Section 1:2–2:7
The woman and man admired each other
In Section 1:2–2:7, the woman and man praised each other, and they became more confident that they loved each other. In the introduction (1:2–4) the woman spoke about her desire for the man. Then she spoke of her humble life working in the family vineyard (1:5–6), and she seemed to question whether she was worthy for him to love her. Then he praised her, and she praised him. When she spoke at the end of the section (2:3–6), she felt secure that he loved her.
In this section, the woman used several comparisons to speak of her feelings about the man. She spoke as though he were a shepherd (1:7–8) or a king (1:4; 1:12), implying that he was like a shepherd or king to her in certain ways. He was also like a bag of myrrh (1:13), henna blossoms (1:14), and an apple tree (2:3–4) to her. The woman compared herself to “a rose of Sharon,” and “a lily of the valleys” (2:1). The man compared her to “a mare of Pharaoh’s chariots” (1:9). The Notes will discuss the meaning of each of these comparisons as it occurs in its section.
Lines 1:2–4 are the introduction to Section 1:2–2:7. In these lines, the poet summarizes the Song’s message and introduces its main characters: the woman, the man, and a group of young women. In the Song the woman spoke more often than the man spoke. After the title (1:1), she began the Song by saying that she wanted him to kiss her. She referred to him only as “him” or “you.” In Hebrew poetry, the authors do not introduce their characters as they do in stories, but in some languages it may be more natural to introduce them and identify them. Some ways to do this are:
• Provide headings to identify the characters. Some headings may apply only to a verse or part of a verse. For example:
1:4e The Woman commented about the young women of Jerusalem
You may need to use a different form the first time a character is introduced. For example:
1:2–4b A woman speaks to the man she loves
• Use a speech introducer in the first part of the verse. If you use this option, you may want to indicate in some way that the speech introducer is not in the text itself. For example:
1:4e (The woman said to her beloved,) “Rightly do they love you.”
-or-
1:2a [There were a certain woman and man. She said to/about him,] “Let him kiss me…
Choose an option that fits your situation, and use it consistently throughout the book. You should also decide how you will refer to the speakers in the headings. Some ways to do that are:
woman, man, women (Good News Translation)
-or-
beloved, lover, friends (New International Version)
-or-
bride, groom, companions (Revised English Bible)
-or-
she, he, others (English Standard Version)
The woman often referred to the man as “my beloved” (Revised Standard Version), and she also called him “the one whom my soul loves,” “the king,” and “my friend.” The man often referred to her as “my love” and also as “fairest among women,” “my dove,” “my sister,” “my bride,” and “queenly maiden.”
1:2–4b The woman said that she desired her beloved
In the Hebrew text of 1:2–4b, the woman spoke about the man, using forms like “him” and “his.” Then she seemed to speak to him with forms like “you” and “your.” In 1:4b she spoke about him again, calling him “the king.” Most scholars agree that the phrase “the king” refers to the same man whom she loved, not to a different man.
In Hebrew poetry it is common to have such changes in the way people refer to each other. These changes can have different functions. Here the changes probably emphasize that the woman desired the man. In some languages such changes may be confusing or imply a wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, some other ways to translate the verses are:
• Make the changes clear by introducing them in some way. For example, notice the phrases in brackets:
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
⌊ I want to tell him,⌋
“For your love is more delightful than wine.
The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the maidens adore you.”
Take me away with you —let us hurry!
⌊ He is like a king, my king.⌋
May the king bring me to his chambers.
• Translate all the woman’s words in 1:2–4b as spoken directly to the man. For example:
Your lips cover me with kisses; (Good News Translation)
your love is better than wine,
There is a fragrance about you ;
the sound of your name recalls it.
No woman could keep from loving you.
Take me with you,
and we’ll run away;
be my king
and take me to your room.
Probably these verses tell the woman’s private thoughts and desires. The poet did not imply that the man was actually with her while she was saying these things. In some languages there are ways to indicate that a person is talking to someone who is not there to listen to what is said.
1:2a–b
This verse (1:2a–b) begins immediately with words that the woman spoke. There is no introduction to tell who spoke or who was spoken to. In Hebrew, the forms of the words often indicate this information. In many languages it is necessary to indicate it more explicitly. The headings in the Display give one clear model for indicating who speaks and who is spoken to throughout the Song.
1:2a
Let him kiss me:
The Hebrew verb form that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Let him kiss me is more literally “he will kiss me.” In this context most Bible scholars interpret the form as a wish or desire. It may also imply that the action is intense or repeated.
