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Sng C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8

Sng 8 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14

OET interlinear SNG 8:1

◄ ↨ SNG 8:1 ↓ → ║ ©

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. מִי
    2. 405944
    3. Who
    4. -
    5. 4310
    6. S-Ti
    7. who?
    8. S
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283420
    1. יִתֶּנְ,ךָ
    2. 405945,405946
    3. will he give you
    4. give
    5. 5414
    6. VO-Vqi3ms,Sp2ms
    7. will,he_give_you
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283421
    1. כְּ,אָח
    2. 405947,405948
    3. like a brother
    4. brother
    5. 251
    6. S-R,Ncmsa
    7. like,a_brother
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283422
    1. לִ,י
    2. 405949,405950
    3. to me
    4. -
    6. S-R,Sp1cs
    7. to=me
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283423
    1. יוֹנֵק
    2. 405951
    3. the sucking child
    4. -
    5. 3243
    6. S-Vqrmsa
    7. the_sucking_child
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283424
    1. שְׁדֵי
    2. 405952
    3. of the breasts of
    4. breasts
    6. S-Ncmdc
    7. of_the_breasts_of
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283425
    1. אִמִּ,י
    2. 405953,405954
    3. my mother of my
    4. mother's
    5. 517
    6. S-Ncfsc,Sp1cs
    7. my_mother_of,my
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283426
    1. אֶֽמְצָאֲ,ךָ
    2. 405955,405956
    3. I will find you
    4. found
    5. 4672
    6. VO-Vqi1cs,Sp2ms
    7. I,will_find_you
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283427
    1. בַ,חוּץ
    2. 405957,405958
    3. on outside
    4. at outside
    5. 2351
    6. S-Rd,Ncmsa
    7. on,outside
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283428
    1. אֶשָׁקְ,ךָ
    2. 405959,405960
    3. I will kiss you
    4. kiss
    6. VO-Vqi1cs,Sp2ms
    7. I,will_kiss_you
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283429
    2. 405961
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 283430
    2. 405962
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 283431
    2. 405963
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 283432
    1. גַּם
    2. 405964
    3. also
    4. -
    5. 1571
    6. S-Ta
    7. also
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283433
    1. לֹא
    2. 405965
    3. not
    4. -
    5. 3808
    6. S-Tn
    7. not
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283434
    2. 405966
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 283435
    1. יָבוּזוּ
    2. 405967
    3. people will despise
    4. despise
    5. 936
    6. V-Vqi3mp
    7. people_will_despise
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283436
    1. לִ,י
    2. 405968,405969
    3. to me
    4. -
    6. S-R,Sp1cs
    7. to=me
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283437
    2. 405970
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-sof-pasuq
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 283438

OET (OET-LV) Who will_he_give_you like_a_brother to_me the_sucking_child of_the_breasts_of my_mother_of_my I_will_find_you on_outside I_will_kiss_you[fn][fn][fn] also not people_will_despise to_me.

8:1 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

8:1 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

8:1 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

OET (OET-RV) Who will give you to me like a brother,
 ⇔ who nursed at my mother’s breasts?
 ⇔ If I found you outside, I would kiss you.
 ⇔ Yes, they wouldn’t despise me.

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 8:1–4 The woman longed for more intimacy with the man

In these verses, the woman continued to speak to the man. She told him that she longed to express her love for him openly. She wished that her beloved were like a brother so that she could kiss him in public without shame. The section ends with a refrain that is also found in 2:6–7 and 3:5. Here she was probably thinking of a time before they married.

8:1a

O that you were to me like a brother

8:1

This verse indicates that the woman wanted the freedom to kiss her beloved in public without anyone blaming her. In that culture, it was not proper for a man and woman to kiss in public if they were not related by blood. Even married couples were not supposed to kiss in public. However, it was common for a brother and sister to greet each other with a kiss. So the woman wished that her beloved were like a brother to her so that she could kiss him in public.

The verse does not imply that the woman wanted to greet her own brother with a kiss that implies sexual interest or desire for sexual relations. That would be a sin of incest, which God forbids in the Bible. It is important to translate in a way that refers only to an affectionate public greeting.

O that you were to me like a brother: This clause is an idiom that tells what the woman wished. It is more literally, “Who will make you like a brother to me?” In this context it indicates that the woman wished that the man were like a brother to her so that she could kiss him in public. There are two ways to interpret the clause:

  1. She wished that the man were like a brother to her. For example:

    If only you were to me like a brother (NIV) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJPS, REB, RSV)

  2. She wished that the man actually were her brother. For example:

    I wish that you were my brother. (GNT) (GW, NAB, NET, NJB, NLT, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). In that culture it was fine for a brother and sister to show affection for each other in public. The woman wanted to have that same freedom to kiss her beloved. She did not wish that the man was really her brother.

Some other ways to translate option (1) are:

If only you were to me like a brother (NIV)

If only it could be as with a brother (NJPS)

I wish that I could treat you like a brother in public

8:1b

who nursed at my mother’s breasts!

who nursed at my mother’s breasts: The clause who nursed at my mother’s breasts indicates that the woman referred to a “brother” who had the same mother as she did. Use a natural way in your language to indicate that relationship. For example:

who fed at my mother’s breast (NCV)

who has the same mother as I have

8:1c

If I found you outdoors,

8:1d

I would kiss you,

8:1e

and no one would despise me.

