SNG 7:2 Interlinear View

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 7:1–10 The man praised the woman and she responded

In 7:1–9a the man sang another praise song to the woman, and then she responded in 7:9b–10. Here the man used a different order to describe her beauty. He began with her feet and moved upward to her head as the final focus. In other descriptions (4:1–5, 5:10–16, and 6:4–7) he began with the head and moved downward. Here, he described several parts of her body that he described earlier in the book (neck, eyes, breasts, hair, and head), and he mentioned some other parts for the first time. Notice that 7:3 is identical to 4:5a.

Scholars differ about whether the woman was dancing in this section. In 6:13 the woman said that she did not want spectators to look at her as though she were a dancer. In 7:1–10 the man did not describe her movements, but only her physical features. So, she was probably not dancing in this unit. Some scholars think that she was naked or dressed in transparent clothing, but that idea is not supported in the text.

These verses have many metaphors and similes, and scholars differ about how to interpret some of them. The Notes will discuss each one and give translation suggestions.

7:2a

Your navel is a rounded goblet;

Your navel is rounded like a drinking cup,
Your navel is like a well-shaped glass/bowl

7:2b

it never lacks blended wine.

and it is always filled with spiced wine.
continually full of blended wine.

7:2a–b

Your navel is a rounded goblet; it never lacks blended wine: Here the man used a metaphor. He compared the woman’s navel to a goblet that always has wine in it. It is the goblet that is filled with wine, not the woman’s navel. Her navel is like the goblet because it is round and can hold liquid. The wine in the goblet is a symbol of romantic love. This metaphor implies that the woman’s love excited the man, as if he were drinking wine.

Some ways to translate the metaphor are:

Use the metaphor and adapt it for your culture. For example:
your navel is a wine glass filled to overflowing. (CEV)
Use a simile. For example:
Your navel is like a round drinking cup always filled with wine. (NCV)
Your navel is like a gourd filled with wine.
Use a simile and indicate the meaning. For example:
Your navel is perfectly formed like a goblet filled with mixed wine. (NLT)
Translate the meaning without mentioning the bowl or cup. For example:
Your navel is as exciting as the best wine.

navel: In ancient Israel and all the countries near it, a woman’s navel was considered especially beautiful. Except for the GNT, all English versions refer explicitly to the navel. See the footnoteThe Hebrew word translated as “navel” in the BSB (and most English versions) is interpreted as a euphemism for the woman’s genitals by some commentators including Longman and Pope. (Pope bases his argument on a similarly spelled word in Arabic that means “vulva.”) These commentators also argue that the sequence of description from the feet upwards requires this interpretation since the order thigh, navel and belly would be out of logical ascending order. They interpret belly as the region below the navel, and they also assume that the poetic description would not avoid the genitals.However, according to Fox, the author was not strict about using an ascending order since, for example, the eyes are not lower than the nose (7:4). The order does not require a reader to reinterpret the word “navel.” In fact, there is no exegetical reason for reinterpreting it, especially with a sexual connotation that does not fit the Song’s modest tone.Mitchell comments: “All the philological evidence supports the meaning ‘navel’…Sadly, over the last two centuries commentators have increasingly chosen to ignore the obvious meaning of the Hebrew text….” for more information.

rounded goblet: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as rounded goblet is literally “bowl the-roundness.” This type of goblet was often wide and round. Here the man used it to describe the woman’s navel. In some cultures it may not be appropriate to compare a woman’s navel to a goblet. It also may not be natural to describe the navel as “round.”

If that is true in your language, you may use a different comparison. For example:

your navel is like a wine glass

your navel is like a gourd for drinking

it never lacks blended wine: There are two main ways to interpret the Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as it never lacks blended wine:

It is a statement that describes the woman’s navel. For example:
that never lacks blended wine… (NIV) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJB, NLT, REB, RSV, GNT)
It is a wish or desire. For example:
Let mixed wine not be lacking… (NJPS) (GW, NET, NJPS)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions.The Hebrew verb is grammatically imperfect, but according to BART, it is jussive in meaning. This indicates wish or desire. Some commentators and a few English versions (GW, NET, and NJPS) follow this interpretation.

blended wine: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as blended wine is used only here in the OT. It probably refers to a special wine that is mixed with spices. Some other ways to translate it are:

spiced wine (GNT)

wine

delicious wine

For more information on how to translate wine, see the note on wine in 1:2b.

7:2c–d

Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by the lilies: The statement is 7:2c–d is a metaphor. It indicates that the woman’s waist was beautiful and nourishing like a pile of wheat surrounded by lilies. wheat was used to make bread, which was an important food in Palestine. lilies were very beautiful flowers.

Here wheat implies abundant food, and lilies imply beauty. Together these words imply that the woman’s love was like food and beauty for the man. Her navel satisfied him like food and made him feel happy. Some other ways to translate the metaphor are:

Use a simile. For example:
Your stomach is like a pile of wheat surrounded with lilies. (NCV)
Use a simile and indicate the meaning of the comparison. For example:
Your belly is lovely, like a heap of wheat set about with lilies. (NLT96)

7:2c

Your waist is a mound of wheat

Your stomach is like a pile of wheat (NCV)
Your belly is as beautiful as golden grain

Your waist is a mound of wheat: Here the man praised the woman by comparing her waist to a mound of wheat. Scholars are not sure how her waist was like a mound of wheat. They are also uncertain whether the mound of wheat refers to a pile of wheat grains or to wheat sheaves before a farmer removes the grains from them.

The pile of wheat grains probably had curved sides. The author may imply that the woman’s waist had similar curves and maybe also a golden color like ripe wheat grains or sheaves.

In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

Your belly curves like a heap of wheat

Your stomach is lovely like a golden pile of wheat

It is important that readers understand that the man said this statement to praise the woman.

waist: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as waist refers to the part of the abdomen that contains the stomach. It is curved and gently protrudes. Use an appropriate word in your language for this part of the body.

7:2d

encircled by the lilies.

surrounded by lilies.
that has beautiful flowers/lilies growing all around it.

encircled by the lilies: The phrase encircled by the lilies gives another detail about the waist in 7:2c. It indicates that the mound of wheat has lilies growing all around it. It does not imply that the woman’s waist also has lilies around it. Rather, it indicates that the woman’s waist is as beautiful as a mound of wheat surrounded by lilies.

lilies: For more information about lilies, see the note at 2:16b.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

שָׁרְרֵ⁠ךְ֙ אַגַּ֣ן הַ⁠סַּ֔הַר אַל־יֶחְסַ֖ר הַ⁠מָּ֑זֶג