The young man is now the speaker, so we may insert a marginal note or use some other means to alert the reader to the change of speaker.

Introducing this verse is the particle hinneh, which calls attention to what follows. English Behold is archaic. However, many languages have exclamatory expressions like “Oh!” or “Ah!” that can convey the meaning. We may say “Look at how beautiful…,” or “Look at you, how beautiful….”

You are beautiful: the adjective is the same as that found in verse 8, where Revised Standard Version has “fairest.” However, this word has nothing to do with light skin color; it is the ordinary term for beauty. Note that the first two lines are almost identical. The second line builds on the first by adding a term of endearment, my love. Many languages will appreciate the rhythmic repetition of the Hebrew. Bible en français courant, for example, follows the Hebrew pattern, thus maintaining the rhythm:

• How beautiful you are,
My friend!
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are as charming as doves.

When translating poetry, translators are free to change word order and to add repetition as needed:

• You are so beautiful, my love,
… so beautiful!
Your eyes are so gentle—
As gentle as doves.

If repetition is not appreciated in the language of the translation, it can be eliminated, as Good News Translation has done.

My love: see verse 9.

Your eyes are doves is a metaphor that may need to be made clearer in many languages. We can use “like doves” as a first step in indicating that the woman’s eyes are not actual doves. However, even then it is possible that the simile may not carry sufficient meaning. We may need to indicate that the dove is a small bird symbolic of gentleness, or of softness. It can also express the ability to attract. If the dove is not known, or if it has a significance other than that of softness and gentleness, it is better to replace this figure with a simple adjective like “gentle” or “soft.” Good News Translation “your eyes shine with love” does not seem to convey the meaning of the text. It is better to say:

• You are beautiful, my love, so beautiful; your eyes are so gentle.

Or:

• … as gentle as those of a bird [dove].

The theme of this verse is echoed later in the book in 4.1.

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 .

Your lips are like a scarlet thread: in describing the young woman’s lips, we may ask where the emphasis lies. Is it on the redness of the lips? Or are they apparently thin like thread? In the previous examples it is the color that is the center of attention, not the objects themselves. Applying that principle here we conclude that it is the redness of her lips that is in focus, not how thin they are. Scarlet is a bright red color. Whether she has painted her lips or whether they are naturally red is not known. In some cultures red lips may not be a particular sign of beauty. If this is the case we can qualify the word to make the point: “Your lips are as lovely as a scarlet thread.” Thread can refer to a strip of cloth or ribbon, not only to fine thread. If the figure of thread or “ribbon” is not meaningful, then this image can be omitted: “Your lips are a lovely red.”

Your mouth is lovely: we move from a particular part of the mouth (lips) and a particular color (scarlet) to the more general terms mouth and lovely. The Hebrew phrase translated in Revised Standard Version as mouth (literally “from your words”) occurs only here but comes from a common root for “speak.” For this reason some versions emphasize the woman’s speech rather than her mouth (Good News Translation “when you speak,” King James Version “your speech,” New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible “your words”). In the context of the wasf, however, it is probably correct to treat the word as mouth rather than the more abstract “your speech,” because the focus throughout this passage is on the physical attributes of the young woman.

For lovely see comments on “comely” in 1.5, 10 There is a significant wordplay here. The Hebrew word for mouth can also mean “desert,” while the word for lovely can mean “an inhabited area.” Throughout the poem the woman’s lips are seen as a place of refreshment. Thus there is a possible double meaning, with the young man comparing his lover to an oasis in the middle of a desert. Again this kind of double meaning will be impossible to convey, unless it is included in a footnote.

For translation we suggest:

• Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon,
And your mouth, so beautiful.

It is possible that in some languages it would be too repetitive to speak of both the lips and the mouth. If this is the case another alternative will have to be found:

• Your mouth is red like scarlet thread
And, oh, so very beautiful!

Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate: scholars disagree about how to translate the Hebrew word rendered as cheeks. The term actually describes the thin part of the skull, the “temple” (see Judges 4.21; 5.26). King James Version follows this sense. New English Bible “your parted lips” is far from the original, we believe, and should not be followed. However, since most of the young woman’s temple would be hidden either by her hair or her veil, and in view of the comparison with the pomegranate, it seems that cheeks is a reasonable translation.

