SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 2017 – Page 2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 2:11

2:11–13

In these verses the man spoke about the beautiful season of springtime after the cold time ended. The plants were growing again and were fruitful. He implied to the woman that it was also the season for their love to grow. It was the “time of singing,” and he wanted her to come with him.

Notice that 2:13d is exactly the same as 2:10b, making 2:10–13 a chiasm that emphasizes the man’s invitation. Translate 2:10b and 2:13d in the same way in your language.

2:11

The two parts of this verse are parallel to each other. In some languages it may be more natural to combine 2:11a and 2:11b. See the General Comment on 2:11 at the end of the notes for 2:11b for an example.

2:11a

For now the winter is past: In this verse the man began to talk about the weather to persuade the woman to come out with him. He implied that in winter she might not want to come out. The winter is the cold time, when many plants die or stop blooming. Animals try to find a covered place to hide from the cold weather. That cold time was over.

Some other ways to translate For now the winter is past are:

for the cold season/time is already over
-or-
Look, the cold/bad weather is gone!

For now: The phrase For now introduces the man’s statements in 2:11–13c in an emphatic way. The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as now indicates that what comes after it is especially important or interesting. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

for lo (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
For see (New Jerusalem Bible)

In some languages it is not necessary to have a word like For because it is already clear that in 2:11–13 the man gave reasons why the woman should come away with him. Here is another way to translate this:

Look! The winter is past. (God’s Word)

In other languages it may also not be natural to use extra emphasis. Here is another way to translate this:

Winter is past (Contemporary English Version)

Translate the invitation in a way that is natural and poetic in your language.

winter: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as winter is used only here in the OT. In Palestine, winter is a cold and rainy season of the year, which extends from October to March. Some other ways to translate winter are:

wintertime
-or-
rainy season

2:11b

the rain is over and gone: The clause the rain is over and gone has a similar meaning to “the winter is past” in 2:11a. In Palestine the heavy rains occurred in winter. The man implied that if the woman comes out with him now, she will enjoy nice weather. Another way to translate the clause is:

the rains have stopped (Good News Translation)
-or-
the winter rains are over and gone (NET Bible)

Translate the clause in a way that will appeal to a woman in your culture.

is over and gone: In Hebrew the phrase is over and gone is more literally “⌊it⌋ has passed away, ⌊it⌋ has gone.” Using two verbs adds emphasis to the change of season. The man implied that there was no rain now, so it was fine weather for the woman to join him outside.

In some languages it may be more natural to add emphasis in a different way. For example:

the rains are completely gone.
-or-
the rainy time has ended.

General Comment on 2:11

The two clauses in this verse have almost the same meaning. In some languages it may be more natural to combine the clauses. For example:

The cold rainy season has definitely ended.

© 2017 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 4:15

4:15

In 4:15 the man stopped describing the wonderful plants of the garden (4:13–14). He began to describe the spring inside the garden that gave it water.

4:15a–b

You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water: The phrases a garden spring and a well of fresh water use two different metaphors to express the same meaning. Both phrases describe an abundant source of fresh water that flows out and waters the garden to help the fruits and spices mentioned in 4:13–14 to grow. The water is a metaphor to describe the woman as a source of joy and life.

4:15a

a garden spring: In this verse the man continued to speak to the woman. He compared her to a fountain (or spring) in a garden. In some languages it is necessary to make this comparison explicit, as many English versions do. For example:

You are like a garden fountain (New Century Version)

In Hebrew the word garden is plural, and the phrase a garden spring is literally “a fountain of gardens.” This phrase is a figure of speech to emphasize that the fountain produces abundant water. Another way to translate that meaning is:

You are like many springs that make the garden moist.

spring: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as spring refers to water that flows out from an opening in the ground. This type of spring is often called a “fountain” in English (as in the Revised Standard Version). A spring produces a constant flow of fresh water. This is in contrast to a well where the water stays in one place and can become stagnant. Use a word in your language that refers to a natural spring, not a man-made fountain.

4:15b

a well of fresh water: As in 4:15a, the man continued to speak to the woman. He indicated that she was like a well of fresh water. In an ordinary well, the water does not flow or move, so the water can become dirty and stagnant. The woman is like an unusual well that produces flowing (fresh) water.

