7:8–9a

These verses include several metaphors. In 7:8a–b the man continued to use the metaphor of the palm tree, which he began to use in 7:7. In 7:8c he used grapes as a metaphor, in 7:8d he used apples, and in 7:9a he used wine.

7:8a

I said, “I will climb the palm tree: The clause I will climb the palm tree is a metaphor. The phrase I said tells the man’s intention. It indicates that he was determined to become more intimate with the woman. He wanted to embrace her. He did not literally mean that he was going to climb her as he would climb a tree. It implies that the top of a tall palm tree is difficult to reach, and it was also difficult to persuade the woman to be intimate with him. However, the man decided that he must try hard (climb) to persuade her.

Some other ways to translate the man’s intention and the metaphor of the palm tree are:

I have decided, ‘I shall climb the palm tree… (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
I want to climb the palm tree… (NET Bible)
-or-
I will surely ⌊come to you⌋, ⌊even if it is as difficult as⌋ climbing the palm tree…

The difficulty of climbing the palm tree is another way to imply that the woman is sometimes hard to reach. The author used this theme in other verses, for example, in 2:14; 4:8; 6:4, and 6:10.

I said: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I said indicates that the man was determined to accomplish his goal to come near his beloved woman. (The tree symbolizes the woman.) Translate this intention in a natural way in your language. See the examples in the preceding note.

7:8b

I will take hold of its fruit: This clause implies that the man will touch and caress the woman’s breasts. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as fruit occurs only here in the Old Testament. Scholars interpret it in different ways:

(1) It refers to clusters of dates (or stalks of fruit), which represent the woman’s breasts. For example:

I will take hold of its fruit. (New International Version)

(2) It refers to the arching branches of the palm tree, which represent the woman’s limbs/arms. For example:

and cling to its branches. (Contemporary English Version)

(3) It refers to “fronds” (the leaf-like part of the palm), which may represent the woman’s hair. For example:

Let me climb up into the palm to grasp its fronds. (Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with more English versions. In this description of the palm tree, the fruit stalks, and clusters refer to the same part of the tree as the phrase its clusters in 7:7b. Option (2) does not seem to fit the structure of the palm tree. Usually, palm trees do not have real branches. The trunk of the tree rises high without branches, and fruit, and palm leaves (fronds) are at its top.

7:8c

May your breasts be like clusters of the vine: The Hebrew verb form that the Berean Standard Bible translates as May…be expresses the man’s wish or desire. His beloved’s breasts seem wonderful to him. He indicates that he wants to enjoy her breasts as he would enjoy grape clusters. Use a natural way in your language to express a strong desire like this.

Some ways to translate this desire are:

Oh let your breasts be like clusters of the vine ⌊for me⌋ !
-or-
I desire/long for ⌊the sweetness of⌋ your breasts as if they were grape clusters!
-or-
Your breasts are like clusters of grapes, and I really want to enjoy them.

your breasts…like clusters of the vine: Here the man compared the woman’s breasts to clusters of grapes (instead of to clusters of dates). The phrase clusters of the vine, refers to bunches of grapes. As in 7:7b, the man compared the woman’s breasts to the sweetness of the fruit, not to its shape. He referred to the way her beautiful breasts made him feel. Her breasts symbolize the sweetness and joy of love. The phrase may also imply that her love intoxicates like wine, since grapes are used to make wine (as referred to in 7:9a).

Some other ways to translate this simile are:

May your breasts be like ⌊sweet⌋ grape clusters.
-or-
Oh how I want your breasts to be like bunches of grapes ⌊for me⌋ !

clusters of the vine: Here the phrase clusters of the vine refers to bunches of grapes. The vine refers to a grapevine.

1:13a–b

My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts:
Here the author used a metaphor. The woman compared the man to a sachet, or bag, of myrrh lying between her breasts. Myrrh has a delightful fragrance. As the woman smelled it, she imagined the man being close to her like the myrrh was. His presence was delightful like the fragrance of the myrrh.

In some languages this metaphor may not communicate the meaning well. If that is true in your language, other ways to translate it are:

• Use a simile. For example:

My beloved is to me like a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.