Like halves of a pomegranate: the pomegranate is a thick-skinned fruit that grows on a shrub-like tree. The comparison here raises the question as to which part of the fruit is in the young man’s mind as he describes his beloved. The exterior of the fruit is red, so he may be referring to her “red cheeks.” If it is the interior of the fruit, as some suggest, then it brings to mind an image of blotchy and unclear skin, which is quite unattractive. Thus we disagree with the translation “slice” for Revised Standard Version halves. The more likely point of comparison is with the rounded and rosy exterior of the fruit. In many cultures around the world, rosy or full cheeks are a sign of health and beauty. Where pomegranate is not known we may perhaps refer to a “red apple” or simply say “your full rosy cheeks.” This is better than Good News Translation “your cheeks glow.”

Behind your veil: see comments on verse 1. If the veil covered the lower half of the face, then the young woman’s cheeks were not fully exposed.

For translation we can say “Beneath your veil your cheeks are rosy like a pomegranate.” However, in view of preferences shown by other translations, it may be necessary to add a footnote drawing the readers’ attention to the problem in the interpretation.

Though it may not be so obvious in the Revised Standard Version translation, the Hebrew lines are well balanced and show grammatically parallel clauses:
Like a ribbon of scarlet,
your lips

• and from your mouth so lovely
Like a half pomegranate,
your cheeks

• and from behind your veil

The translator may be able to follow the Hebrew parallelism, thus preserving the literary flavor of the original.

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 .

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine: for comments see 2.16, where an almost identical wording is used. We note, however, that there is a significant difference between the two verses. The ordering found in 2.16 (“My beloved is mine and I am his”) is here reversed. The final phrase, my beloved is mine, seems to emphasize the woman’s deep joy and satisfaction that now, at long last, the two lovers truly belong to one another. We also note that, while 2.16 uses pronouns in the second part of the statement, here there is a full chiastic structure.

Such structures often serve as climaxes at the end of sections of discourse. So here the statement signals the triumphant end of the fourth poem. Good News Translation repeats the order of 2.16, thus destroying the significant emphasis that the chiastic structure provides. We suggest translators preserve the Hebrew order.

He pastures his flock among the lilies completes the repetition of 2.16. As this is an exact repetition of 2.16b, it will be well to use exactly the same wording as is used there.

With this concluding refrain we have come to the end of Part Four of the book. We note once again that a major section ends with the couple making love.

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 .

This verse consists of two parallel clauses in which a conditional particle If introduces a metaphor about the “little sister.” It is followed by a description of what will be done for her.

The meaning of the metaphors wall and door has been debated for some time. Many commentators take this passage to mean the brothers want to protect their sister’s virginity; “building” and “enclosing” are taken in this sense. Good News Translation translates the latter portion as “If she is a gate, we will protect her with panels of cedar.” However, silver and cedar are signs of splendor and wealth. So another possible interpretation is that these items will be used to highlight the little sister’s beauty, to “decorate” her in preparation for marriage, rather than to “protect” her from her suitors.

If she is a wall: the Hebrew phrase commences with a particle (If) which Fox suggests functions as an interrogative: “Is she a wall? We’ll build on it a silver turret.” Actually, whether the phrase is a conditional or an interrogative form, the meaning is the same; it refers to information that the speakers believe to be true. We can use conditional “If,” or we can use the interrogative form “Is she…?”

Revised Standard Version adds the verb is since the Hebrew only has “wall she.” Presumably this indicates that the little sister is being compared to a wall. However, the point of the comparison is not immediately clear. Most commentators take the wall to be defensive, for the protection of those inside it. At the same time they see both figures, “wall” and “door,” as meaning the young woman must be kept pure. But if she is like a wall, logically speaking she is the one protecting others, and not the one being protected.

