7:9a

and your mouth like the finest wine: This clause implies the same verb that was used in 7:8c:

and your kisses ⌊are⌋ like the best wine.

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mouth literally means “palate” or “mouth.” The man said this to imply that when he kissed the woman, her kisses were as exciting or sweet as wine.

Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

• Use a simile that refers to the woman’s mouth. For example:

and your mouth like the best wine. (New International Version)

• Use a simile that refers to the woman’s kisses. For example:

May your kisses be as exciting as the best wine… (New Living Translation (2004))

• Use a simile that refers to both the woman’s mouth and her kisses. For example:

The kisses of your mouth are like fine wine.

The meaning here is similar to what the woman said to the man in 1:2b :

O that you would kiss me with the kisses of your mouth! For your love is better than wine. (Revised Standard Version)

7:9b–10 The woman spoke

Scholars differ about who spoke in 7:9b:

(1) The woman spoke. For example, the English Standard Version identifies the speaker as “she.”

(2) The man spoke. For example, the New Living Translation (2004) identifies the speaker as “young man.”

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It is probable that in 7:9b–c the woman was responding to the man’s desire for her kisses. In Hebrew, 7:9b literally says, “which goes for my lover (masculine), flowing smoothly.” The masculine form of the word “lover” indicates that the woman was probably speaking to the man.

7:9b–c

There are several interpretation issues in 7:9b–c:

(a) It is uncertain who speaks.

(b) The Hebrew phrase “for my lover” is left out or changed in some versions.

(c) The words “lips and teeth” are translated by some versions as “lips of sleepers.”

The Notes will help you choose an interpretation to follow on these issues.

7:9b

May it flow smoothly to my beloved: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to my beloved is literally “for my lover” in Hebrew, and its form indicates that the lover is male. Scholars have different views about who spoke this phrase.

(1) The woman spoke to the man, and she indicated that he is her beloved. For example:

She: It goes down smoothly for my beloved… (English Standard Version)

(2) The man spoke. For example:

The Lover to His Beloved:…flowing smoothly for my beloved… (NET Bible)

(3) The phrase “for my beloved” is omitted.

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with about half of the English versions. The form of the word beloved is masculine, which indicates that the woman spoke to the man. It does not seem proper to change the Hebrew form to feminine, as in option (2), or to omit the word, as in option (3).

flow smoothly to my beloved: The phrase flow smoothly to my beloved describes the taste and feeling of the woman’s kisses. Her kisses are as delightful to the man as delicious flowing wine. Use an appropriate phrase in your language to describe wonderful kisses. The phrase you use should also fit with the meaning of 7:9c. For examples of how to translate 7:9a–c, see the General Comment on 7:9 at the end of the note on 7:9c.

7:9c

gliding gently over lips and teeth: Scholars differ about how to interpret the Hebrew phrase in 7:9c. The two major interpretations are:

(1) The phrase refers to lips and teeth. For example:

flowing gently over lips and teeth. (New International Version)

(2) The phrase refers to the lips of sleepers.

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with the majority of English versions. It is also supported by important ancient manuscripts. However, since the Hebrew text follows option (2), it may be helpful to include a footnote in your translation. This footnote should include the ancient manuscripts that follow option (1). It should also include the literal Hebrew meaning. For example:

Here the translation follows the Septuagint, Aquila, Vulgate, and Syriac versions. The Hebrew text has literally “lips of sleepers.”

gliding: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gliding is parallel with the phrase “goes down smoothly” in 7:9b, and it has a similar meaning. It compares the woman’s kisses to how wine makes him feel as he drinks it. Use a natural way in your language to compare these experiences. See the following General Comment on 7:9 for translation examples.

General Comment on 7:9

In 7:9a the man continued to tell the woman how much he desired her, and in 7:9b–c he responded. Some other ways to translate this verse are:

Man: Your kisses are like the finest wine. Woman: Let them flow ⌊like wine⌋ and pass over your lips and teeth.
-or-
Man: Let your kisses be like the best wine. Woman: They will come smoothly and glide gently over your lips and teeth.

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