SNG 3:2 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:8–3:5: The man called the woman, but later she could not find him

The author began this scene at a different place and time from the ending of the preceding section (1:1–2:7). At the end of that section, the woman and man were together, but at the beginning of this section (2:8) the woman was in her room at home, and the man was coming to her over the hills.

There are two poems in Section 2:8–3:5. In the first poem (2:8–17) the man came and stood outside the woman’s room. She quoted what he said as he invited her to come out with him and enjoy a beautiful spring day. The second poem (3:1–5) describes a time when the woman searched for her beloved at night. This second poem has much in common with Section 5:2–6:3. See the discussion of similarities at the beginning of that section.

Both parts of this section (2:8–17 and 3:1–5) may describe what the woman imagined or what she dreamed. The descriptions may not refer to actual events in the poem.

Paragraph 3:1–5 The woman described searching for her beloved at night

In the preceding poem (2:8–17) the author described the man and woman as they were together on a beautiful spring day. Here in Paragraph 3:1–5 the woman was alone in her bed at night, and she longed to be with her beloved again. Her joy in 2:8–17 changed to being troubled in 3:1–5 as she searched for her beloved and then clung to him when she found him.

Bible scholars are not sure whether this poem tells about a dream, the woman’s feelings, or an actual event. It seems more like a dream than an actual event. In that culture it would not be likely for a woman to go out into the city at night, as the author described in 3:1–5, but in a dream almost anything is possible.

Some versions (including BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NJPS, and GNT) have a section heading or footnote at 3:1 to indicate that 3:1–5 describes a dream. The GNT mentions in the text that it was a dream, saying, “Asleep on my bed, night after night I dreamed of the one I love…” Other scholars interpret 3:1–5 as a description of the woman’s feelings. The Song is lyric poetry, which often uses such descriptions. It does not necessarily describe actual events. The Notes interpret 3:1–5 as a dream.

It is likely that 3:5 functions as a refrain, probably for the entire section (2:8–3:5). It is identical to the refrain in 2:7.

3:2a

I will arise now and go about the city,

I said to myself: I will get up now and go out into the city.
I decided to go out looking around town for him

I will arise now and go about the city: The verb will goes with both arise and go about. The Hebrew verb forms indicate that the woman made a decision about what she will do. She will get up, leave her room, and walk around in the city. She spoke or thought these things to herself. She did not speak them aloud. Probably she was still dreaming about making this decision.

In some languages it may be necessary to introduce this line with a speech introducer. For example:

So she thought to herself, “I will rise now and roam the city…”

I said, “I will rise and go the rounds of the city…” (REB)

In other languages it may be more natural to introduce the verse as an indirect quote or as a decision. For example:

Then I decided to get up and roam around the city.

I will arise now: The phrase I will arise now indicates that the woman decided to get up out of her bed. In some languages it may be necessary to include the implied information that she intended to leave her house and go outside. For example:

I will go out now

Now I will leave my/the house

and go about the city: This phrase is the second part of the woman’s decision. She intended to look all around in the city until she found her beloved. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

and look all around in the city (NET)

I will walk/search through the whole city

the city: The city refers to the city where the woman lived.Some scholars think that this city was Jerusalem (for example, Exum, Carr, Hess, Garrett, and Mitchell).

3:2b

through the streets and squares.

I will go about in the streets and public squares.
on/by the roads and in/at the gathering places.

through the streets and squares: This phrase implies that the woman searched throughout the whole city. She went around the city’s streets and other outdoor public places. In some languages it may be helpful to combine 3:2a–b and use a phrase that refers to going throughout the public places in the town. For example:

throughout the town

squares: The squares were broad open public places. These squares were often located near the gates through which people entered the city. Many languages use different words for these public places. For example:

public/city meeting places

3:2c

I will seek the one I love.

I will search for the one I love with all my heart.
I told myself that I must look all around for my true love.

I will seek the one I love: This clause tells the woman’s purpose for going throughout the city. She intended to search it for her beloved. This clause is the third time the “search” language is used, and it emphasizes the woman’s search. Other ways to translate 3:2c are:

I will look for the one I love. (GW)

I shall seek my sweetheart. (NJB)

the one I love: This same phrase was used in 3:1a. It refers again to the woman’s beloved. In some languages it is not necessary to repeat such a phrase. For example:

searching for him (NLT96)

3:2d

So I sought him but did not find him.

I searched for him, but I did not find him.
Then/Truly I did look all around for him, but I did not see him anywhere.

So I sought him but did not find him: In this part of the verse, the woman repeated exactly what she said in 3:1b. You should translate both clauses in the same way. Here in 3:2d the woman was probably still dreaming. In her dream she did what she decided to do in 3:2a–c—she searched for her beloved. However, she did not find him. Some other ways to translate 3:2d are:

I sought him, but found him not. (RSV)

I continued to search for him—I did not see him.

I sought him: Here the author repeated the Hebrew verb for “search” for the fourth time in this verse. This repetition implies that as the woman searched, she became more tense. Some other ways to translate the phrase here are:

I kept on searching for him

I looked and looked for him

Translate the repetition in a natural way in your language.

but did not find him: Although the woman searched so much, she did not see her beloved in any of the places where she looked. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

but I could not find him.

but I never saw him.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אָק֨וּמָה נָּ֜א

arise now

The writer assumes that the reader will understand that the woman is thinking or saying this to herself. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [I thought to myself, ‘I will get up now’]

וַ⁠אֲסוֹבְבָ֣ה בָ⁠עִ֗יר

and,I_will_go_around in,city

Alternate translation: [and walk through the city]

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

וּ⁠בָ֣⁠רְחֹב֔וֹת

and,in,places

The word squares refers to spacious open places where people gather to sell things and conduct business and legal matters. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of place, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [and in the open plazas] or [and in the wide-open places]

אֲבַקְשָׁ֕ה & בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖י⁠ו

seek & I,sought_him

Alternate translation: [I will look for … I looked for him]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

אֵ֥ת שֶׁ⁠אָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑⁠י

DOM [the,one]_whom_it_loves self_of,my

See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in [1:7](../01/07.md). Alternate translation: [him whom I love]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear SNG 3:2