Actually the solution is probably quite simple. Verse 8 has just said that the little sister has no breasts. To compare her to a wall or to a door is to compare her to two flat surfaces. Either she is too young to have full breasts, or, being fully mature, her breasts are thought to be too small for her to be attractive. Thus the speakers say they will decorate her, to make her ready for marriage. This answers the question in verse 8 about what to do to help her. Curiously few commentators make this suggestion, though its meaning has certainly been obvious to generations of young girls waiting to grow up! We can make this comparison clear in our translation: “Is she flat like a wall?” This highlights the teasing tone that is certainly present here. However, in a language like English this wording is almost too humorous for the overall tone of the book, so we can say “Is she like a wall?” and let the readers make their own assumptions.

We will build upon her a battlement of silver answers the question asked in verse 8; it describes what the speakers will do for the little sister. They will build upon her or “over her.” The battlement refers to the top row of stones used in the building of walls (see 1 Kgs 6.36, where it describes the Temple walls). To construct them of silver indicates they are not meant for protection. The metaphor has to do with highlighting her beauty and perhaps making her appear sexually mature. New International Version and Good News Translation have “towers,” while New American Bible and New English Bible think of them as a “parapet.” Jerusalem Bible has “crest.” The term describes a decoration on the top of the wall of a house or city, as in 4.4. For translation we suggest “We [I] will decorate the wall with silver towers.”

If she is a door follows the structure of the first part of this verse, with its opening conditional particle if followed by a noun clause. Here the noun door refers to the door itself, not the doorway. Most commentators discuss whether the door is open or closed, taking the figure to be another reference to the sister’s purity. As seen above, however, it makes much more sense to recognize that, like a wall, a door is a flat surface.

We will enclose her with boards of cedar: this is the second and parallel description of what the speaker(s) will do for the little sister. It is the focus phrase, just as “silver battlements” was above. There are several problems here. The first is the verb enclose, which is generally assumed to come from the Hebrew verb meaning “besiege.” Jerusalem Bible therefore says “board her up with,” in the sense of enclosing her behind boards. New American Bible uses “reinforce,” while Fox suggests “to panel it.” This latter expresses the idea of decoration, which we consider to be the proper sense here. One standard Hebrew dictionary (BDB) suggests that there are three different verbs with the same root, with one of these verbs having a meaning “fashion, delineate,” or more precisely “design” or “decorate.” Such a sense is fully consistent with the present context and is the understanding reflected in early versions such as the Septuagint, which here uses the verb “carve” or “decorate.”

Cedar: an imported and expensive wood from Lebanon (5.15), used mainly for construction of special buildings such as palaces and temples. This suggests again that the purpose is decorative rather than to protect the little sister.

We may translate as “If she is a door, we [I] will decorate her with cedar,” or “If she is [flat] like a door, we will decorate her with cedarwood.”

We will want to capture the parallelism in this verse by translating both clauses in a similar manner. We can say:

• Is she a wall? We’ll build silver towers on it!
Is she a door? We’ll fashion it with cedar.

• If she is flat like a wall, we’ll build silver towers on it!
If she is flat like a door, we’ll carve designs in cedar!

For clarity or naturalness it may be necessary to break the extended metaphor and mention the little sister in the second part of each line. We may also have to make the sense clearer, that is, that her breasts are very small:

• If she is flat, we’ll build for her towering breasts of silver.
If she has no breasts, we’ll decorate her with cedarwood.

Removing the metaphor robs the passage of its uniqueness and light humor. It is important to note as well that, if we do omit the figures of “door” and “wall,” we will have to do the same in the following verse.

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 .

The woman now quotes something the young man says to her. We open quotation marks here and close them again after verse 15. As this is quoted speech, it may help to add a marginal note to identify the young man as the speaker. Note, however, that Good News Translation presents the material differently, indicating the man as the speaker. Styles of reporting speech vary greatly from one language to another. There are also different ways of indicating speakers in a print layout. The translator will have to decide on the method that is most suitable to report speech.

My beloved: see comments on 1.13.

Speaks and says is a good Hebrew idiom introducing quoted material. Especially in Africa, many languages have a similar idiom, with one phrase designating the action and another opening the quote: “he said; he says.” However, in languages where this is redundant, we can simply say “My lover said to me.”

Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away: this request from the young man is repeated in verse 13, forming an inclusio or bracket around this short speech. The opening imperative, Arise, is an interesting verb in Hebrew. It basically means to get up from a sitting or lying position, hence “stand up.” However, when used together with verbs of movement it usually means little more than beginning the action described in the main verb. In these cases it may not always be necessary to translate it literally. Here it corresponds to English “Come [away],” or possibly to the colloquial “Come on.” It is interesting that in many African languages the verb “arise” has a similar use, and if this is the case, this phrase can be translated literally. In many languages, however, to do so will result in an unnatural translation. Arise can be replaced by an equivalent expression. We can say “Come away…,” or with insistence, “Come, come away [with me].”

The two imperatives in this verse, arise and come, are followed by a curious expression “to [or, according to] you.” Grammarians see the Hebrew preposition l- as identifying the person addressed: “arise, namely you”; “come, you”; but generally it can be left untranslated. However, a word like “Please” can express the meaning behind this expression: “Please, come away [with me].”

My fair one is a noun derived from the adjective “beautiful” (see 1.15). In English fair can mean “light of skin color,” but here it means “beautiful.” Note that this form of address can appear at the beginning of the sentence, if that order is preferred in the translator’s language.

The adverb away in the phrase come away is supplied from the context. The young woman is inside the house; her lover calls her to go outside to join him, presumably in the fields where they can be alone. In many languages it will be necessary to make clear that the man wants her to come with him, so we will have to say “Come with me.”

Translation possibilities are:

• My beloved calls me and says, “Come, my love, my beautiful one.”

• My lover calls out, “Come with me, my love; come, my beautiful one.”

Good News Translation has kept the chiastic structure and is quite a good model:

• “Come then, my love.
My darling, come with me.”

Another possibility is to use a repetitive parallel structure:

• My lover calls:
“Come with me, my love,
Come, my beautiful one.”

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 .

The list of spices describing the young woman continues into this verse.

The translator needs to consider these two verses together and try to retain a certain rhythm.

It is important that the reader be clear that these are aromatic spices. Identifying them as such may be required. In many languages the names of each of the spices will probably have to be rendered as borrowed terms just as they are in Hebrew. On the other hand, the point here is to focus on the aroma of the various spices, not the spices themselves, so we may combine all the terms and use a general expression, “the aroma [or, sweet smell] of many spices.” If we choose this latter method, then we probably will have to sacrifice some of the poetic effect. For the following list of spices and aromatic plants, translators should consult Fauna and Flora of the Bible.

Nard: see notes on 1.12.

Saffron: the sole reference in the Old Testament to this spice is found here. It is a yellow-colored spice used in cooking.

Calamus: an aromatic flavoring derived from a type of cane, and probably not native to the Holy Land.

Cinnamon: native to Sri Lanka, this spice comes from the dried inner rind of the bark of a tree. It is referred to in Exo 30.23 and Pro 7.17.

With all trees of frankincense: for frankincense see comments on 1.13. The sense here is of the various kinds of trees that produce spices.

Myrrh: refer to comments on 1.13.

Aloes: an aromatic perfume taken from another tree that is not native to the Holy Land. It grows in East Asia.

With all chief spices: the adjective chief (literally “head”) describes what is best, of high quality. “Finest” or “choicest” are good translations, but New English Bible “with the subtlest odours” is not accurate. Revised English Bible has returned to the more commonly-accepted understanding, “all the most exquisite spices.” This phrase rounds off the list and indicates that the list contains only examples of spices rather than being a complete list. These exotic and expensive imported perfumes indicate how wonderfully attractive the young woman is. We may add a term like “exotic” or use a phrase like “the best spices in the world,” since this is clearly the meaning the poet is trying to express. There is also another level of meaning present, as spices are also associated with lovemaking. This second level of meaning may not be evident in translation without adding some kind of footnote.

We can combine the end of verse 13 with verse 14 and translate as:

• You have the aroma of spices, like henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, and various kinds of frankincense; also myrrh and aloes, and all kinds of the finest spices.

Or quite simply:

• … myrrh and aloes and all kinds of spices.

Placing the items of both verses 13 and 14 in rhythmic groups will help the reader and may produce the desired poetic effect:

• You are an orchard of pomegranates,
A garden full of choicest fruits.
There is henna and nard,
Saffron and calamus,
Cinnamon, and the finest incense,
Myrrh and aloes, and all the best spices
The world has to offer.

