Many regard this verse, and especially its final words, as the most difficult passage in Song of Songs. As Revised Standard Version points out, “the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.” A similar footnote will need to be provided by the translator, to alert the reader to the fact that we really do not know for certain what the Hebrew text here means. Even if we go back to the earliest translations such as the Septuagint, we get little help, for the problem with this text predates them also. In view of the many aspects of this problem, and the fact that there is probably no solution, there may be little point in discussing it in great detail. A wide variety of changes to the text have been suggested, but they are often subjective and problematic. However, since we want to offer a possible translation, we shall have to consider some of the important issues.

The major task is to make sense of a very difficult text that says literally “not I-knew my-flesh she [or, you (feminine); or, it]-set-me chariots of my people my princes.”

The first problem is the number of strange grammatical forms. The word “flesh” can be interpreted either as the subject of the verb “set” or as the object of the verb “know” or “realized.” The verb “set” has an ambiguous subject marker, giving three possible interpretations: “you [feminine; or, she; or, it] set me.” Another problem is the way single words are placed together without prepositions or other connectors to show how they relate to one another. Finally the actual meaning of some of the words, especially those in the last phrase, is far from certain.

Before I was aware reflects the first two words, “I did not know.” This means “my flesh” is viewed as the subject of the verb “set” rather than the object of “know.” Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible translate similarly: “Before I knew [or, realized it] ….” However, a Hebrew idiom, “I did not know my flesh,” means that a person has lost his or her composure and does not know what to do. This means “flesh” can be the object of the verb “know.” The word “flesh” in Hebrew can be used as a reflexive and so here can mean “myself.” Fox and Revised English Bible thus suggest “I did not know [or, recognize] myself.”

Already in verse 5 we saw how distracted the young man felt when the woman looked at him. Bible en français courant conveys this bewilderment as “I don’t understand anything any more!” However, given the context of verse 11, with its hidden reference to lovemaking, it is more likely that he is rather “beside himself with joy.” Good News Translation “I am trembling” comes close, though a more open reference to joy would improve this translation.

Since Revised Standard Version has taken “flesh” to be the subject of the following verb, it translates the next set of words as my fancy set me. Many versions follow such an interpretation: “My desire set me” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible), “My desire had hurled me” (Jerusalem Bible). However, if we take “flesh” to be part of the previous phrase (“I am beside myself”), then the verb phrase is more independent. It can be translated either as “you…” or “she set me.” The “you” form here is a feminine singular, so whichever pronoun we adopt, the young woman appears to be the subject of this verb.

In a chariot beside my prince: this phrase is very difficult to understand. As noted above there are no connecting prepositions. We have literally “[? of] chariots of my people noble-one.” Various renderings have been proposed:

• NIV: among the royal chariots of my people

• JB: on the chariots of my people, as their prince

• Fox: in a chariot with a nobleman

• REB: she made me a prince chosen from myriads of my people

Some have interpreted the final words of Hebrew as a proper noun. Thus New Jerusalem Bible renders “mid the chariots of Amni-nadib.” For even more discussion on various proposals and suggested textual changes, Pope’s extensive commentary can be consulted.

One other suggestion as to how best to connect this phrase with the beginning of the verse is to insert the preposition “like [or, as if].” In this case the second part of the verse explains the first part: “I was beside myself [with joy], as if riding in a chariot with a noble one.”

The translator must try to make good sense of this seemingly meaningless chain of words. However, regardless of what we do by way of translation, it is essential to include a footnote in order to explain that the meaning of the entire line is uncertain. Alternatively we can follow New International Version and provide several different renderings in a footnote.

Good News Translation “You have made me as eager for love as a chariot driver is for battle” certainly fits the context but seems to be reading too much into the text. It is therefore not a good model to follow. For translation, then, two possibilities are:

• I was overcome with joy,
Like someone riding in a chariot with a noble person!*

• I was trembling with excitement—
as if riding in a royal chariot!*
Footnote: * Hebrew uncertain

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 .