SNG 1:8 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ἐὰν μὴ γνῷς σεαυτὴν ἡ καλὴ ἐν γυναιξὶν, ἔξελθε σὺ ἐν πτέρναις τῶν ποιμνίων, καὶ ποίμαινε τὰς ἐρίφους σου ἐπὶ σκηνώμασι τῶν ποιμένων.
(Ean maʸ gnōis seautaʸn haʸ kalaʸ en gunaixin, exelthe su en pternais tōn poimniōn, kai poimaine tas erifous sou epi skaʸnōmasi tōn poimenōn. )

BrTr If thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherds' tents.

ULT If you do not know, most beautiful among women,
⇔ go out in the footprints of the flock,
⇔ and pasture your young goats beside the tents of the shepherds.

UST You who are the most beautiful of all the women,
⇔ if you search for me and do not know where I will take my sheep,
⇔ follow the tracks of the sheep.
⇔ Then allow your young goats to eat grass near the shepherds’ tents.

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE If you don’t know, most beautiful amongst women,
⇔ follow the tracks of the sheep.
⇔ Graze your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET If you do not know, O most beautiful of women,
⇔ simply follow the tracks of my flock,
⇔ and pasture your little lambs
⇔ beside the tents of the shepherds.

LSV If you do not know,
O beautiful among women,
Go forth by the traces of the flock,
And feed your kids by the shepherds’ dwellings!

FBV If you really don't know, you who are more beautiful than any other woman, then follow the tracks of my flock, and let your goats graze near the shepherd's tents.

T4T You who are the most beautiful of all the women,
⇔ if you search for me and do not know where I will take my sheep,
⇔ follow the tracks/footprints of the sheep.
⇔ Then allow your young goats to ◄graze/eat grass► near the shepherds’ tents.

LEB • If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow the tracks[fn] of the flock,
• and pasture your little lambs[fn] beside the tents of the shepherds.

1:? Literally “in the tracks”

1:? Or “your kids”

BBE If you have not knowledge, O most beautiful among women, go on your way in the footsteps of the flock, and give your young goats food by the tents of the keepers.

Moff “Fairest of women, if you know not,
⇔ follow the sheep-tracks
⇔ and pasture your kid
⇔ by the tents of the herdsmen.

JPS If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.

ASV ⇔ If thou know not, O thou fairest among women,
⇔ Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock,
⇔ And feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

DRA To my company of horsemen, in Pharao’s chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.

YLT If thou knowest not, O fair among women, Get thee forth by the traces of the flock, And feed thy kids by the shepherds' dwellings!

Drby If thou know not, thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' booths.

RV If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
(If thou/you know not, Oh thou/you fairest among women, go thy/your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy/your kids/young_goats beside the shepherds’ tents. )

SLT If thou shalt not know for thyself, O fair one among women, come forth for thyself at the heels of the flock, and feed thy kids by the shepherds tents.

Wbstr If thou knowest not, O thou fairest among women, go forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents.

KJB-1769 ¶ If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
(¶ If thou/you know not, Oh thou/you fairest among women, go thy/your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy/your kids/young_goats beside the shepherds’ tents. )

KJB-1611 ¶ If thou know not (O thou fairest among women) goe thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke, and feede thy kiddes beside the shepheards tents.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps If thou knowe not thy selfe (O thou fayrest among women) then go thy way foorth after the footesteppes of the sheepe, and feede thy goates besyde the shepheardes tentes.
(If thou/you know not thyself/yourself (Oh thou/you fairest among women) then go thy/your way forth after the footsteps of the sheep, and feed thy/your goats beside the shepherds tents.)

Gnva I haue compared thee, O my loue, to the troupe of horses in the charets of Pharaoh.
(I have compared thee/you, Oh my love, to the troop of horses in the chariots of Pharaoh. )

Cvdl Yf thou knowe not yi self (o thou fayrest amoge women) tha go yi waye forth after ye fotesteppes of the shepe, as though thou woldest fede yi goates besyde ye shepherdes tentes.
(If thou/you know not thyself/yourself (o thou/you fairest among women) tha go ye/you_all way forth after ye/you_all footsteps of the sheep, as though thou/you would feed ye/you_all goats beside ye/you_all shepherds tents.)

Wycl Mi frendesse, Y licnede thee to myn oost of knyytis in the charis of Farao.
(My friends, I likened thee/you to mine host/army of knights/warriors in the chariots of Farao.)