We may need to reintroduce “You” as the subject of this description. We can also change the order of items listed in verse 14 if need be:

• You are a garden paradise,
Full of delicious fruit.
You are as sweet as henna and nard,
And all known spices on this earth:
saffron, calamus, cinnamon, and more:
aloes, frankincense, and myrrh.

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 .

How graceful are your feet opens with the same exclamation as 4.10; see comments there. Graceful, describing the way the young woman walks, renders the Hebrew adjective “beautiful.” The Revised Standard Version choice graceful may be influenced by the base meaning of feet, which is “[foot]steps.” Since most of the features described are the body parts themselves, the adjective describing her feet is probably better given as “beautiful.” “Lovely” is an acceptable alternative.

In sandals: the leather sandals traditionally worn left the top of the foot exposed. However, the Hebrew term may actually describe any kind of footwear.

“How beautiful are your feet in sandals” (Good News Translation) is one model for translation.

O queenly maiden: see comments on 6.12. Here the phrase, literally “daughter of a noble,” balances her references to her lover as “king.” That is to say, the young man affectionately refers to her as a noblewoman (see also the discussion under 6.12). “O noblewoman!” is Fox’s suggested translation, while Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible give “O prince’s daughter.” It may be simpler to say “[my] princess.” Good News Translation appears to combine this phrase with the opening exclamation and says “What a magnificent young woman you are!”

Your rounded thighs are like jewels describes the upper part of her legs. Rounded thighs is given as “the curve of your thighs” in Good News Translation, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and can be followed. Jewels is the Revised Standard Version rendering of a Hebrew word that occurs only here, so its meaning is not certain. The root seems to be connected with the idea of chain-like ornaments. Comparing the young woman with jewels may be a way of telling her she is precious and beautiful—“Your hips are curved like jewels.” Good News Translation leaves out the comparison altogether, following directly with the next line.

The work of a master hand or “the work of the hands of a craftsman.” The elegance and beauty created by an artist is the point of this description. The noun phrase work of may be effectively rendered as a verb phrase, “made by a fine artist.”

One possibility for translation is to reverse the order of some of the description but maintain the same idea: “Your rounded thighs are works of art, beautiful as jewels.”

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 .

I am very dark, but comely: the adjective given in Revised Standard Version as very dark and in Good News Translation as “dark” is simply the word “black.” In 5.11 the same word describes the color of the raven, a large black bird. The translator will have to choose a term that refers to people and the color of their skin. Some, especially those who think the young woman was a foreign princess, see this term as indicating a person of African origin. In view of verse 6, however, others see it as describing skin darkened by the sun, and this is probably more correct. Our interpretation will affect the way we translate.

Most languages make a distinction between people with a darker complexion and those with fair skin. In many parts of Africa darker-skinned people are described as “black,” while fair-skinned people are described as “red.” In such cultures it is best to use the literal “black.”

The phrase but comely seems to make a contrast between black and comely. Even though she is black, she is nevertheless beautiful. Note, however, that the Hebrew conjunction can be rendered either by but or “and.” Which is intended here?

Those sensitive to and proud of their blackness will almost certainly wish to render the conjunction as “and”: “I am black and beautiful.” However, it is important to note that in many cultures in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, being light-skinned is a sign of beauty. Contrary to the Western ideal, being tan or darkened by the sun is viewed in a negative light. This description may mean, for example, that the young woman was forced to work in the sun—a sign of low social status. Indeed, in verse 6 this view in confirmed. She says she is dark “because the sun has scorched me.” In translating faithfully we need to choose terms that accurately reflect the culture of biblical times. In this context but seems to be a more faithful rendering. This is how Good News Translation, New American Bible, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and others understand it, though Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible use “and.”

The adjective comely appears often in descriptions of the young woman’s physical beauty (see 1.10; 2.14; 4.3; 6.4), mostly with reference to her facial features. Comely therefore means “lovely,” “beautiful.” In cultures that have one particular adjective to describe facial beauty, it will be appropriate here. Of course many languages use verbs in the place of adjectives, but this should pose no problem to the translator.