Some English versions express the wish with the verb “let” or “may.” However, such verbs may wrongly imply a request for permission. Your translation should clearly indicate that the woman wanted the man to kiss her.
Some ways to translate this meaning are:
• As a wish or desire. For example:
How I long for him to kiss me…!
-or-
Oh, I wish that he would kiss me…
• As a request. For example:
Kiss me again and again (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Bathe/Shower me with kisses
• As a statement or exclamation. For example:
Your lips cover me with kisses (Good News Translation)
-or-
O that you would kiss me (Revised Standard Version)
Translate the verb form in a natural way in your language.
with the kisses of his mouth: The phrase kisses of his mouth refers to romantic kisses in which the lips or mouth of the man and woman come together. In ancient Israel, “kissing” with the nose was also common. Kissing with the mouth is a more intimate kind of kissing.
In some languages the phrase kisses of his mouth is not natural or it does not communicate the right meaning. If that is true in your language, some other ways to translate it are:
• Use a more general phrase with an emphatic sense. For example:
How I wish he would kiss me ⌊passionately⌋ !
-or-
Oh that he would show how much he loves me!
• Use a more specific phrase. For example:
How I long for him to kiss my lips/mouth!
Translate the phrase in an natural way in your language.
kisses: In some cultures, kisses on the lips may be unknown. A different way to show romantic love may be appropriate here, such as an intimate hug or touch. In some cultures a man and woman rub their noses together to show love. Use a way that is appropriate in your language.
1:2b–4a
In 1:2b–4a, the woman seemed to speak directly to her beloved, since she referred to him with the words “you” and “your.” However, probably the woman was only thinking about what she wanted to say to him. In Hebrew words like “you” and “your” express her strong desire for him in a more vivid way than using “he” and “his.”
1:2b
For: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For is used in different ways in different contexts. There are different ways to interpret it here.
(1) It introduces the reason why the woman desired the man’s kisses. For example:
because your love is better than wine. (New Century Version)
(2) It indicates an emphatic sense such as “truly” or “indeed.” (Sometimes this sense is only implied in the translation.) For example:
Oh, your loving is sweeter than wine! (Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) with the majority of English versions. However, either option fits this context. If a national language version follows option (2), that is also acceptable.
Consider how to express this connection in an appropriate way for poetry. In some languages a conjunction may not be natural or necessary. For example, the Contemporary English Version does not have a conjunction between 1:2a and 1:2b:
2a Kiss me tenderly! 2b Your love is better than wine. (Contemporary English Version)
your love is more delightful than wine: In this clause, the woman did not say how the man’s love was more delightful than wine. Wine is like love in more than one way. Both give pleasure, and both can also make a person behave in unusual ways. Use a description that fits both love and wine. In some languages it is necessary to translate love as an action. The woman was more delighted by the way the man caressed her than by drinking wine.
Some ways to translate this clause are:
• Use a statement that does not specify in what way the man’s love was better. For example:
For your love is better than wine… (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Wine is good, but his love is very good.
• Use a more specific way to refer to pleasure or delight. For example:
For your lovemaking is more delightful than wine. (NET Bible)
• Compare the actions of making love and drinking wine. For example:
The way you love me is more intoxicating/blissful than drinking wine.
Use a natural comparison in your language that fits this context. The comparison should imply good effects, not bad effects, because the woman was praising the way the man showed love for her. See the note on wine later in 1:2b.
your love:
In this context the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as love refers mainly to physical lovemaking such as kisses, caresses, or sexual intercourse. Some ways to translate your love in 1:2b are:
• Use verbs or phrases to describe these actions. For example:
the ways you love/caress me
• Use a term that refers to physical acts of love. For example:
your lovemaking
• Use a more general term for “love” or for “expressions of love.” Try to choose a term that implies physical or romantic love in this context. For example:
your love (New International Version)
-or-
Your expressions of love (God’s Word)
Consider how to translate love here in a way that is poetic and appropriate in your language.
wine: wine is an alcoholic drink. It is made from the juice of a fruit called grapes. When grape juice ferments, it becomes wine.
In some areas, people may not be familiar with grapes or with wine. If that is true in your area, some other ways to translate wine are:
• Use a general term for an alcoholic drink.
• Use a specific term that can also be used to refer to alcoholic drinks in general. For example:
millet beer
-or-
palm wine
• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
fermented grape juice
At that time wine was a common beverage in areas where people farmed grapes. It was often used in celebrations. In the Song, it is sometimes used in metaphors for love. (For example, see 5:1d.) Wine is mentioned often in the OT. It is used for the first time in Genesis 9:21. You may translate it here in the same way as you translated it there.
© 2017 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.