Song of Solomon 8:5–14 — The sixth song

This is still an early look into the drafted text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

8:5 The sixth song

Yerushalem’s young women

5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness,

leaning against her dearest?

The bride

Under the apple tree I awakened you.

Your mother was in labour with you there.

There she was in labour—she gave birth to you.

6 Place me like the seal on your heart,

like the seal on your arm,

because live is strong like death.

Zeal is unyielding like the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire—Yah’s flame.

7 Many waters aren’t able to quench this love

≈ and rivers can’t drown it.

If a man would give all the family’s wealth in exchange for love,

he’d be utterly despised.

Bride’s older brothers

8 We have a young sister—

small and without her breasts developed.

What will we do for our sister

on the day when she is spoken for?

9 If she’s a wall,[fn] we’ll build a silver turret on her.

And if she is a door, we’ll protect her with cedar planks.

The bride

10 I was a wall and my breasts were like towers.

Then, in his eyes, I was like a person who finds peace.

11 There was a vineyard for Shelomoh (Solomon) at Ba’al -Hamon.

He gave the vineyard to keepers.

Each person brought a thousand silver coins in exchange for its fruit.

12 My own vineyard is right in front of me.

Those thousand coins belong to you, Shelomoh,

and the two hundred belong to the people who are keepers of its fruit.

The groom

13 You, the one residing in the gardens:

my companions are listening intently for your voice—

let me hear it.

The bride

14 Flee, my dearest, and be like a gazelle

≈ or a young stag on the mountains of spices.

8:9 Some consider these analogies to refer to her (still young) flat chest, others to a wall/door protecting her virginity.

5 Who this is_coming _up from the_wilderness leaning _herself on lover _of_her under the _apple_tree I_aroused _you there_(to) she_was _in _labour _with _you mother _of_your there_(to) she _was _in _labour she_bore _you.

6 Put_me like_seal on heart _of_your like_seal on arm _of_your if/because is_strong like_death love is_severe like_Shəʼōl jealousy flames _of_its are_flames _of fire a powerful _flame.
[fn]

7 Waters many not they _are _able to_extinguish DOM (the)_love and_rivers not they_will _overflow _it if anyone he _will _give DOM all _of the _wealth _of his _house _of_his for_love utterly _(despise) people _will _despise to_him/it.

8 A _sister to/for_us small and_breasts there_are_not to/for_her/it what will _we _do for_sister _of_our in _the_day when_it _will _be _spoken for_her.

9 If is_a _wall she we _will _build on/upon_it(f) a _battlement _of silver and_if is_a _door she we _will _shut _up on/upon_it(f) a _board _of cedar.

10 I was_a _wall and_breasts _of_my are_like_towers then I _was in_eyes _of_his like_one _who_finds peace.

11 A _vineyard it _belonged to_Shəlomoh/(Solomon) at_Baˊal- hamon he _gave DOM the_vineyard to_who_keep each _one he _will _bring for_fruit _of_its a _thousand silver.

12 Vineyard _of_my[fn][fn][fn] which_belongs_to_me is_before _of_me the _thousand_shekels to/for_yourself(m) Oh _Shəlomoh and_two _hundreds belong_to_those _who_keep DOM fruit _of_its.

13 Oh_you _who_dwell[fn][fn][fn] in_gardens companions are_listening for_voice _of_your cause_me _to _hear_it.

14 Hasten my _lover _of_my and_be _like to/for_yourself(m) (to)_a_gazelle or (to)_the_fawn _of the _deer(s) on mountains _of spices.

8:6 OSHB exegesis note: A single word in the text has been divided for exegesis.

8:12 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

8:12 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

8:12 OSHB note: We read one or more vowels in L differently from BHS.

8:13 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

8:13 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

8:13 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

OET by section SNG 8:5

The sixth song

Readers’ Version

Literal Version Hide marks

Literal Version