• Indicate how the man was like the sachet of myrrh. For example:

My lover has the scent of myrrh as he lies upon my breasts. (Good News Translation)
-or-
My beloved is close to me like a sachet of myrrh between my breasts.

Translate the metaphor in a meaningful way in your language.

bag of myrrh: sachet of myrrh: myrrh is an expensive perfume, which at that time was imported into Israel from other countries. It was made from the resin of a myrrh tree. The resin could be obtained in both solid and liquid forms. As a solid, it was put in a small sachet made of cloth or leather. The woman hung the sachet around her neck. Then the fragrance of the myrrh made her body smell sweet.

In some languages myrrh may not be known. If that is true in your language, some ways to translate it are:

• Use a general term for something that people put on their bodies to make them smell sweet. For example:

perfume (Contemporary English Version)

• Indicate the meaning by other words in the context. For example:

a fragrant pouch of myrrh (NET Bible)
-or-
sweet-smelling myrrh

It may also be helpful to include a footnote. For example, the NET Bible has this footnote:

Myrrh is a fragrant resin used for perfumes. (NET Bible)

1:13a

My beloved: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as My beloved is the most common way that the woman used to refer to the man in the Song. It implies that he was the one whom she loved. It does not imply that she and he had sexual relations. Try to translate the word in a way that does not imply sexual union. For example:

my love
-or-
my darling
-or-
the one I love

1:13b

resting: There are two main interpretations of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as resting.

(1) It means “stay” or “spend the night.” For example:

spending the night between my breasts. (NET Bible)

(2) It means “lie” or “rest.” For example:

resting between my breasts. (New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). The verb form used here suggests an extended time such as “all night.”

between my breasts: In some languages the word breasts here may seem too sexually explicit. If that is true in your language, you may need to translate in a more general way. For example:

My beloved lies close to me just like a sweet-smelling bag of myrrh lies next to my chest.

© 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.

3:11

It is recommended that you imagine 3:11 in the following way: The man was waiting in Jerusalem for his bride to arrive in the royal wedding procession. She was coming in a luxurious carriage, which was surrounded by many armed guards. The young women of Jerusalem were called to come and join the king and participate in the wedding celebration.

3:11a

Come out, O daughters of Zion: Here an unknown person, possibly the author, spoke to the women of Zion. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of phrases in 3:11a. For example:

Women of Zion, come… (Good News Translation)
-or-
Young women of Zion, come out (God’s Word)

Come out: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Come out means “go out” or “come out.” In many languages the choice of verb depends on the location of the speaker. In this verse, the author did not reveal the speaker’s location. However, he invites the young women to be outside where the wedding celebration will happen. Some ways to translate this invitation are:

come (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
go out (New Century Version)

Translate the invitation in a clear way in your language.

daughters of Zion: The phrase, daughters of Zion, has the same meaning as daughters of Jerusalem in 3:10. Both phrases refer to the same group of young women. Zion is the name of a specific part of Jerusalem where the temple and royal palace were located. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

You women who live on Zion’s ⌊mountain⌋
-or-
You women in Zion

3:11b

and gaze at King Solomon: In Hebrew this clause is more literally, “and see the king Solomon.” In this context the phrase King Solomon refers to the man who is about to be married. Some other ways to translate this invitation :

Go out and behold “King Solomon.”
-or-
Come gaze at ⌊the groom⌋, ⌊as splendid as⌋ King Solomon!

In some languages there is a figure of speech to describe the way someone gazes at a beautiful or unusual sight. For example:

feast your eyes on King Solomon
-or-
drink in ⌊the glory/splendor of⌋ this “King Solomon”

King Solomon: Here King Solomon is a symbol of royal majesty. The author implied that the man on his wedding day was as majestic and splendid as King Solomon. King Solomon himself is not a character in the story.

3:11b–d

wearing the crown his mother bestowed on the day of his wedding: There are two ways to interpret the custom of crowning that is mentioned here:

(1) It was a wedding custom. The mother of the groom put a wreath made of vines or flowers on her son’s head to honor him at his wedding.

