SNG 8:7 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. מַיִם
2. 406087
3. waters
4. waters
5. 4325
6. S-Ncmpa
7. waters
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283520
1. רַבִּים
2. 406088
3. many
4. -
6. S-Aampa
7. many
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283521
1. לֹא
2. 406089
3. not
4. aren't can't
5. 3808
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283522
1. יוּכְלוּ
2. 406090
3. they are able
4. -
5. 3201
6. V-Vqi3mp
7. they_are_able
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283523
1. לְ,כַבּוֹת
2. 406091,406092
3. to extinguish
4. quench
5. 3518
6. SV-R,Vpc
7. to,extinguish
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283524
1. אֶת
2. 406093
3. DOM
4. -
5. 853
6. O-To
7. DOM
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283525
2. 406094
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 283526
1. הָ,אַהֲבָה
2. 406095,406096
3. (the) love
4. -
5. 160
6. O-Td,Ncfsa
7. (the),love
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283527
1. וּ,נְהָרוֹת
2. 406097,406098
3. and rivers
4. rivers
5. 5104
6. S-C,Ncmpa
7. and,rivers
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283528
1. לֹא
2. 406099
3. not
4. -
5. 3808
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283529
1. יִשְׁטְפוּ,הָ
2. 406100,406101
3. they will overflow it
4. -
5. 7857
6. VO-Vqi3mp,Sp3fs
7. they,will_overflow_it
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283530
1. אִם
2. 406102
3. if
4. -
6. S-C
7. if
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283531
2. 406103
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 283532
1. יִתֵּן
2. 406104
3. he will give
4. give
5. 5414
6. V-Vqi3ms
7. he_will_give
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283533
1. אִישׁ
2. 406105
3. anyone
4. -
5. 376
6. S-Ncmsa
7. anyone
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283534
1. אֶת
2. 406106
3. DOM
4. -
5. 853
6. O-To
7. DOM
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283535
2. 406107
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 283536
1. כָּל
2. 406108
3. all of
4. -
5. 3605
6. O-Ncmsc
7. all_of
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283537
2. 406109
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 283538
1. הוֹן
2. 406110
3. the wealth of
4. wealth
5. 1952
6. O-Ncmsc
7. the_wealth_of
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283539
1. בֵּית,וֹ
2. 406111,406112
3. his house of his
4. -
6. O-Ncmsc,Sp3ms
7. his_house_of,his
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283540
1. בָּ,אַהֲבָה
2. 406113,406114
3. for love
4. in
5. 160
6. S-Rd,Ncfsa
7. for,love
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283541
1. בּוֹז
2. 406115
3. utterly (despise)
4. utterly
5. 936
6. S-Vqa
7. utterly_(despise)
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283542
1. יָבוּזוּ
2. 406116
3. people will despise
4. -
5. 936
6. V-Vqi3mp
7. people_will_despise
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283543
1. ל,וֹ
2. 406117,406118
3. to him/it
4. -
6. S-R,Sp3ms
7. to=him/it
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283544
2. 406119
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 283545
2. 406120
3. -
4. -
6. -x-samekh
8. S
9. -
10. 283546

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:5–14: Love has great power

In this final section, there are many key words and statements that repeat themes from earlier parts of the Song. For example, 8:5a mentions the woman coming up from the wilderness, as in 3:6. The author also repeats the themes of vineyard (8:12; 1:6), orchard (8:5; 2:3), and garden (8:13; 4:12–5:1). In the final verse of the Song, the author repeats the theme of a gazelle on the mountains, which was mentioned in 2:17. This final section also contains what many scholars consider a climax of the Song in 8:6–7.

Some other headings for this section are:

Homecoming (NRSV)

The Young Woman’s Love for Her Beloved

Paragraph 8:5–7 The woman spoke about the power of love

In this unit the speakers, location, and topic change (from the previous unit 8:1–4). But it is uncertain exactly how 8:5 relates to 8:6–7 and the rest of the Epilogue.

8:6–7 is a climax and conclusion of the Song, as it describes the great power of love.

8:7a

Mighty waters cannot quench love;

No amount of water can extinguish/affect the fire of love,
Many troubles cannot make people stop loving each other.

Mighty waters cannot quench love: The clause Mighty waters cannot quench love is a metaphor. It continues the metaphor in 8:6e–f, which states that love is like fire. The fire of love cannot be quenched even by many waters. Mighty waters represent troubles or difficulties. Just as a huge fire is not overcome even by much water, true lovers do not stop loving each other even if they have many difficulties and troubles.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Keep the metaphor (of water not putting out the fire of love). For example:
Water cannot put it out (GNT)
Raging water cannot extinguish love… (GW)
Use similes. For example:
Love is like a big fire. Even if troubles come like many waters, they cannot extinguish the fire of love.
Translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example:
When a man and woman truly love each other, even many troubles cannot overcome their love.

Mighty waters: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as Mighty waters refers to much water. Since 8:7b refers to “rivers” the waters here in 8:7a probably also imply waters that are strong and forceful. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

Even much water (NCV)

Surging waters (NET)

quench: The word quench in this context refers to the way water extinguishes (puts out) a fire. Here is another way to translate this:

Love cannot be drowned by oceans or floods. (CEV)

8:7b

rivers cannot sweep it away.

even a flood cannot destroy it.
Even disasters will not stop them from loving.

rivers cannot sweep it away: The expression rivers cannot sweep it away is parallel to the metaphor in 8:7a and has a similar meaning. Literally, it means that even floodwater cannot overcome love.

