion\n\nChapter 8 describes the passion that can exist between a husband a wife. The feeling of strong desire for one another.
8:1 me7m rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry 0 # General Information:\n\n(See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])
8:1 dp21 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile you were like my brother 0 A woman could show affection for her brother in public. This woman wanted to be able to show affection for the man in public.
8:2 s68s rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor I would give you spiced wine to drink and some of the juice of my pomegranates 0 The woman uses these images to say that she will give herself to the man and make love with him.
8:4 rk33 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe daughters of Jerusalem 0 “young women of Jerusalem.” These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:7](../02/07.md).
8:5 xxv3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion Who is this who is coming up 0 They are using this question to say that they think the young woman is amazing. A similar phrase was translated in [Song of Songs 6:10](../06/10.md). Alternate translation: “Look at this amazing woman as she comes up”
8:5 p4rr I awakened you 0 Alternate translation: “I woke you up” or “I aroused you”
8:5 zfa2 the apricot tree 0 a tree that produces a small yellow fruit that is very sweet. If your readers will not know what this is, you could use the word for another fruit tree or the general word “fruit tree.” See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:3](../02/03.md).
8:5 g9tp there 0 under the apricot tree
8:5 d4ub she delivered you 0 Alternate translation: “she bore you”
8:6 jr5m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor Set me as a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm 0 This could mean: (1) because seals were very important, people always kept them around their neck or on their hand. The woman wants to be with the man constantly like a seal, or (2) a seal shows who owns the thing that has the seal on it, and the woman wants herself as the seal on the man’s heart and arm to show that all of his thoughts, emotions, and actions belong to her. (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])
8:6 yzj4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile for love is as strong as death 0 Death is very strong because it overcomes even the most powerful people of the world.
8:6 tci8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile as unrelenting as Sheol 0 “as tough as Sheol.” Sheol never allows people to come back to life after they have already died. Love is as persistent as Sheol because it never changes.
8:6 fvz9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor its flames burst out … any other fire 0 Love is very powerful like fire.
8:7 baf6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor Surging waters cannot quench love 0 Love is so strong that it is like a fire that is so hot that it cannot be put out even with an ocean full of water.
8:7 e1ej rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor nor can floods sweep it away 0 Love never changes and always stays the same so it is like something that not even a powerful flood can move.
8:7 dju9 floods 0 In Israel, water from the rain flows into deep and narrow valleys. This creates a flood of water so powerful that it can move huge boulders and trees.
8:7 kqk9 sweep it away 0 Alternate translation: “carry it away” or “wash it away”
8:7 jwh1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical אִם־יִתֵּ֨ן אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־כָּל־ה֤וֹן בֵּיתוֹ֙ בָּאַהֲבָ֔ה בּ֖וֹז יָב֥וּזוּ לֽוֹ 1 The author is using a hypothetical situation to illustrate a truth. Alternate translation: “Even if a man will give all the wealth of his house in exchange for love,\nthey will utterly despise him” or “Suppose a man will give all the wealth of his house in exchange for love, they will utterly despise him”
8:8 t852 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion What can we do … in marriage? 0 The speaker uses this question to introduce what he wants to say. Alternate translation: “This is what we will do … in marriage.”
8:9 x3j1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor If she is a wall … If she is a door 0 The little sister ([Song of Songs 8:8](./08.md)) has very small breasts that either have not grown or are very small.
8:9 am5u rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor we will build on her a tower of silver … we will adorn her with boards of cedar 0 The brothers decide to decorate the little sister with silver and cedar, symbols of riches, so that she will be more likely to attract a good husband.
8:10 mc78 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile my breasts are now like fortress towers 0 Fortress towers are tall.
8:10 rll2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy I am in his eyes as one 0 Here eyes are a metonym for judgment or value. Alternate translation: “I am in his judgment as one” or “he thinks of me as one”
8:10 b5uu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit brings peace 0 You may need to make explicit to whom the woman brings peace. Alternate translation: “brings him peace”
8:11 tt74 0 # General Information:\n\nPossible interpretations: (1) The woman contrasts the way she wants to give herself to the man, who will give her his love, to the way Solomon leases out his vineyard to those who will give him money. (2) The man contrasts the woman, whom he will not give to another man, to Solomon’s vineyard, which he gave to other men.
8:11 h77m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit 0 It may be helpful to state that this payment was for the fruit of the vineyard. Alternate translation: “Each man was supposed to give Solomon a thousand shekels as payment for the fruit of the vineyard”
8:11 t2dp rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-bmoney to bring a thousand shekels of silver 0 “to bring 1,000 shekels of silver.” (See also: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]])
8:11 mm2j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe Solomon 0 Some versions understand the woman to be speaking directly to Solomon. Others understand her to be speaking in an apostrophe to her friends, to the man, or to herself.
8:12 za66 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor My vineyard, my very own 0 The woman refers to herself as a vineyard, as in [Song of Songs 1:6](../01/05.md). Here she emphasizes that she and no one else will decide what she does with the “vineyard.”
8:12 gc75 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom is before me 0 This is an idiom that means the a person has the right to do what they want with something. Alternate translation: “is at my disposal” or “is mine to do with as I desire”
8:12 tl1c the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon 0 The woman knows that Solomon has leased out the vineyard so he can get money, but she does not want money.
8:12 t7u1 the two hundred shekels 0 The speaker has not mentioned these before, but the hearer would understand that she is speaking of the money that those who worked the vineyard would have left for their own after they paid Solomon.
8:13 dp6s rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-you You who live 0 The man is speaking to the woman, so “you” and “live” are feminine singular.
8:13 zm5h rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy listening for your voice 0 The voice is a metonym for what the person says. If your language has a word for thinking only of what one is listening for, you could use it here. Alternate translation: “waiting to hear you start speaking” or “waiting to hear what you have to say”
8:13 ew6z let me hear it 0 Alternate translation: “let me hear your voice.”
8:14 vrp7 my beloved 0 This phrase refers to the man whom the woman loves. In some languages it may be more natural for her to refer to him as “my lover.” See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 1:13](./12.md). Alternate translation: “my dear one” or “my lover”
8:14 zh44 like a gazelle or a young stag 0 See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:9](../02/08.md).
8:14 yhn7 gazelle 0 a type of slender deer-like animal with long curved horns
8:14 mqx9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor the mountains of spices 0 “the mountains that have spices all over them.” The woman uses this metaphor to invite the man to make love to her. See how the man uses the metaphor of a mountain of myrrh and a hill of frankincense in [Song of Songs 4:6](../04/06.md).
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