Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle: as in Revised Standard Version, the Hebrew original has two breasts. In many languages this detail may be humorous, since the young woman certainly has no more than two! In Hebrew two is repeated for poetic effect. The words breasts and two give a repetitive sh sound. In many languages it will be more natural to omit the number two and simply say, “your breasts.”

The young woman’s breasts remind him of two fawns, the young of a gazelle. The point may be to stress her youthfulness, or the expression may suggest that her breasts are small and delicate. Twins has been suggested as a figure for their symmetry. The gazelle was commented on in 2.7, 9. It is a symbol for grace and beauty, so that is the sense here. The phrases two fawns and twins of a gazelle are almost synonymous and so can be combined in translation if necessary. Again we can make the basis of the comparison obvious. We can introduce the adjectives “beautiful” or “lovely” and say “Your breasts are as beautiful as two young gazelles,” or “your breasts are as lovely as two fawns, twins of a gazelle.”

That feed among the lilies: on lilies see comments on 2.1. There are a number of difficulties within this short phrase. Elsewhere (2.9, 17) it is the young man himself who is compared to a gazelle feeding among the lilies, a description that has a figurative reference to lovemaking. However, here the breasts are compared to these fawns feeding among lilies. Some take this to mean that her breasts are sweet-smelling or covered in perfume (compare 1.13). However, there seems to be no direct link between the breasts themselves and the lilies; rather, this simply tells us where the fawns are. Perhaps we are to take this as a picture of natural beauty.

We have already noted that there is considerable alliteration (the use of similar sounds) and repetition in the verse. The Hebrew word two, which occurs twice, begins with the sound sh, as does breast and lilies. Sound repetition can account in part for the choice of words here.

Even though it is difficult to determine the precise meaning of the phrase feed among the lilies, we recognize that it is an important expression which is repeated. We therefore recommend translating these lines rather literally. There is absolutely no basis for leaving them out as New English Bible does.

For translation we suggest:

• Your breasts, so small and beautiful,
Like two fawns feeding in the lilies.

• Your breasts are like twin deer
feeding in the lilies.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Song of Songs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1998. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .