His arms, or “His hands,” are likened to rounded gold. If “hands” is the base meaning (so Good News Translation, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), then rounded refers to the fingers. General Hebrew usage, however, like many other languages, can apply the term for “hand” to the entire arm. Retaining arms with Revised Standard Version and New American Bible is suggested. On the other hand, as we noted earlier, “hand” is a euphemism for the penis. This double meaning was probably clear to ancient readers and hearers but will be difficult to render in most translations.

In 1 Kgs 6.34 (“folded”); Est 1.6 (“rings”), the term rounded appears. In the first reference it describes part of the doors in Solomon’s Temple, perhaps the hinges; in the second it describes how the curtains in the royal palace are attached, so probably means “curtain rods.”

Rounded gold probably refers both to shape and color, so we accept that the topic is his bronzed arms. The reference to roundness may refer to the curve of his muscles on the upper arm, while gold can describe their color. Other possibilities are that the roundness refers to something worn around the arm like a bracelet rather than the arm itself.

Set with jewels: it is difficult to know whether jewels is used literally or figuratively. His arms may be decorated with arm bands studded with jewels. Good News Translation translates “hands” literally and so sees these as rings: “he wears rings set with gems.”

The kind of jewels (Hebrew tarshish) in mind here is uncertain. From the book of Jonah we know there is a place called Tarshish, and so some regard it as the place from which some precious stone originated. Hence Jerusalem Bible “jewels of Tarshish.” This rendering conveys very little to most readers. Suggested identities of the stone in question are beryl, chrysolite, ruby, topaz, or lapis lazuli. In view of the uncertainty about the kind of stone involved here, we are probably best advised to keep the translation general: “His arms are like golden cylinders [or, bars]; he wears armbands studded with precious stones.”

Of course the other possibility is that this is an extended metaphor. This means that his arms are compared to gold rods that are themselves set with precious stones. Then we need to look for the basis of comparison. Goulder suggests that his hands are the rods, and his fingernails are the jewels. Another possibility is that his arms are the golden rods, and the jewels are his joints or muscles. Since it is impossible to determine the basis of comparison, it may be better to leave this unstated and translate the text rather literally, “His arms are like golden cylinders decorated with precious stones.”

His body: the Hebrew term regularly means a person’s intestines or internal organs, or the womb of the female. However, in Dan 2.32 there is an Aramaic term that is similar and which appears to represent that part of the body between the chest and the thighs. The term body is obviously too general. “Chest” or “torso” may be reasonable alternatives. Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, King James Version all use “belly.” But this is not the kind of word people use in modern English, especially in a poetic context.

Ivory work: the noun ivory, “elephant tusk,” presents no difficulty in terms of the meaning itself. However, the term translated work in Revised Standard Version is a problem because this is the only time we find it in the Old Testament. A wide variety of suggested meanings will be found in translations. In the Mishnah the word is used to indicate a “block or bar of some substance.” This is what we find in Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible. Ivory also represents high quality and expensive decoration; see Amos 6.4. Its underlying meaning therefore is that the young man represents something of high quality and of great value.

Encrusted with sapphires: the young woman says that the her lover’s body is encrusted or “covered” (Good News Translation) with sapphires. The Hebrew term sappirim may come from the Sanskrit word for lapis lazuli. Blue precious stones adorn the ivory. In the earlier reference to his eyes, the comparison with doves continued with an extended simile. So here the additional information applies to ivory and not to the man’s arms. Actually both phrases here picture something rare and valuable.

For translation we suggest:

• His chest is like smooth ivory decorated with sapphires.

Given the wide range of possible meanings and the uncertainty of the metaphors, a rather literal translation is recommended for this verse:

• His arms are like golden rods
Set with precious stones;
His chest as beautiful as smooth ivory
Decorated with sapphires.

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 .