The phrase fresh water indicates that the water continues to flow inside the well, as if it were in a stream. It contrasts with water in an ordinary well that does not move or flow. Some scholars suggest that the source of the well is a spring, which causes the water in the well to keep moving.

Some ways to translate a well of fresh water are:

a well of living water (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
a well that has flowing water
-or-
a spring of pure water

4:15c

flowing down from Lebanon: Here the man compared the woman to streams that flow from Lebanon. The author implies that the Lebanon mountains are the source of the best fresh water. (Those mountains were also the source of wonderful fragrances in 4:11c.) Some ways to translate the comparison are:

⌊ You are like⌋a refreshing stream that flows from Lebanon.
-or-
and streams flowing from Lebanon. (New American Standard Bible)

flowing: The word flowing has a similar meaning to “spring” in 4:15a and the well “of fresh water” in 4:15b. The phrase describes this water as being like water that comes down from the Lebanon mountains. It is clear, fresh and flowing.

from Lebanon: Here Lebanon is the source of flowing streams of water. In 4:11 Lebanon was the source of wonderful fragrances.

In 4:8 the man implied that the Lebanon mountains isolated the woman from him. Here the metaphor of the Lebanon mountains changes. The man describes the flowing streams from the Lebanon mountains as a source of life and joy. The reference to Lebanon in 4:8a–b and 4:15 form an inclusio.

Other ways to translate from Lebanon here are:

from the Lebanon Mountains. (Good News Translation)
-or-
down the mountains in Lebanon.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 7:2

7:2a–b

Your navel is a rounded goblet; it never lacks blended wine: Here the man used a metaphor. He compared the woman’s navel to a goblet that always has wine in it. It is the goblet that is filled with wine, not the woman’s navel. Her navel is like the goblet because it is round and can hold liquid. The wine in the goblet is a symbol of romantic love. This metaphor implies that the woman’s love excited the man, as if he were drinking wine.

Some ways to translate the metaphor are:

• Use the metaphor and adapt it for your culture. For example:

your navel is a wine glass filled to overflowing. (Contemporary English Version)

• Use a simile. For example:

Your navel is like a round drinking cup always filled with wine. (New Century Version)
-or-
Your navel is like a gourd filled with wine.

• Use a simile and indicate the meaning. For example:

Your navel is perfectly formed like a goblet filled with mixed wine. (New Living Translation (2004))

• Translate the meaning without mentioning the bowl or cup. For example:

Your navel is as exciting as the best wine.

navel: In ancient Israel and all the countries near it, a woman’s navel was considered especially beautiful. Except for the Good News Translation, all English versions refer explicitly to the navel. See the footnote for more information.

rounded goblet: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rounded goblet is literally “bowl the-roundness.” This type of goblet was often wide and round. Here the man used it to describe the woman’s navel. In some cultures it may not be appropriate to compare a woman’s navel to a goblet. It also may not be natural to describe the navel as “round.”

If that is true in your language, you may use a different comparison. For example:

your navel is like a wine glass
-or-
your navel is like a gourd ⌊for drinking⌋

it never lacks blended wine: There are two main ways to interpret the Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as it never lacks blended wine :

(1) It is a statement that describes the woman’s navel. For example:

that never lacks blended wine… (New International Version)

(2) It is a wish or desire. For example:

Let mixed wine not be lacking… (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions.

blended wine: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blended wine is used only here in the OT. It probably refers to a special wine that is mixed with spices. Some other ways to translate it are:

spiced wine (Good News Translation)
-or-
wine
-or-

⌊ delicious⌋wine

For more information on how to translate wine, see the note on wine in 1:2b.

7:2c–d

Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by the lilies: The statement is 7:2c–d is a metaphor. It indicates that the woman’s waist was beautiful and nourishing like a pile of wheat surrounded by lilies. wheat was used to make bread, which was an important food in Palestine. lilies were very beautiful flowers.