8:1c–e

If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me: Here the woman told her reason for what she said to the man in 8:1a–b. She said that she wished he were her brother because she wanted to kiss him when she saw him in public. In that culture it was a custom for a sister to greet her brother with a kiss, but otherwise, a man and woman did not kiss each other in public. If the woman kissed the man, other people would criticize them. In 8:1c–e the woman only desired to kiss him, but she did not do it.

Some other ways to translate 8:1c–e are:

Then, if I met you in the street, I could kiss you and no one would mind.

If I saw you outside, I could kiss you, and no one would criticize me.

Then I could kiss you when I saw you in public, and no one would say that I was bad to do it.

outdoors: The word outdoors refers here to a public place where other people may be present. See the translation examples in the preceding note.

and no one would despise me: The phrase and no one would despise me indicates that no person would think or say that the woman should not have kissed the man. They would not think that she was bad because she kissed him in public if he were her brother. However, because he was not her brother and she kissed him in public, they would think that she was wrong to do that. Some other ways to translate 8:1e are:

and no one would say I did wrong. (CEV)

without people thinking ill of me. (NJB)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

מִ֤י יִתֶּנְ⁠ךָ֙ כְּ⁠אָ֣ח לִ֔⁠י יוֹנֵ֖ק שְׁדֵ֣י אִמִּ֑⁠י

who? will,he_give_you like,a_brother to=me who_nursed breasts_of my_mother_of,my

Here the woman is using the Hebrew idiom Who will give you to express her wish that the man she loves be like a brother to her (so that she could publicly kiss him). If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [How I wish that you were like a brother to me, who nursed at the breasts of my mother] or [How I desire that you were like a brother to me, who nursed at the breasts of my mother]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מִ֤י יִתֶּנְ⁠ךָ֙ כְּ⁠אָ֣ח לִ֔⁠י יוֹנֵ֖ק שְׁדֵ֣י אִמִּ֑⁠י

who? will,he_give_you like,a_brother to=me who_nursed breasts_of my_mother_of,my

The woman is referring implicitly to cultural norms which prohibited a display of public affection toward a spouse and/or a romantic partner but allowed siblings to show affection in public. If it would be helpful in your language, you could include this information in a footnote.

Note 3 topic: writing-poetry

מִ֤י יִתֶּנְ⁠ךָ֙ כְּ⁠אָ֣ח לִ֔⁠י יוֹנֵ֖ק שְׁדֵ֣י אִמִּ֑⁠י

who? will,he_give_you like,a_brother to=me who_nursed breasts_of my_mother_of,my

The phrase who nursed at the breasts of my mother describes the word brother and has a similar meaning. This is poetic language. Saying the same thing in slightly different ways is a common feature of Hebrew poetry. If your language has a way to indicate poetry, you could use it here. Alternate translation: [Who will give you like a brother to me]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

גַּ֖ם

also/yet

Here the word Yes is used to strongly affirm what follows it in this sentence. Use a natural form that would communicate that meaning in your language.

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

לֹא־יָב֥וּזוּ לִֽ⁠י

not despise to=me

The woman is saying that if the man she loved were like a brother and she found him outside and kissed him, the result is that they would not despise me. Use a natural form in your language for expressing a statement like this. Alternate translation: [then they would not despise me]

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. Who
    2. -
    3. 4077
    5. 405944
    6. S-Ti
    8. S
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283420
    1. will he give you
    2. give
    3. 5233,1978
    5. 405945,405946
    6. VO-Vqi3ms,Sp2ms
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283421
    1. like a brother
    2. brother
    3. 3418,653
    5. 405947,405948
    6. S-R,Ncmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283422
    1. to me
    2. -
    3. 3705,1978
    5. 405949,405950
    6. S-R,Sp1cs
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283423
    1. the sucking child
    2. -
    3. 3242
    5. 405951
    6. S-Vqrmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283424
    1. of the breasts of
    2. breasts
    3. 7692
    5. 405952
    6. S-Ncmdc
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283425
    1. my mother of my
    2. mother's
    3. 334,1978
    5. 405953,405954
    6. S-Ncfsc,Sp1cs
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283426
    1. I will find you
    2. found
    3. 4733,1978
    5. 405955,405956
    6. VO-Vqi1cs,Sp2ms
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283427
    1. on outside
    2. at outside
    3. 846,2756
    5. 405957,405958
    6. S-Rd,Ncmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283428
    1. I will kiss you
    2. kiss
    3. 5222,1978
    5. 405959,405960
    6. VO-Vqi1cs,Sp2ms
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283429
    1. also
    2. -
    3. 1471
    5. 405964
    6. S-Ta
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283433
    1. not
    2. -
    3. 3835
    5. 405965
    6. S-Tn
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283434
    1. people will despise
    2. despise
    3. 1280
    5. 405967
    6. V-Vqi3mp
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283436
    1. to me
    2. -
    3. 3705,1978
    5. 405968,405969
    6. S-R,Sp1cs
    8. -
    9. Y-1014
    10. 283437

OET (OET-LV) Who will_he_give_you like_a_brother to_me the_sucking_child of_the_breasts_of my_mother_of_my I_will_find_you on_outside I_will_kiss_you[fn][fn][fn] also not people_will_despise to_me.

8:1 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

8:1 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

8:1 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

OET (OET-RV) Who will give you to me like a brother,
 ⇔ who nursed at my mother’s breasts?
 ⇔ If I found you outside, I would kiss you.
 ⇔ Yes, they wouldn’t despise me.

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 8:1 ↑ → ║ ©