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Sng C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8

Sng 3 V1 V2 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11

OET interlinear SNG 3:3

◄ ← SNG 3:3 ↓ → ► ║ ©

Hebrew word order

    1. Hebrew word
    2. Hebrew lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. Gloss
    8. CAPS codes
    9. OET tags
    10. OET word #
    1. מְצָאוּ,נִי
    2. 404632,404633
    3. They found me
    4. found
    5. 4672
    6. VO-Vqp3cp,Sp1cs
    7. they,found_me
    8. S
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282523
    1. הַ,שֹּׁמְרִים
    2. 404634,404635
    3. the watchmen
    4. -
    5. 8104
    6. S-Td,Vqrmpa
    7. the,watchmen
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282524
    1. הַ,סֹּבְבִים
    2. 404636,404637
    3. who go around
    4. around
    5. 5437
    6. SV-Td,Vqrmpa
    7. [who]_go,around
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282525
    1. בָּ,עִיר
    2. 404638,404639
    3. in city
    4. in city
    6. S-Rd,Ncfsa
    7. in,city
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282526
    1. אֵת
    2. 404640
    3. DOM
    4. -
    5. 853
    6. O-To
    7. DOM
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282527
    1. שֶׁ,אָהֲבָה
    2. 404641,404642
    3. the one whom it loves
    4. loves
    5. 157
    6. OV-Tr,Vqp3fs
    7. [the,one]_whom_it_loves
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282528
    1. נַפְשִׁ,י
    2. 404643,404644
    3. self of my
    4. soul
    5. 5315
    6. S-Ncbsc,Sp1cs
    7. self_of,my
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282529
    1. רְאִיתֶֽם
    2. 404645
    3. have you(pl) seen
    4. you seen
    5. 7200
    6. V-Vqp2mp
    7. have_you(pl)_seen?
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282530
    2. 404646
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-sof-pasuq
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 282531

OET (OET-LV) They_found_me the_watchmen who_go_around in_city DOM the_one_whom_it_loves self_of_my have_you(pl)_seen.

OET (OET-RV) The guards going around in the city found me:
 ⇔ “Have you seen the man whom my soul loves?”

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.

3:3a

I encountered the watchmen

3:3b

on their rounds of the city:

3:3a–b

I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city: These watchmen were men who guarded the city. They walked about in it at night to ensure that people were safe from dangers. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of some information in this verse. For example:

3bAs the people who guard the town walked through it, 3athey saw me.

It also may be helpful in some languages to introduce the city guards more explicitly. For example:

There were some watchmen who guarded the city. They saw me as they walked through the streets.

The city guards were walking through the streets, and they met/saw me.

encountered: The verb encountered does not imply here that the watchmen were searching for the woman. They probably saw her as they went about in the city to keep people safe from possible dangers. Use an appropriate verb in your language. Notice that some examples in the preceding note use the verb “saw.”

In Hebrew a form of this verb is the last word in 3:2 and the first word here in 3:3. It emphasizes a contrast: In 3:2 the woman did not find her beloved, but here in 3:3 the watchmen found her instead.

on their rounds of the city: This clause implies that the watchmen were doing their regular work of patrolling the city. They walked around in it to make sure that the town and its people were safe from danger. They were going through the city like that when they saw the woman. She was also roaming the city to look for her beloved. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

as they went about in the city (RSV)

while they were guarding the town

3:3c

“Have you seen the one I love?”

Have you seen the one I love: This question has no introduction, but the context indicates that the woman asked this question to the watchmen. In some languages it may be necessary to introduce the question with this information. For example:

I asked them, “Have you seen my true love?”

the one I love: This phrase was also used in 3:1a and 3:2c. It refers to the woman’s beloved. Refer to him here in a natural way in your language.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-unknown

הַ⁠שֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים

the,watchmen

The word guards refers to men who had the job of walking about the city during the night for the purpose of keeping the people safe. If your readers would not be familiar with this term, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

אֵ֛ת שֶׁ⁠אָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖⁠י רְאִיתֶֽם

DOM [the,one]_whom_it_loves self_of,my seen

The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [I said to them, “Have you seen him whom my soul loves]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

אֵ֛ת שֶׁ⁠אָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖⁠י

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]

אֵ֛ת שֶׁ⁠אָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖⁠י רְאִיתֶֽם

DOM [the,one]_whom_it_loves self_of,my seen

Alternate translation: [Do you know where the man whom I love is?]

TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

3:3 The watchmen of ancient towns or cities were roughly equivalent to police. Guardians of social custom and law, they were posted on the city walls to look out for attack and to assure that any traffic in or out of the city was not threatening.
• The woman may have been stopped because she was not a resident of the city and was not recognized. It was not considered appropriate for a woman to be out alone at night. The scene accentuates the strong desire that the woman must have felt toward the man as she ignored social conventions and safety considerations.

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

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Hebrew word
    5. Hebrew lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. Gloss
    8. CAPS codes
    9. OET tags
    10. OET word #
    1. They found me
    2. found
    3. 4733,1978
    5. 404632,404633
    6. VO-Vqp3cp,Sp1cs
    8. S
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282523
    1. the watchmen
    2. -
    3. 1893,7842
    5. 404634,404635
    6. S-Td,Vqrmpa
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282524
    1. who go around
    2. around
    3. 1893,5419
    5. 404636,404637
    6. SV-Td,Vqrmpa
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282525
    1. in city
    2. in city
    3. 846,5667
    5. 404638,404639
    6. S-Rd,Ncfsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282526
    1. DOM
    2. -
    3. 347
    5. 404640
    6. O-To
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282527
    1. the one whom it loves
    2. loves
    3. 7646,643
    5. 404641,404642
    6. OV-Tr,Vqp3fs
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282528
    1. self of my
    2. soul
    3. 5059,1978
    5. 404643,404644
    6. S-Ncbsc,Sp1cs
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282529
    1. have you(pl) seen
    2. you seen
    3. 7240
    5. 404645
    6. V-Vqp2mp
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 282530

OET (OET-LV) They_found_me the_watchmen who_go_around in_city DOM the_one_whom_it_loves self_of_my have_you(pl)_seen.

OET (OET-RV) The guards going around in the city found me:
 ⇔ “Have you seen the man whom my soul loves?”

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 logo mark

◄ ← SNG 3:3 ↑ → ► ║ ©