Here wheat implies abundant food, and lilies imply beauty. Together these words imply that the woman’s love was like food and beauty for the man. Her navel satisfied him like food and made him feel happy. Some other ways to translate the metaphor are:

• Use a simile. For example:

Your stomach is like a pile of wheat surrounded with lilies. (New Century Version)

• Use a simile and indicate the meaning of the comparison. For example:

Your belly is lovely, like a heap of wheat set about with lilies. (New Living Translation (1996))

7:2c

Your waist is a mound of wheat: Here the man praised the woman by comparing her waist to a mound of wheat. Scholars are not sure how her waist was like a mound of wheat. They are also uncertain whether the mound of wheat refers to a pile of wheat grains or to wheat sheaves before a farmer removes the grains from them.

The pile of wheat grains probably had curved sides. The author may imply that the woman’s waist had similar curves and maybe also a golden color like ripe wheat grains or sheaves.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 1:7

1:7–8 The woman spoke and the man replied

There are some difficult interpretation issues in 1:7–8. One issue is the attitude of the man and woman. In 1:7, did the woman ask for information in a serious manner or did she speak in a flirting way? In 1:8, did the man scold the woman or did he reply in a flirting way? Possibly, the woman was more serious in 1:7, while the man replied in a flirting way in 1:8.

The Song uses several figurative themes that occur at different places in the book. The theme of 1:5–6 was the vineyard. In 1:7–8 the focus shifts to the theme of shepherds and pastures.

1:7a–e The woman spoke to the man

In this verse the woman asked the man where he pastured his sheep. There are two slightly different ways to understand and translate the time that she referred to:

• Maybe she referred to the place where the man usually pastured his sheep. For example:

Tell me…where you graze your flock… (New International Version)

• Maybe she referred to the place where the man planned to pasture his flock on that day (or in the near future). For example:

Where will you lead your flock to graze… (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is uncertain which option is more likely. However, either option has almost the same result in this context. The main point is that the woman wanted to know where to find her beloved when she went out to look for him. Translate in a way that is natural in your language.

1:7a–c

There are parallel parts in 1:7a–c. The woman asked her beloved where he pastured his flock and where he made them lie down at noon. The Hebrew text is more literally:

7a Tell me…

7b where you pasture ⌊your flock⌋

7c where you cause ⌊it/them⌋ to rest at noon?

Other ways to translate this request are:

My love, please tell me where you take your sheep to graze and where you will let them rest at noon.
-or-
Tell me, my love, where will you lead your flock to graze? Where will they rest from the noonday sun?

1:7a

Tell me, O one I love: Here the woman used the phrase O one I love like a name for her beloved. In Hebrew the phrase is only two words which sound poetic together. In some languages it may be more natural to put the direct address first in the sentence. For example:

O one I love, tell me

In some languages it may be more natural not to use direct address. For example:

You are the one I love. Tell me

Tell me: The phrase Tell me is a request and an indirect question. Some other ways to translate it are:

Please tell me (God’s Word)
-or-
I would like you to let me know

O one I love: The phrase O one I love is a term of affection that the woman used as she spoke to the man. Languages often have a special term of affection that is natural for the woman to use in this context. For example:

my love (Good News Translation)
-or-
My darling (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
sweetheart (New Jerusalem Bible)

1:7b

where do you pasture your sheep: This phrase refers to the place where the man usually led his flock to graze. On some days he might lead them to a different place, so the woman wanted to be sure exactly where her beloved planned to be. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

Where will you lead your flock to graze (Good News Translation)
-or-
where do you feed your sheep (New Century Version)
-or-
where you plan to lead your flock to eat today?

pasture your sheep: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pasture refers to caring for animals like sheep and goats. It especially refers to leading them to areas where they will be able to eat grass or other plants. The Berean Standard Bible supplies the implied phrase your sheep, which is not in the Hebrew text.

Some other ways to translate the meaning are:

feed your sheep (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
take your animals to graze/eat

1:7c

Where do you rest them at midday: This clause is parallel to the clause in 1:7b. It has basically the same meaning. The woman was still asking the man where he would take his flock (them). However, it adds the meaning rest and the time of day (midday). Some other ways to translate the clause are:

At noon, where will you make your sheep lie down?
-or-
Where do you let them rest at noon? (New Century Version)

In this verse it is important to understand that the woman was not primarily interested in the sheep. She asked the question because she wanted to know where her beloved planned to be.

1:7d–e

In 1:7a–c, the woman asked the man to tell her where he usually led his flock to graze. Here in 1:7d–e, she gave her reason for wanting to know where he will be. She wanted to know so that she did not need to search for him near the other shepherds. If she wandered around the shepherds’ tents, they might think that she was an immoral woman looking for pleasure.