(2) It was a custom at the ceremony when a new king began to reign. He was crowned with an expensive royal crown, which was often made of gold and adorned with precious jewels.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The wedding is mentioned, not the crowning of a king. This fits the context of the Song. In the Song, Solomon is not an actor. He is a symbol of power and splendor.

the crown…bestowed: The crown in this context was probably a wreath that was woven of flowers and greenery. It was a symbol that the man to be married is powerful and majestic like a king. Some scholars mention that this feeling of majesty is common for a man when he marries the woman he loves. The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bestowed means “put a crown on his head.” Other ways to translate the action here are:

Wearing the crown that his mother gave him… (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head… (Good News Translation)
-or-
with the crown with which his mother crowned him (Revised Standard Version)

In some languages it may be helpful to include a footnote to explain the custom of wearing a wedding crown or wreath. For example:

In that culture it was customary for a man’s mother to put a crown or wreath on his head to honor him at his wedding.

Some other ways to translate the word crown in this context are:

crown/wreath ⌊for the wedding⌋
-or-
the ⌊decorated⌋ ⌊wedding⌋ hat

his mother bestowed on the day of his wedding: This phrase refers to a wedding custom in that culture. The mother put a crown or wreath on her son’s head to honor him at his wedding. In some cultures men do not wear crowns or wreaths, so that custom may imply a wrong meaning. Some other options for translation are:

• Refer to a gift that a mother gives a son at his wedding. For example:

with the special gift/clothing that his mother gave him to honor him on his marriage

• Use a more general expression. For example:

how his mother honored him on his wedding day.

on the day of his wedding: This is the only verse in the Song of Songs where the word wedding occurs. However, the whole section (3:6–5:1) should probably be understood as the wedding celebration. In 3:6–11 the text implies in several ways that it describes a wedding procession. Then in chapters 4–5 the man often referred to the woman as “my bride” (4:8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 5:1).

Cultures have different wedding customs. In some cultures there is more than one public ceremony that a couple can consider as their wedding. In other cultures there is no public ceremony when a couple marries. If that is true in your culture, you may need to use a descriptive phrase. For example:

on the day when they celebrated/began their marriage
-or-
on their wedding day
-or-
on the day when they married

3:11e

the day of his heart’s rejoicing: This phrase is parallel to 3:11d. Both 3:11d and 3:11e refer to the same day and event, but the phrase here in 3:11e adds a comment about the groom’s joy on that day (his wedding day). In some languages it is more natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

On that day he was filled with joy.
-or-
That was the happiest day of his life.

his heart’s rejoicing: The phrase his heart’s rejoicing is an idiom that describes great joy. The phrase his heart’s rejoicing emphasizes that the man’s joy was strong and fervent. This is the only reference to rejoicing in the Song, but it is important because it comes at a climax in the book. It indicates that the man was happy and excited that he was marrying his beloved.

The bridal procession arrived! The author implied that the bride was beautiful and mysterious. Until she arrived, she was veiled by the curtains of the palanquin. When she arrived, the man was excited and joyful, and he showed that joy as he described her in chapter 4. In some languages there may be a figure of speech to describe this joy. For example:

the day when his joy overflowed

Some other ways to translate his heart’s rejoicing are:

his…joyful delight (God’s Word)
-or-
his most joyous day (New Living Translation (2004))

Describe his joy in a natural way in your language.

General Comment on 3:6–11

The author used hyperbole as he described the wedding procession in 3:6–11. Solomon himself was mentioned as part of the royal imagery, but he was not actually a part of the celebration. These verses are a “wedding song” that describes the joy that the bride and groom felt on their wedding day. That day was their special day when they were as happy as a king and queen.

© 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.

5:16

This verse is a climax to the woman’s long description of the man. She answered the teasing question that the Jerusalem women asked in 5:9.

5:16a

In 5:15c–d the woman summarized her description of the man’s body. Now in 5:16 she again described the man’s mouth.