Luth Kennest du dich nicht, du Schönste unter den Weibern, so gehe hinaus auf die Fußtapfen der Schafe und weide deine Böcke bei den Hirtenhäusern.
(Kennest you(sg) you/yourself not, you(sg) most_beautiful_(one) under the women, so go out on/in/to the footsteps the/of_the sheep and weide your goats at/in the shepherdshäusern.)

ClVg Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te, amica mea.[fn]
(Equitatui mine in/into/on curribus Pharaonis assimilavi you(sg), girlfriend my. )

1.8 Equitatui. Sicut priorem populum de Ægyptiaca servitute liberavi, sic te de persequentium manibus liberabo, elidens Pharaonem, si te sponsam meam cognoveris, liberans a servitute diaboli, in fonte baptismatis passione rubricati, submerso ibidem auctore peccati. Equitatui meo. Quia Dominus non vult Ecclesiam ignorare seipsam, sed diligenter attendere quid donorum acceperit, quid pati debeat, consequenter post comminationem blanditur ei, quasi dicat: Si vis intelligere quomodo te scire debeas, intellige cui te comparaverim, et tunc cognosces te talem per beneficia mea tibi collata, quæ turbari non debeas. Equitatui. Eques, sponsus, dicente propheta: Et salus ejus equitatio Habac 3.. Quantum ergo differt meus equitatus ab equis Pharaonis, tantum melior es omnibus aliis filiabus. Sicut ille populus supervenientibus curribus Pharaonis perterritus est, sed cœlesti protectione salvatus, et per aquas submersis hostibus in terram promissionis introductus est: sic unda mortis, quæ cunctis occursura est mortalibus, pravos rapit in interitum, piis reserat iter ad salutem, et cætera omnia, quæ ibi corporaliter, hic complentur spiritualiter. Dubitantem benigne increpat, et ne desperet in sequenti fideli amore viriliter confortat, ubi Pharaonis curribus comparat. In curribus Pharaonis. Id est in tempore curruum. Et nota superbiam: Pharao, elidens vel dissipans interpretatur. Nec oportet ut vagari incipias, cum me consolatorem habeas, et prælatos quibus innitaris, per quos subsistas.

1.8 Equitatui. Like the_former the_people from/about of_Egyptaca servitude liberavi, so you(sg) from/about persequentium hands I_will_deliver, elidens Pharaoh, when/but_if you(sg) bride of_mine cognoveris, liberans from servitude devils, in/into/on source baptismtis passionately rubricati, submerso thereem authore of_sin. Equitatui mine. Because Master not/no wants assembly/church to_ignore seipsam, but carefully attendere what gifts received, what to_suffer should, consequenter after threatm blanditur to_him, as_if let_him_say: When/But_if you_want to_understand how you(sg) to_know debeas, intellige to_whom you(sg) comparaverim, and then cognosces you(sg) such_a_one through benefits my to_you necksta, which crowdri not/no debeas. Equitatui. Eques, groom, speaking a_prophet: And health/safety his equitatio Habac 3.. Quantum therefore different mine equitatus away horses Pharaonis, only better you_are to_all to_others daughters. Like he/that_one the_people supercoming curribus Pharaonis perterritus it_is, but heavenly protection savetus, and through waters submersis enemies in/into/on the_earth/land of_promise introductus it_is: so unda of_death, which to_all occursura it_is mortals, pravos rapit in/into/on destruction, piis reserat way/path to health, and the_rest everything, which there physically/bodily, this/here complentur spiritually. Dubitantem benigne increpat, and not despair in/into/on following faithful with_love manly confortat, where Pharaonis curribus compares. In curribus Pharaonis. That it_is in/into/on at_the_time curruum. And note pride: Pharaoh, elidens or dissipans interprets. Neither it_is_necessary as to_wander incipias, when/with me consolatorem habeas, and beforelatos to_whom innitaris, through which subsistas.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:2–2:7: The woman and man admired each other

In Section 1:2–2:7, the woman and man praised each other, and they became more confident that they loved each other. In the introduction (1:2–4) the woman spoke about her desire for the man. Then she spoke of her humble life working in the family vineyard (1:5–6), and she seemed to question whether she was worthy for him to love her. Then he praised her, and she praised him. When she spoke at the end of the section (2:3–6), she felt secure that he loved her.

