8:11–12
In these verses the author mentioned a vineyard, as he did in 1:6. The verses probably imply that the value of true love (see 8:7c–d) is much greater than the value of wealth and power. King Solomon symbolized that type of power and riches. The text implies that a person should value love more than any amount of money.
Scholars differ about who spoke in 8:11–12.
(1) The woman spoke. For example, the New International Version identifies the speaker as:
She (New International Version)
(2) The man spoke. For example, the Good News Translation identifies the speaker as:
The Man (Good News Translation)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions. This interpretation fits well with the woman’s comments about her vineyard in 1:6.
8:11a
Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon: Many scholars believe that the statement Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon has two meanings. It refers to a literal vineyard, and it also refers figuratively to the large number of wives that King Solomon had. Solomon spent much money to keep his many wives safe. He put them in a special place reserved only for them. Here the woman compared this place to a vineyard.
The author probably mentioned Solomon here as a contrast to the young man whom the woman loved. Solomon’s vineyard is a good example of the fact that wealth cannot buy love (as stated in 8:7c–d).
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
Solomon owned a ⌊large⌋ grape farm at Baal-hamon
-or-
Solomon has a vineyard in a place called Baal Hamon (Good News Translation)
vineyard: The word vineyard is used eight times in the Song. It is good to translate it in a similar way in each place where it is used. For more information and translation examples, see the note on vineyard at 1:6e. In the Song the word sometimes has both a literal and a figurative meaning. It refers literally to an actual vineyard with vines and grapes, and figuratively to a human body and to sexuality, especially to women’s sexuality.
Some other ways to translate it are:
a grape farm
-or-
a farm with delicious fruit
Baal-hamon: The name Baal-hamon is the name of a place, but the location of the place is unknown. The name literally means “master (Baal) of wealth,” “wealthy master,” so the author may use this name because of its meaning. A “master of wealth” contrasts with a person who has true love. Money cannot buy love.
English versions write Baal-hamon as a name without translating its meaning. It may be helpful to include a footnote in your translation to tell the meaning of the name. An example of a possible footnote is:
The name Baal-hamon means “master of wealth, wealthy master.”
8:11b
He leased it to the tenants: The clause He leased it to the tenants means that Solomon, the owner, rented his vineyard to tenants so that the tenants would care for it. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:
He rented the vineyard for others to tend
-or-
he has hired people to care for his vineyard
-or-
He entrusted that vineyard to caretakers. (God’s Word)
-or-
There are farmers who rent it from him (Good News Translation)
Figuratively, the “vineyard” in this clause may refer to the harem of King Solomon, where his many wives lived. If that is the meaning of “vineyard” here, the clause implies that Solomon hired people to take care of his wives in the harem.
to the tenants: The word tenants refers here to tenant farmers. Such farmers paid rent money so that the owner would allow them to farm on his land. They received some of the fruit of the land as their payment. The rest of the fruit belonged to the owner, along with the land itself. Use a natural way in your language to refer to such workers. Some other ways to refer to them in English are:
some farmers (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
other people to take care of it
-or-
tenant farmers (New Living Translation (2004))
8:11c
For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver: This part of the verse tells what each tenant farmer must pay for the right to farm Solomon’s land. Each farmer was required to pay Solomon a thousand pieces of silver. That gave the tenant the right to work Solomon’s land and receive some of its produce.
Some other ways to translate this meaning are:
Each of the farmers pays a thousand silver coins for the right to harvest its fruit.
-or-
For its fruit one would have to pay a thousand silver pieces. (New American Bible)
its fruit: The phrase its fruit refers to the fruit of Solomon’s vineyard (grape farm). The grapes of that vineyard were expensive, and the tenants had to pay a fee of 1000 silver pieces.
a thousand shekels of silver: The phrase a thousand shekels of silver refers to a thousand silver coins. The phrase may also be used figuratively to refer to a very large amount of money. In some languages people are not familiar with silver or they do not use pieces of it as money. If that is true in your language, another way to translate the meaning is:
a thousand silver coins
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