In some languages it may be necessary to repeat part of the request from 1:7a to make the connection clear. For example:

Tell me so that I will not have to wander around beside the flocks of your companions! (similarly, the NET Bible)

Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your companions: Here the woman asked a rhetorical question. The question indicates that she did not want to be like a woman who wanders around the shepherds’ tents. If she did that, others might think that she was a prostitute. In some languages it is necessary to make this explicit in some way. For example:

For why should I wander like a prostitute among your friends and their flocks? (New Living Translation (2004))

Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

• As a rhetorical question:

Why should I need to look for you among the flocks of the other shepherds? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Will it be good/proper if I walk here and there looking for you where the other shepherds pasture their flocks?

• As a request:

Let me not be as one who strays

Beside the flocks of your fellows. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
Please don’t cause me to wander around looking for you where other men take their sheep.

• As a statement:

I do not want to wander around looking for you where other men take their sheep.

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

veiled: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as veiled can also mean “wander.” These two meanings are more similar than they seem. In that culture a prostitute often wore a veil over her face, so the Berean Standard Bible has “like a veiled woman.” However, it is better to translate the meaning “wanders,” since there are other reasons for wearing a veil.

The woman wanted to know where the man was going so that she did not have to wander around searching for him when she came to meet him at noon (1:7c). The theme of searching for a person and finding him is common in the Song.

1:7e

beside the flocks of your companions: The phrase beside the flocks of your companions implies that the man often pastured his flocks near other shepherds. They were probably his friends or a group of shepherds who went out together to graze their flocks. The woman implied here that she did not want to go near those other shepherds to search for her beloved. She was afraid that she might be mistaken for an immoral woman.

Other ways to translate this phrase are:

among your friends and their flocks (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
near your friends’ sheep (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 3:5

3:5 The woman spoke to the women of Jerusalem

This verse is a refrain, and it ends this section (2:8–3:5). It is identical to the refrain in 2:7, so the two verses should be translated in the same way.

3:5a–e

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right: For information and translation advice on this verse, refer to the notes for 2:7a–e.

General Comment/summary for 2:8–3:5

In this section (especially in 2:8–17) the author describes the new spring plants and blossoms. He implies that the love between the man and woman was also growing. In 3:1–4 the woman searched for her beloved and longed for union with him. In 3:4 she dreamed that she found him and brought him home with her. As the man and woman became more ready to be intimate with each other, the woman warned the Jerusalem women to be careful to not influence them to express that intimate love before the right time (3:5).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 5:10

5:10–16 The woman responded to the women of Jerusalem

In 5:10–16 the woman gave the women a poetic description of her beloved. It is similar to 4:1–7 where the man praised her beauty. In both descriptions the first verse is a general statement, and the following verses give more specific descriptions. Since the woman also used the descriptions to imply her feelings for the man, she often used hyperboles.

Praise songs like this usually begin by describing the person’s head and conclude by describing his legs and feet. However, after the women described the man’s legs, she concluded by again describing his mouth in 5:16a.

5:10a

My beloved is dazzling and ruddy: The clause My beloved is dazzling and ruddy probably refers to the man’s whole body, not to one particular part. The statement indicates that the man’s skin showed that he was healthy. Languages have different ways to describe a person’s skin and his good health. It is important to use a natural way in your language to praise a person’s skin or his healthy appearance.

Some other ways to translate 5:10a are:

My beloved is radiant and healthy
-or-
My lover glows with good health
-or-
He is handsome and healthy (Contemporary English Version)

My beloved: The words My beloved here in 5:10a and in 5:16c form an inclusio.

dazzling and ruddy: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as dazzling means “bright” or “shining.” It is used in 5:11–15 to describe the metals, liquids, and jewels that the woman mentioned. When the word describes skin, as it does here, it indicates that the skin glows. (The word dazzling does not mean “white” here.)

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ruddy probably indicates that the man’s complexion was healthy and well-tanned from being in the sun. Such ruddy skin indicates excellent health.