In a flood, water rushes in and overcomes people. The author used flood as a figure of speech to refer to the difficulties and dangers that people face when they love each other. The phrase rivers cannot sweep it away indicates that even a flood (or other disaster or difficulty) cannot cause people to stop loving each other. In this context the author referred especially to romantic love.

Some ways to translate the metaphor are:

Translate the metaphor in a literal way, if it communicates the right meaning in your language. For example:
floods cannot drown love.
no flood can stop people from loving each other.
Use a simile. For example:
Even if troubles come like a flood, they cannot wash love away.
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
No troubles can cause a man and a woman to stop loving each other.
When people love each other, no troubles can destroy that love.

8:7c

If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love,

If someone offered everything he owned to purchase love,
If a person tried to buy love with all of his riches/money,

8:7d

his offer would be utterly scorned.

his offer would be completely rejected/despised.
people would only laugh at him.

8:7c–d

If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned: The statement in 8:7c–d implies that true love is precious. That is why no one can buy it with money or other wealth. There is nothing that a person can offer to get true love in return, because it is worth more than any riches.

Some other ways to translate this statement are:

If a man offered everything in his house for love, people would totally reject it. (NCV)

If someone offered to give everything he owned to buy love, everyone would only laugh at him.

The clause that begins with “If” in the preceding two examples mentions an action that probably would never really happen. It is a condition that is not real. In some languages there is a special way to indicate that an action is unlikely to happen. For example:

Even if someone wanted to buy love with all his wealth, surely he would receive only scorn.

If someone were to offer all his riches to buy love, people would just ridicule him.

Translate this meaning in a natural and emphatic way in your language.

a man: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as a man can be interpreted in two ways.

It means “an adult male.” For example:
Were a man to offer all his family wealth to buy love (NJB) (BSB, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, RSV)
It means “a person” (of either gender). For example:
If someone were to offer all his possessions to buy love (NET) (NET, NIV, NRSV, REB, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). In this context the woman was thinking about the man. However, either option is a valid translation here.

were to give…for love: The phrase for love means “tried to purchase love.” For example:

But if any tried to buy love with their wealth… (GNT)

all the wealth of his house: In this context the phrase all the wealth of his house emphasizes the fact that there is nothing that a person can give to buy love. It does not refer specifically to the wealth inside his house or to the wealth of his family. The context implies that no amount of wealth could ever buy love. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

everything he owned (NLT96)

all his wealth (NLT)

it cannot be bought, no matter what is offered (CEV)

his offer would be utterly scorned: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as his offer may refer either to the man himself or to the offer of his wealth.

It refers to the man’s offer and his wealth. For example:
the offer would be utterly despised. (NET) (BSB, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NLT, REB, RSV)
It refers to the man himself. For example:
he would be utterly despised. (ESV) (ESV, GW, NAB, NJB, NJPS, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). The man’s offer is rejected because he tried to buy love with wealth, showing a wrong attitude. However, both options are acceptable. In some languages option (2) may be more natural. If that is true in your language, it is fine to follow it. Some ways to translate this part of the verse are:

the offer would be utterly despised. (NET)

people would totally reject the offer.

General Comment on 8:7

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of 8:7c and 8:7d. For example:

^7dLove is so precious that no one can buy it ^7ceven if he offers great riches.

^7dit cannot be bought, ^7cno matter what is offered. (CEV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֗ים לֹ֤א יֽוּכְלוּ֙ לְ⁠כַבּ֣וֹת אֶת־הָֽ⁠אַהֲבָ֔ה וּ⁠נְהָר֖וֹת לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּ⁠הָ

waters many not they_can to,extinguish DOM (the),love and,rivers not they,will_overflow_it

Here the writer is speaking of love as if it is a strongly burning fire which Many waters cannot quench and which rivers cannot drown. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Love is so strong that it is like a strong fire that great amounts of water cannot quench and which rivers full of water cannot put out] or [The feelings of love which a man and a woman who are lovers have for each other is very strong] or [Nothing can stop romantic love]

מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֗ים לֹ֤א יֽוּכְלוּ֙ לְ⁠כַבּ֣וֹת אֶת־הָֽ⁠אַהֲבָ֔ה וּ⁠נְהָר֖וֹת לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּ⁠הָ

waters many not they_can to,extinguish DOM (the),love and,rivers not they,will_overflow_it

Alternate translation: [Nothing can extinguish our love for each other, not even a flood]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אֶת־הָֽ⁠אַהֲבָ֔ה & בָּ⁠אַהֲבָ֔ה

DOM (the),love & for,love

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in some other way that is natural in your language.

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

אִם־יִתֵּ֨ן אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־כָּל־ה֤וֹן בֵּית⁠וֹ֙ בָּ⁠אַהֲבָ֔ה בּ֖וֹז יָב֥וּזוּ לֽ⁠וֹ

if he/it_gave (a)_man DOM all/each/any/every wealth_of his_house_of,his for,love to_scorn they_would_scorn to=him/it

The woman speaks as if this were a hypothetical situation, but she means that it must be true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might think that what the woman is saying is uncertain, then you could translate her words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: [Even though a man tries to give all the wealth of his house in exchange for love, his offer will be utterly despised]

בָּ⁠אַהֲבָ֔ה

for,love

Alternate translation: [in order to get love] or [in order to buy love]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לֽ⁠וֹ

to=him/it

The word the ULT translates as it could: (1) refer to all the wealth of his house. Alternate translation: [it] (2) refer to the man who is offering all the wealth of his house in exchange for love. Alternate translation: [him]

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 8:7

Hebrew word order