His mouth is most sweet: There are different ways to interpret the word mouth and the whole clause here:

(1) His “sweet mouth” refers to his kisses. For example:

His mouth is sweet to kiss (Good News Translation)

(2) His “sweet mouth” refers to his speech. For example:

His conversation is sweetness itself (New Jerusalem Bible)

Most English versions translate literally and do not make the meaning of “sweet mouth” explicit. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). His “sweet mouth” probably refers to his kisses, since that fits with his physical description better than interpretation (2).

Some ways to translate this meaning are:

• Use a figure of speech in your language that implies kissing. For example:

His mouth is delicious… (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
His mouth is delightful…

• Make the meaning explicit. For example:

His mouth is sweet to kiss (New Century Version)
-or-
His kisses are sweet/delightful

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

most sweet: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as most sweet is a figure of speech. Here it indicates that the man’s kisses are delightful. It implies that it is sweet when the man kisses the woman or when she kisses him. Those kisses give great pleasure.

General Comment on “mouth” and “kisses”

The author refers to the theme of the couple’s mouths and their implied kisses often throughout the book. The first time was in 1:2, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” Since the woman began the book with the theme of kisses, it is not surprising that she focused here on her beloved’s mouth as she described his body. (Also see 8:1, and possibly 2:3.) The man referred to her mouth and kisses in 4:3, 4:11, and 7:9.

5:16b

he is altogether lovely: This clause indicates that the woman considered her beloved to be precious and wonderful in every way. It is similar to what the man said to her in 4:7 : “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; in you there is no flaw.” Some other ways to say this are:

everything about him enchants me (Good News Translation)
-or-
he is altogether lovable (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
he is desirable in every way (New Living Translation (2004))

5:16c–e

The clause “This is my beloved” here in 5:16c and the phrase “My beloved” in 5:10a form an inclusio. They occur at the beginning and the end of the woman’s description of the man (5:10–16). The woman emphasized that in 5:10–16 she answered the question that the Jerusalem women asked her in 5:9.

This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem: The two clauses in 5:16c–d, This is my beloved and this is my friend, have almost the same meaning in this context. The two clauses show that the woman has now answered the question that the Jerusalem women asked in 5:9—“How is your beloved better than others?” Indicate in a natural way that this clause answers that question. For example:

That is what my beloved and friend is like, women of Jerusalem.
-or-
Now I have told you what my beloved and friend is like, Jerusalem women.

Some other ways to translate 5:16c–e are:

• Change the order of phrases in 5:16c–e. For example:

O women of Jerusalem, now I have told you about my lover. That is what my dear one is like.

• Translate the similar meanings of 5:16c and 5:16d only once. For example:

This is what my lover is like, women of Jerusalem. (Good News Translation)

5:16d

and this is my friend: This is the only place in the Song where the woman (or the man) used the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as friend to describe their relationship. The plural form “friends” was used in 5:1 to refer to the wedding guests.

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as friend can have different meanings, depending on the context. It can be used to describe different types of friendly relationships. Here the meaning is similar to the meaning of the word “beloved.” In some languages it may be more natural to translate this meaning only once. For example, the Good News Translation translates the two statements in 5:16c–d as:

This is what my lover is like (Good News Translation)

Other ways to translate friend here are:

darling (Revised English Bible)
-or-
companion (NET Bible)

© 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.

8:6–7

Some scholars consider these two verses to be the climax of the Song. It is different from the rest of the book. Most other parts of the Song focus on the couple’s love for one another, but in 8:6–7 the author praised love itself and described what love is like. He used three comparisons: Love’s power is like the power and persistence of death. Love is also like two other powerful forces in nature: fire and water.

8:6a

Set me as a seal over your heart: The clause Set me as a seal over your heart is a figure of speech. A literal seal was an object that had a mark on it which represented the seal’s owner. (For more information, see the following note on seal.) The figure of speech indicates that the woman wanted the man to always love only her. She wanted to be sure that he would not have a romantic relationship with any other woman.

In many cultures people do not use seals. If that is true in your culture, some other ways to translate the meaning are:

• Use a different figure of speech that has the same meaning. For example:

Write my name on your heart.
-or-
Always keep me in your heart (Contemporary English Version)

• Translate the meaning in another poetic way without the figure of speech. For example:

Close your heart to every love but mine (Good News Translation)
-or-
Promise that you will faithfully love me alone.

seal: A seal was a small object (usually made of stone, wood or metal). It had a special design on it to represent the owner. Sometimes the seal was worn like a ring on a person’s finger or hung around his neck on a cord.

The owner of the seal could mark an object as his by putting clay or wax on the object and pressing his seal into the clay or wax to mark it with his design. The woman wanted to be like a seal on the man’s heart that showed that he was hers. (His romantic love should be given to her alone).

over your heart: This seal may have been hung literally around the neck, and therefore close to the man’s heart. In that culture people spoke of the heart as the part of a person that feels love. In many languages people use a different part of the body to speak of love, or they may not use a part of the body at all. Use a natural way in your language to speak of the feelings and commitment to love another person.

8:6b

as a seal upon your arm: The phrase as a seal upon your arm is parallel to 8:6a. It is also a figure of speech, and it has a similar meaning. Because it is so much like 8:6a, a shorter form is used. The full form is:

⌊ or set me⌋as a seal upon your arm.

The woman said this to emphasize that she wanted the man to be committed to love only her. In some languages this figure of speech may not be natural or it may have a wrong meaning. Some other ways to translate the meaning are:

• Use a different figure of speech that has the same meaning. For example:

hold no one in your arms but me. (Good News Translation)

• Translate the meaning in another poetic way. For example:

Promise that you will faithfully love me alone.
-or-
wear this bracelet to remember me by. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Show everyone that I am the only woman for you.

upon your arm: The phrase upon your arm indicates that the woman wanted the man to wear the symbol of his commitment to her on his arm. This symbol could be worn as a bracelet or armband or in another way that would remind him of his commitment to her. For example:

like the signet ring on your hand.

8:6c

For: The word For introduces the woman’s explanation for her requests in 8:6a–b.

love is as strong as death: The expression love is as strong as death is a simile that compares love to death. In this context love probably refers to romantic love. The statement indicates that romantic love is extremely powerful. It is like the power of death. Death overcomes a person so that the person must die. In a similar way, love can overcome a person so that he must love his beloved. He cannot stop loving by his own will or power.

Other ways to translate this meaning are:

⌊ The passions of⌋love are as powerful as ⌊the approach of⌋ death.
-or-

⌊ Romantic⌋love ⌊can⌋ overpower ⌊a person⌋ as death does.

In many languages it is more natural to translate love and death as verbs or statements. For example:

Loving ⌊someone⌋ is as hard to resist/stop as dying.
-or-
It is as hard to prevent/keep myself from loving ⌊you⌋ as it would be to prevent/keep ⌊myself⌋ from dying.

8:6d

its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol is parallel to 8:6c, but the meaning of the two clauses is not exactly the same. There are two ways to interpret the word jealousy here:

(1) It refers to a lover’s passionate devotion to the person whom he or she loves. He refuses to give up his devotion to his beloved, just as a grave does not let a person leave it. For example:

passion is as unrelenting as Sheol. (NET Bible)

(2) It refers to the feeling of anger and injury that a lover has when his beloved is unfaithful to him. This jealousy will continue, just as the grave continues to hold a dead person. For example:

its jealousy unyielding as the grave. (New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). However, the interpretations are similar, since jealousy is a specific type of “passion.” Since both interpretations have good support, it is good to include a footnote to mention interpretation (2). For example:

The Hebrew word can also mean “jealousy.”

Since the Berean Standard Bible follows interpretation (2), the God’s Word will be used as the source text for 8:6.

(God’s Word) Devotion is as unyielding as the grave: Here the word Devotion refers to a lover’s strong commitment to his or her beloved. The statement Devotion is as unyielding as the grave is a figure of speech called personification. It speaks of Devotion and the grave as though they were human beings. Here this personification indicates that a person who is devoted to his beloved will continue to be devoted to her, just as a dead person continues to be dead.

