7:1–10 The man praised the woman and she responded
In 7:1–9a the man sang another praise song to the woman, and then she responded in 7:9b–10. Here the man used a different order to describe her beauty. He began with her feet and moved upward to her head as the final focus. In other descriptions (4:1–5, 5:10–16, and 6:4–7) he began with the head and moved downward. Here, he described several parts of her body that he described earlier in the book (neck, eyes, breasts, hair, and head), and he mentioned some other parts for the first time. Notice that 7:3 is identical to 4:5a.
Scholars differ about whether the woman was dancing in this section. In 6:13 the woman said that she did not want spectators to look at her as though she were a dancer. In 7:1–10 the man did not describe her movements, but only her physical features. So, she was probably not dancing in this unit. Some scholars think that she was naked or dressed in transparent clothing, but that idea is not supported in the text.
These verses have many metaphors and similes, and scholars differ about how to interpret some of them. The Notes will discuss each one and give translation suggestions.
7:1–9a The man spoke to the woman
7:1a–b
How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O daughter of the prince: Here the man spoke directly to the woman, using the phrase daughter of the prince like a name for her. In some languages it is more natural to begin the verse with this phrase. For example:
Daughter/Child of noblemen, your feet are very beautiful in sandals.
For more information, see the note on 7:1b.
7:1a
How beautiful are your sandaled feet: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as How beautiful are your sandaled feet is an exclamation. It is similar to the exclamation in 4:10. Here the man told the woman that her feet looked beautiful in the sandals that she wore. Some other ways to translate the exclamation are:
Your feet with sandals are so beautiful
-or-
Your sandaled feet are lovely!
-or-
Your feet look beautiful in your sandals
sandaled: The word sandaled indicates that the woman was wearing “sandals.” The word “sandals” refers here to leather footwear held on with straps. Sandals leave most of the top of the foot uncovered, so when the woman wore sandals, the man was able to see much of her foot. The sandals also added to the natural beauty of her feet. In that culture sandals were often decorative, and they were sometimes used in ceremonies.
7:1b
O daughter of the prince: The word O is not in the Hebrew text. It is commonly used for direct address in English poetry, and the Berean Standard Bible and some other versions add it. In most languages it is more natural not to add it. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:
noble daughter (God’s Word)
-or-
you are a princess (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
O queenly maiden (Revised Standard Version)
The phrase daughter of the prince is used in a figurative way here. It indicates that the woman was a person of noble character, like a queen should be. It does not literally indicate that the woman was the child of a king and queen, princes, or other noble men and women. This is another example of the royalty theme. Here is another way to translate this:
What a magnificent young woman you are! (Good News Translation)
Use a natural way in your language to describe a woman who is greatly respected for her good character.
7:1c–d
The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the handiwork of a master: Here the man compared the woman’s thighs to jewels that were shaped by a skilled artist. The phrase the handiwork of a master describes the jewels, not the woman’s thighs. Jewels that are shaped by an expert are especially beautiful. The woman’s thighs were also beautifully shaped like such fine jewels. Their curves matched perfectly.
Some other ways to translate this meaning are:
The curve of your thighs is like the work of an artist (Good News Translation)
-or-
Your thighs have beautiful curves. They are like jewels that a master craftsman shaped perfectly.
7:1c
The curves of your thighs are like jewels: The clause The curves of your thighs are like jewels is a simile. It compares the woman’s thighs to jewels. The text does not indicate exactly how the curves of her thighs were like jewels. However, it is likely that curves refers to the roundness of her thighs. Other ways to translate the simile are:
Your rounded thighs are ⌊beautiful⌋ like ⌊smooth/rounded⌋ jewels.
-or-
The curves of your thighs are like ornaments (God’s Word)
The curves of your thighs: The phrase The curves of your thighs can also be translated “rounded thighs,” as in the Good News Translation. The word thighs refers to the upper part of the leg. Here the phrase The curves of your thighs probably refers to the curve of the outer part of the thigh. It does not refer to the whole leg.
Some ways to translate The curves of your thighs are:
rounded thighs (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Your well-shaped thighs
7:1d
the handiwork of a master: The phrase the handiwork of a master refers to the work that an expert does. Such an expert has the skill to create beautiful art. In this context the text implies that the curves of the woman’s thighs were like beautiful jewels that were shaped by an expert artist. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
the work of a skilled craftsman (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
that were shaped by an artist
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