Parallel SNG 1:2

1:2 Literally, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” The repetition of the word “kiss” forms a superlative, just as “song of songs” really means “the best song.” In addition the poem begins in the third person but then immediately switches to the second person. Such changes are smoothed out for less confusing reading.

1:2 Literally, “better.”

?:? In the maiden’s soliloquy, she thinks about her beloved in her thoughts (“May he kiss me!”), then poetically speaks to him as if he were in her presence (“for your love is better than wine”). To avoid confusion, the translation uses the second-person form throughout vv. 2–4

?:? Literally “May he kiss me”

?:? Literally “with the kisses of his mouth”

?:? The shift from the third person “he … his” to the second person “you … your” in vv. 2–4 should not be interpreted as suggesting two different referents, that is, one male whom the maiden is addressing as “you,” and another to whom she refers as “he.” Rather, this shift is a poetic device (called “grammatical differentiation”) that is not uncommon in Hebrew poetry (e.g., Gen 49:4 ; Deut 32:15 ; Psa 23:2–5 ; Isa 1:29 ; 42:20 ; 54:1 ; Jer 22:24 ; Amos 4:1 ; Mic 7:19 ; Lam 3:1 ; Song 4:2 ; 6:6 ). This shift is characteristic of a soliloquy, a dramatic or literary form in which a character reveals her thoughts without addressing a listener who is actually present (e.g., 2 Sam 19:4 ). In this case, the maiden’s private thoughts about her beloved (v. 2a ) shift to an imaginary address to her beloved (vv. 2b–4a )

1.2 thy…: Heb. thy loves

1.2 Oleum effusum nomen tuum. Ideo etiam desidero osculum, quia nomen tuum est oleum, etc. Sponsus a patre ad sponsam venit unctus, ut et sponsam ungat. A chrisma Christus, id est, ab unctione unctus; quod nomen per gratiam Spiritus sancti in baptismate funditur in cunctos fideles. Nondum possum teipsum amplecti, nomen tuum interea ex desiderio tui mecum pernoctabit. Nomen Jesu venit in mundum, et statim prædicatur. Oleum effusum, id est, in universa terra Christi nomen prædicatur; nunc Moysi nomen auditur in gentibus, quod prius Judææ tantum claudebatur angustiis. Ideo adolescentulæ dilexerunt te. Hæc dicens, adolescentulas conspicit, quæ dum prius loqueretur, non aderant, sed in precibus mediis ingreditur adolescentularum chorus et sponsæ laudatur eloquiis. Universæ Ecclesiæ, quæ unam catholicam Ecclesiam faciunt, adolescentulæ sunt: non vetustæ per culpam, sed novellæ per gratiam, non senio steriles, sed ætate mentis ad spiritualem congruæ fecunditatem. Et quia oleo tuæ gratiæ omnes dolores criminum evacuasti, Ideo adolescentulæ, etc.

1.2 Oleum effusum nomen tuum. Ideo also desidero osculum, because nomen your it_is oleum, etc. Sponsus a patre to sponsam he_came unctus, as and sponsam ungat. A chrisma Christus, id it_is, away unctione unctus; that nomen per gratiam Spiritus sancti in baptismate funditur in cunctos fideles. Nondum possum teipsum amplecti, nomen your interea ex desiderio yours mecum pernoctabit. Nomen Yesu he_came in the_world, and statim prædicatur. Oleum effusum, id it_is, in universa earth/land Christi nomen prædicatur; now Moysi nomen auditur in gentibus, that first/before Yudææ only claudebatur angustiis. Ideo adolescentulæ dilexerunt you(sg). Hæc dicens, adolescentulas conspicit, which dum first/before loqueretur, not/no aderant, but in precibus mediis ingreditur adolescentularum chorus and sponsæ laudatur eloquiis. Universæ Ecclesiæ, which unam catholicam Ecclesiam faciunt, adolescentulæ sunt: not/no vetustæ per culpam, but novellæ per gratiam, not/no senio steriles, but ætate mentis to spiritualem congruæ fecunditatem. And because oleo tuæ gratiæ everyone dolores criminum evacuasti, Ideo adolescentulæ, etc.