Some ways to translate this figure of speech are:

• Keep the personification. For example:

passion is as strong as death itself. (Good News Translation)
-or-
fervent/ardent love does not give up its loved one, just as death does not give up a dead person.
-or-
When a person is devoted to his beloved, he will hold on to her like a grave holds a person buried in it.

• Translate the meaning without the personification. For example:

A person who is devoted to his beloved continues to be devoted, just as a dead person continues to be dead.

8:6e

Its sparks are fiery flames: The phrase Its sparks are fiery flames is a metaphor. The woman compared love to flames. She also continued to use the type of personification that was used in 8:6d. She implied that a man and woman who are devoted to each other as in 8:6d must not show romantic love to anyone else. If they love anyone else in that way, it violates their commitment to each other. Devotion causes a lover to be strongly determined to protect the love between him and his beloved.

Some ways to translate this figure of speech are:

• Keep the personification. For example:

Commitment consumes like a raging fire.

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

I am totally determined to protect our love.

8:6f

the fiercest blaze of all: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the fiercest blaze of all is a compound word that is more literally “flame-of-Yah.” The word “Yah” is sometimes used as a short form of “Yahweh,” which is the Hebrew name for the LORD. Here the phrase the fiercest blaze of all is parallel to 8:6e and emphasizes its meaning. There are two different ways to interpret it.

(1) It refers to a very hot, strong flame. For example:

like a mighty flame. (New International Version)

(2) It refers to the flame of Yahweh (the LORD). For example:

the very flame of the Lord. (English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with the majority of English versions. However, option (2) is also acceptable. Both options make sense in the context.

Some other ways to translate this part of the verse are:

and burns like a hot fire. (New Century Version)
-or-
fiercer than any flame. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
with complete determination.

© 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.

2:7 The woman spoke to the women of Jerusalem

This verse (2:7) is a refrain, which occurs at a major section break. Similar refrains are also found in 3:5 and 8:4.

2:7

The speaker in this verse is probably the woman (as indicated by most English versions).

2:7a–b

I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: The verb adjure means “to urge (someone) to swear an oath.” The woman urged the women of Jerusalem to swear an oath to her. This oath was a serious promise. Breaking the oath would cause harmful results.

In the Hebrew culture, people usually swore oaths in God’s name. Such an oath implies that God will punish the person who does not do what he swore to do. The oath is a poetic way to say that the women must keep their promise. In this context, the woman asked the Jerusalem women to swear by gazelles and does. These animals probably symbolize love. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

swear to me by the gazelles or by the does in the field (God’s Word)
-or-
promise me by the power of deer and gazelles (Contemporary English Version)

Consider the ways that people make promises or swear oaths in your language. Use a natural way to translate the meaning of the woman’s request.

2:7a

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: In this verse the woman spoke to the Jerusalem women. In some languages it is more natural to begin the sentence with the phrase O daughters of Jerusalem. For example:

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you…

The phrase O daughters of Jerusalem was also used in 1:5b. You may translate it in the same way here.

2:7b

the gazelles and does: gazelles and does are gentle animals that live wild in forests, mountains, or plains. They eat grass and other plants. They run fast, and they are graceful and beautiful. In the Song they symbolize grace and beauty, and they especially symbolize love.

gazelles: The “gazelle” is a member of the antelope family. It is a fairly small animal (2 or 3 feet tall at the shoulder). It is known for its grace and beauty.

4:11a

Your lips, my bride, drip sweetness like the honeycomb: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drip has several meanings. Here it means “to drip” or “to drop.” Literally, it indicates that sweet nectar dripped from the bride’s lips. Figuratively, it indicates that the bride’s kisses were very sweet. Some other ways to translate the meaning are:

Your lips are as sweet as nectar, my bride. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
The taste of honey is on your lips, my darling; (Good News Translation)

Your lips, my bride, drip sweetness: The phrase Your lips…drip sweetness is a metaphor that describes how “sweet” the bride’s kisses are. The man meant that her kisses gave him great pleasure. Some ways to translate the metaphor are:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

My bride, your lips drip honey (New Century Version)
-or-
Your lips are a honeycomb (Contemporary English Version)

• Use a simile. For example:

Your lips, my bride, are as sweet as honey. (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Your lips taste like honey

• Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:

Your lips/kisses are wonderfully sweet.