The words dazzling and ruddy both imply that the man was in excellent health; he was handsome and young. Use natural ways in your language for a woman to describe these qualities in her beloved. Some other ways to translate them are:

My beloved is clear-skinned and ruddy (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
My beloved is dazzling, and his skin is beautiful.
-or-
My lover is handsome and strong (Good News Translation)

5:10b

outstanding among ten thousand: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as outstanding indicates here that the man is “superior” to all other young men. The number ten thousand is the highest number that is used for comparisons in Hebrew poetry. It is not used in a literal way here, but simply indicates a very large number. The woman meant that no other man could compare to him—he was superior to all of them! Many languages have a figurative expression like this (such as “one in a million” in English).

Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

he is the best among ten thousand others.
-or-
he is more desirable than all other young men.
-or-
no other man is ⌊excellent⌋ like him.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 7:13

7:13a

The mandrakes send forth a fragrance: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mandrakes refers to a certain kind of plant that has sweet-smelling flowers. The phrase The mandrakes send forth a fragrance indicates that the scent of the mandrake plants was in the air.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 2:1

2:1–7 The man and woman praised each other

Lines 2:1–7 are the end of the first poetic section in the Song. In them, the man and woman praised each other. He brought her to his banquet room and embraced her. In 2:7 she cautioned the women of Jerusalem not to awaken love before the right time.

2:1 The woman compared herself to common flowers

2:1a

I am a rose of Sharon:
The statement I am a rose of Sharon is a metaphor. The woman compared herself to a flower on the plains of Sharon. There are three ways to interpret this statement:

(1) She was being humble. She implied that she was only an ordinary girl, and she had a common beauty like many other girls. For example:

I am only a wild flower in Sharon… (Good News Translation)

(2) She was being proud or self-confident. She implied that she was unusually beautiful. For example:

I am the rose of Sharon. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(3) The statement does not indicate clearly whether she was humble or proud. For example:

I am a rose of Sharon. (New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). She implied that she was pretty like a common flower, but she was not unusually beautiful. In 2:2 the man responded by reassuring her that she was indeed very beautiful and not common. The discussion in 1:5–6 also suggests that the woman was humble about her appearance. Some other ways to translate 2:1a are:

I am only a wild flower in Sharon… (Good News Translation)
-or-
I am a meadow flower from Sharon… (NET Bible)
-or-
I am an asphodel in Sharon… (New English Bible)

rose: The exact meaning of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates rose is uncertain. Many English versions translate it as “rose,” but nearly all Bible scholars agree that the flower was not a rose. Roses were unknown in ancient Israel. The Hebrew word more likely refers to a “crocus,” “asphodel” or “narcissus.” Some ways to translate the word are:

• Use a general term for a common flower that grows naturally without being cultivated. For example:

wildflower
-or-
meadow flower

• Use a specific word that refers to a beautiful wildflower that grows in your area. Some examples of wildflowers that grow in Israel are:

crocus
-or-
asphodel
-or-
narcissus

Here the woman described herself in a humble way, so it is probably best not to use a flower that is grown for its special beauty.

Sharon: Sharon was the name of a large level plain in Israel. It was located between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains. In some languages it may be helpful to indicate what the name Sharon refers to. For example:

⌊ the plain of⌋Sharon

You may also choose to include a footnote with more information. For example:

The name Sharon refers to a large plain beside the coast. It is a well-watered and fertile land, and many wild flowers grow there.

2:1b

In this part of the verse the woman gave another example of a common wild flower to which she compared herself. In some languages it may be more natural to connect 2:1a and 2:1b with a conjunction.

a lily of the valley: There is an ellipsis here. In the phrase a lily of the valley the woman gave another example of a wild flower that she was like. The full form is “⌊I am⌋ a lily of the valley.” This lily is a common flower that is usually red or purple.

Here the phrase is a metaphor like the one in 2:1a. The woman used it to indicate that she was as ordinary as one of the many lilies that grow in the valleys. Some other ways to translate the metaphor are:

• Use a simile. For example:

⌊ I am⌋like a lily of the valley.
-or-
like a lily growing in the valley.

• Indicate how the woman was like a lily of the valley. For example:

as ⌊common as⌋ a lily in the valley.

Translate the metaphor in a natural way in your language.

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 2017

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 2:11

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 4:15

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 7:2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 1:7

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 3:5

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 5:10

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 7:13

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 2:1

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

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