O daughters of Jerusalem is a phrase that appears in 2.7; 3.5, 10, 11; 5.8, 16; and 8.4. We understand the daughters to be the same group as is identified by the term “maidens” in verse 3 and by “they” in verse 4. As noted in the introduction, opinions vary greatly as to the role this group plays. Some see them as a group of privileged young women—“city girls”—who are light-skinned because they don’t have to work hard in the sun. Some detect a teasing attitude in their speech and so see them as possible rivals of the young woman. We have already noted that they are not actual actors or participants in the poem, but that they function more like a Greek chorus, whose role is to move the drama along. They may also be thought of as imaginary persons to whom the young woman addresses her inner thoughts. This may be rather unnatural in the translation, but we have little choice other than to render the text as it appears. As noted in our introductory remarks, if we explain the function of these “daughters” in the introduction, it will help the reader understand their role in the poem.

Revised Standard Version daughters of Jerusalem translates the Hebrew literally, but we need not use the term daughters if this is not appropriate. We can say “young women,” “girls,” or “women of Jerusalem.” Some languages have suffixes or markers to attach to the word Jerusalem to show they are feminine inhabitants. The call to these women is in the second line of this verse, but there is no reason that it must remain in this position. It may be preferable to place this vocative phrase at the beginning of the verse.

Like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon: two questions arise about these parallel comparisons. One has to do with their relationship one with the other; the second is what they refer to and whether they both speak of the same object. We note that Kedar is one of the Ishmaelite tribes associated with Arabia (see Gen 25.13; Isa 21.16-17; Psa 120.5). This tribe typically lived in black tents. Kedar thus refers to the young woman’s black skin. In the case of the curtains of Solomon, this seems to be a reference to the curtains in Solomon’s Temple. The focus is on beauty. Thus each simile applies to one of the two claims the young woman makes about herself. She is as black as the nomads’ tents, and as beautiful as the elaborate curtains of Solomon’s Temple. Pope and Fox suggest we change the name Solomon to “Salmoh,” as there was an ancient tribe by this name in what came to be known later as Edom. Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and New English Bible accept this suggestion and so have “Salmoh” or “shalmah” (Revised English Bible) as parallel to Kedar. This appears a neat arrangement, but there is no textual support for the change.

Good News Translation gives translators a good model here by repeating the point of the illustration in each case: “dark as the desert tents of Kedar, but beautiful as the curtains in Solomon’s palace.” To make the point clearer we can repeat the subject pronoun as well: “I am dark like the [black] tents of the tribes in Kedar, and as beautiful as the curtains of Solomon’s Temple.”

Again we note a defensive tone in the young woman’s speech. She may mean “Unlike you, young women of Jerusalem, I am dark,” but this may be overtranslating. If we want to push the point, we can use a contrastive “but”: “I am dark like the tents of the tribes of Kedar, but as beautiful as the curtains….”

The writer of the Song often uses proper nouns or geographical names in the text as a poetic feature. These names may represent exotic or faraway places. Each name carries many associated ideas with it, and certainly they were known and appreciated by the audience that first heard them. However, it may be especially difficult to render these in a poetic context in the translation. In a narrative, for example, we can easily explain, “the ethnic group called Kedar,” but such long explanatory clauses will make our text heavy and lose the beauty of the poetic form. Translators should reflect, then, on how best to render these proper nouns. One way is to transliterate “Kedar” without explanation in the text. A footnote can identify these people and state that their tents are black. Another possibility is to leave out the proper noun and use a noun substitute giving the same idea; for example, “desert-people.” Bible en français courant uses a known word “bedouin.” This may be a good solution, since many readers may have even seen pictures of people today living in black tents.

As noted above, the comparison to the curtains in Solomon’s palace is based on the common feature of beauty. Bible en français courant here translates “like luxurious tapestries [or, cloth].” This translation has the advantage of treating the two lines in the same way, rendering them by a meaningful modern equivalent. In the present case, however, this may not be the best solution—first, because most readers will know Solomon, and second, because the word “Solomon” is a keyword in this poem. It is recommended, then, that in this instance the name Solomon be preserved.

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 .