Your lips: The phrase Your lips is probably a figure of speech that uses lips to represent kisses. Some ways to translate this figure of speech are:

When I kiss you
-or-
Your lips/kisses

my bride: For information on how to translate my bride, see the notes on 4:8a–b.

drip sweetness: The words drip sweetness are a figure of speech. Since the woman’s “lips” refer figuratively to kisses here, the phrase drip sweetness indicates that the woman’s kisses gave the man great pleasure

sweetness: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sweetness refers specifically to “honey” or to a “honeycomb.” It does not refer to the nectar of flowers. However, if honey is unknown in your area, you may use a word that refers to the nectar of flowers.

4:11b

This part of the verse is parallel to 4:11a and has a similar meaning.

honey and milk are under your tongue: The phrase honey and milk are under your tongue is a metaphor. It indicates that the woman’s mouth was delightful. As with “lips” in 4:11a, the phrase under your tongue refers to the sweetness and pleasure that the woman’s kisses gave the man. It probably does not refer to her sweet speech, and it does not indicate that she was literally holding honey and milk in her mouth.

Honey and milk were luxury items. Here they imply that the woman’s love was an experience of luxurious delight.

Some ways to translate the metaphor are:

• Use a metaphor. For example:

Your tongue is milk and honey for me. (Good News Translation)

• Use a simile. For example:

Your mouth is as delightful as milk and honey.
-or-
Your tongue is like milk and honey.

• Translate the meaning more directly. For example:

Your mouth is full of delights.

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

honey and milk: In other parts of the OT the phrase “milk and honey” was used to describe the land of Israel as a fruitful place with abundant food. Here in the Song the word order is changed to honey and milk. These terms were also used in other love poetry of the Near East to express the joy and beauty of love. See the preceding note for translation examples.

honey: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as honey is a general word that refers to sweet substances. These substances can be added to food to make it sweeter. These sweeteners include bees’ honey from honeycombs as well as date or grape syrups. Use an appropriate word in your language.

4:11c

the fragrance of your garments is like the aroma of Lebanon: Here the man compared the fragrance of the woman’s clothing to the pleasant scent of the region of Lebanon. Lebanon was famous for its cedar trees, so some scholars think the fragrance refers to the fragrance of the cedar trees. Others think that it refers more generally to the many pleasing scents of Lebanon.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

• Use a general way in your language to refer to a pleasant smell. For example:

Your clothes smell sweet/good like ⌊the region of⌋ Lebanon.

• Use a more specific comparison that refers to the mountains or cedars of Lebanon. For example:

Your clothes smell like the cedars of Lebanon. (New Century Version)
-or-
The scent of your clothing is like that of the mountains and the cedars of Lebanon.

Choose a comparison that is pleasing in your language.

Lebanon: The land of Lebanon represented what was beautiful and fragrant. It was especially famous for its fragrant cedar trees. Refer to the notes on Lebanon in 4:8a–b and 4:8b for more information. It is important to notice the fragrance theme that is prominent throughout the Song.

garments: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as garments refers in general to clothing. It is good to use a general term in your language. For example:

clothing
-or-
clothes

like the aroma of Lebanon: The region of Lebanon is mentioned several times in 4:8–15. It forms a poetic Lebanon theme that helps give unity to lines 4:8–15. Here in 4:11 it forms an inclusio with 4:8, where the man said to the woman, “Come with me from Lebanon.” In 4:11, the man implied that the woman figuratively came from Lebanon, and she still smelled like that wonderful place.

© 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.

6:11–13 She went to the orchard and imagined her beloved as a prince

It is difficult to be certain about who speaks in 6:11–13. There are also several ways to interpret the verses, and English versions vary greatly. The Notes recommends an interpretation that agrees with the author’s themes throughout the Song, and in general it follows the Berean Standard Bible text. The Notes for these verses include suggestions for footnotes that translators may include to tell readers the different interpretation options.

