SNG 6:5 Interlinear View

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. הָסֵבִּי
2. 405534
3. Turn
4. -
5. 5437
6. V-Vhv2fs
7. turn
8. S
9. Y-1014
10. 283138
1. עֵינַיִ,ךְ
2. 405535,405536
3. eyes of your
4. eyes
6. O-Ncbdc,Sp2fs
7. eyes_of,your
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283139
1. מִ,נֶּגְדִּ,י
2. 405537,405538,405539
3. from before me
4. -
5. 5048
6. S-R,R,Sp1cs
7. from,before,me
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283140
1. שֶׁ,הֵם
2. 405540,405541
3. that they
4. they
5. 1992
6. S-Tr,Sp3mp
7. that,they
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283141
2. 405542
3. -
4. -
6. -
8. -
9. -
10. 283142
1. הִרְהִיבֻ,נִי
2. 405543,405544
3. they have confused me
4. -
5. 7292
6. VO-Vhp3cp,Sp1cs
7. they,have_confused_me
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283143
1. שַׂעְרֵ,ךְ
2. 405545,405546
3. hair of your
4. hair
5. 8181
6. S-Ncmsc,Sp2fs
7. hair_of,your
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283144
1. כְּ,עֵדֶר
2. 405547,405548
3. +is like (the) flock of
4. flock
5. 5739
6. P-R,Ncmsc
7. [is]_like_(the),flock_of
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283145
1. הָ,עִזִּים
2. 405549,405550
3. (the) she-goats
4. goats
5. 5795
6. P-Td,Ncfpa
7. of_(the),she-goats
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283146
1. שֶׁ,גָּלְשׁוּ
2. 405551,405552
3. which they have descended
4. that
5. 1570
6. PV-Tr,Vqp3cp
7. which,they_have_descended
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283147
1. מִן
2. 405553
3. from
4. -
6. P-R
7. from
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283148
2. 405554
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 283149
1. הַ,גִּלְעָד
2. 405555,405556
3. (the) Gilˊād
4. Gilead
5. 1568
6. P-Td,Np
7. (the),Gilead
8. -
9. Location=Gilead; Y-1014
10. 283150
2. 405557
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 283151

6:5 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently from BHQ.

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:4–8:4: The man praised the woman and sang about springtime

In this section the man described the woman in two separate speeches (6:4–10 and 7:1–10). Some verses are difficult to understand, especially 6:11–13, and it is important to think about them carefully. The woman responded to the man in 7:11 and continued to speak to the end of the section at 8:4.

The verse numbering in the Hebrew text is different from the BSB and a majority of English versions. The Hebrew text begins chapter 7 where the BSB begins 6:13, so in chapter 7 the verses in the Hebrew text are one number higher than the verse numbers in the BSB. For example, 6:13–7:13 in the BSB is 7:1–14 in the Hebrew text (and also in the NJB and NJPS). It is helpful to be aware that some commentaries follow the Hebrew verse numbering. The Notes will follow the verse numbers in the BSB (along with the majority of English versions).

Paragraph 6:4–10 The man described the woman

In 6:4–10, the man spoke to the woman. In 6:4–7, he spoke directly to her with forms like “you” and “your.” But in 6:8–10, he spoke about her, using forms like “she” and “her.” In 6:10 the man probably quoted what the other women said to praise her beauty.

This section begins and ends with the same phrase. The BSB translates the phrase in 6:4c as “as majestic as troops with banners,” and in 6:10 it repeats this phrase. However, the context is different, so scholars are not certain whether the meaning of the phrase is the same or different in the two verses. The notes for 6:10 will discuss this issue.

In 6:4–10 the man sang his second praise song to describe the woman. This song is similar in some ways to his first praise song in 4:1–5, and it repeats some portions of that song. However, here his words seem less intimate. In 4:9 the man indicated that she is superior to all other women.

6:5a

Turn your eyes away from me,

Look away from me,
Please do not gaze at me.

6:5b

for they have overcome me.

because your beautiful eyes overwhelm me.
I feel weak/helpless when I look into your eyes.

6:5a–b

Turn your eyes away from me, for they have overcome me: In the Song the man often referred to the woman’s eyes (1:15; 4:1; 4:9; 6:5; 7:4). Here he asked the woman not to look directly into his eyes, because that made him feel confused. The sentence is more literally, “Turn your eyes from me which they confuse me.” Her beautiful eyes delighted him, but he could not see their beauty and still think clearly. However, he did not really want her to turn away.

Some other ways to translate 6:5a–b are:

Turn your eyes from me, because they excite me too much. (NCV)

Turn your eyes away from me—I am overcome when you gaze at me!

In some cultures people may not understand the reason for the man’s request. They may think that the woman tried to use spiritual power to enchant him. If that is true in your culture, you should translate in a different way that will not imply that wrong meaning. Other ways to translate it are:

Add implied information to make the meaning clear. For example:
Your eyes confuse me with their beauty. Turn them aside so I can think clearly!
Use a saying or figure of speech that has the same meaning in your own language.

Turn your eyes away from me: This clause implies that the woman was looking directly into the man’s eyes. He asked her not to gaze into his eyes, but at the same time, he did not really want her to look away. He implied that when she looked at him like that, he felt weak from love and desire.

In some languages there may be a special way to express this meaning. In other languages there may be a figure of speech to translate it. Translate the meaning in a natural way that will fit this context in your culture.

for they have overcome me: The phrase they have overcome me is similar to the phrase “You have captured my heart” in 4:9. In 4:9 the man felt helpless, but he also felt pleasure. Here in 6:5 the meaning is similar, but his feeling when he looked into her eyes was even stronger. Some other ways to translate it are:

they overwhelm me! (NRSV)

they are holding me captive. (GNT)

they overpower me. (NLT)

6:5c

Your hair is like a flock of goats

Your hair looks like a flock of goats
Your wavy hair is like many black goats,

6:5d

streaming down from Gilead.

as it moves/flows down the slopes of Gilead.
surging down from Gilead heights.

6:5c–d

Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down from Gilead: The comparison here is identical to the one in 4:1d–e. Translate it in the same way here. For more information, see the notes on 4:1d–e.

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