6:11–12 The woman spoke

Scholars have different views about who spoke in 6:11–12.

(1) The woman spoke in 6:11–12. For example, the English Standard Version has this heading:

She (English Standard Version)

(2) The man spoke in 6:11–12. For example, for 6:4–12 the Good News Translation has the heading:

the man (Good News Translation)

(3) The man spoke in 6:11 and the woman spoke in 6:12. Some commentaries follow this option.

It is recommended that you follow option (1). Although more English versions follow option (2), there are also many Bible scholars who recommend option (1). However, it is not certain who speaks in this verse, and any of the three options is acceptable. If a national translation in your area follows interpretation (2) or (3), it may be helpful to follow it. The following notes are written according to option (1).

6:11

The woman went down to the orchard to see if the trees and vines had new buds and blossoms. Buds and blossoms show that the season of new growth was beginning. This season is called by different names in different areas of the world. It may be called “rainy season” or “spring.” It is the time when plants grow quickly. This growth probably symbolizes that the love between the man and woman was growing.

6:11a

I went down to the walnut grove: The woman walked down to the walnut grove. The word down implies that the grove was located on lower ground than the place from which she started walking. Probably a stream or a spring was there to water the garden.

The English phrase went down is one word in Hebrew. In some languages it is not natural to specify that the woman went down. If that is true in your language, it is fine to use a more general word or phrase. For example:

I went to the grove of nut trees
-or-
I went out to the farm/place where the nut trees grow

walnut grove: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as walnut grove is literally “garden of nuts.” The author used a Hebrew word for “nut” that occurs only once in the Old Testament. It probably refers specifically to the type of nut called walnut. Here is another way to translate this:

orchard of walnut trees (NET Bible)

If walnuts are not known in your area, you may use a general term. For example:

nut trees

walnut: A walnut is a dry, edible, one-seeded fruit that usually is encased within a woody, hard shell.

6:11b

to see the blossoms of the valley: The clause to see the blossoms of the valley tells the woman’s purpose for going down to the nut orchard in 6:11a. The text implies that the valley is the same place as the walnut grove in 6:11a. In some languages it may be confusing to use two different words to refer to the place. Other ways to translate the meaning are:

to see what is blooming there

blossoms: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blossoms refers to “green shoots” or “new growth.” This is a general term for new plant growth that can refer to different types of blooms. It can refer to the type of buds that appear on vines (6:11c) and also to the blooms on pomegranates (6:11d). Some other ways to translate the term are:

new growth (New International Version)
-or-
plants beginning to blossom

6:11c

to see if the vines were budding: The phrase to see if the vines were budding is similar to 6:11b. It tells more about the woman’s purpose for going to the nut grove. She went to see if buds were already on the grape vines. Such buds indicate that the season of new growth has started. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

to look for buds on the vines (New Century Version)
-or-
to see whether the grapevines were budding

Use a natural way in your language to describe this.

6:11d

or the pomegranates were in bloom: This phrase is parallel to 6:11c. It tells something else that the woman wanted to see in the valley. She wanted to see if the pomegranate trees had started to bloom. Some other ways to translate it are:

and if the pomegranate trees were blossoming
-or-
and whether the pomegranate trees had flowers
-or-
and the blossoms on the pomegranate trees (Good News Translation)

pomegranates: Here the word pomegranates refers to a type of small tree that produces red fruits. Both the tree and the fruits of the tree can be called “pomegranates.” In 4:3 and 6:7 the author compared the woman’s cheeks to this fruit.

Here the author focused on the time when the trees produce blossoms. Later these blossoms develop into fruits. For more information on pomegranate trees and a picture of pomegranates, see the note on 4:3c.

General Comment on 6:11a–d

In some languages it is more natural to combine some parts of this verse or to use more general expressions. For example:

11a-b I went down to see if blossoms were on the walnut trees, 11c grapevines, 11d and fruit trees. (Contemporary English Version)

© 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.