In this section, the woman used several comparisons to speak of her feelings about the man. She spoke as though he were a shepherd (1:7–8) or a king (1:4; 1:12), implying that he was like a shepherd or king to her in certain ways. He was also like a bag of myrrh (1:13), henna blossoms (1:14), and an apple tree (2:3–4) to her. The woman compared herself to “a rose of Sharon,” and “a lily of the valleys” (2:1). The man compared her to “a mare of Pharaoh’s chariots” (1:9). The Notes will discuss the meaning of each of these comparisons as it occurs in its section.

Lines 1:2–4 are the introduction to Section 1:2–2:7. In these lines, the poet summarizes the Song’s message and introduces its main characters: the woman, the man, and a group of young women. In the Song the woman spoke more often than the man spoke. After the title (1:1), she began the Song by saying that she wanted him to kiss her. She referred to him only as “him” or “you.” In Hebrew poetry, the authors do not introduce their characters as they do in stories, but in some languages it may be more natural to introduce them and identify them. Some ways to do this are:

Provide headings to identify the characters. Some headings may apply only to a verse or part of a verse. For example:
1:4e The Woman commented about the young women of Jerusalem You may need to use a different form the first time a character is introduced. For example:
1:2–4b A woman speaks to the man she loves
Use a speech introducer in the first part of the verse. If you use this option, you may want to indicate in some way that the speech introducer is not in the text itself. For example:
1:4e (The woman said to her beloved,) “Rightly do they love you.”
1:2a [There were a certain woman and man. She said to/about him,] “Let him kiss me…

Choose an option that fits your situation, and use it consistently throughout the book. You should also decide how you will refer to the speakers in the headings. Some ways to do that are:

woman, man, women (GNT)

beloved, lover, friends (NIV)

bride, groom, companions (REB)

she, he, others (ESV)

The woman often referred to the man as “my beloved” (RSV), and she also called him “the one whom my soul loves,” “the king,” and “my friend.” The man often referred to her as “my love” and also as “fairest among women,” “my dove,” “my sister,” “my bride,” and “queenly maiden.”

Paragraph 1:7–8 The woman spoke and the man replied

There are some difficult interpretation issues in 1:7–8. One issue is the attitude of the man and woman. In 1:7, did the woman ask for information in a serious manner or did she speak in a flirting way? In 1:8, did the man scold the woman or did he reply in a flirting way? Possibly, the woman was more serious in 1:7, while the man replied in a flirting way in 1:8.

The Song uses several figurative themes that occur at different places in the book. The theme of 1:5–6 was the vineyard. In 1:7–8 the focus shifts to the theme of shepherds and pastures.

1:8a–c

If you do not know…follow the tracks of the flock, and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds: Here the man answered the woman’s question. He seemed to tell her to do exactly what she said that she did not want to do (1:7). She did not want to wander near the other shepherds.Some Bible scholars think that the man was giving her a harsh answer. But the way he spoke to her as “O fairest among women” is certainly not harsh. Some other scholars think that the man was speaking playfully or flirting in this verse. However, here the man implied that she did not have to fear. She should bring her own goats and follow the tracks of his sheep. The sheep would lead her to him, and everyone would see that she had a good reason to be there.

Some other ways to translate the verse are:

Don’t you know the place, loveliest of women? Go and follow the flock; find pasture for your goats near the tents of the shepherds. (GNT)

If you do not know, O most beautiful of women, simply follow the tracks of my flock, and pasture your little lambs beside the tents of the shepherds. (NET)

My dearest, if you don’t know, just follow the path of the sheep. Then feed your young goats near the shepherds’ tents. (CEV)

1:8a

If you do not know, O fairest of women,

If you^(sing) do not know where I will pasture my sheep, O fairest of women,
Most beautiful woman, if you^(sing) do not know where I lead my sheep to graze,

If you do not know: The Hebrew clause that the BSB translates as If you do not know is more literally: “If you do not know for yourself.”For a discussion of this use of the Hebrew referential l-, see Rivka Halevy, “The Subject Co-referential l- Pronoun in Hebrew,” in T. Bar & E. Cohen (eds.), Studies in Semitic and General Linguistics in Honor of Gideon Goldenberg (Ugarit Verlag, Munster 2007), 299–321. The phrase “for yourself” probably implies that the man was surprised that the woman did not know. Its meaning is similar to the meaning of “really” in the phrase, “If you really do not know.” Some other ways to translate the surprise are:

Surely you know (NCV)

How is it that you do not know

not know: The words not know refers here to not knowing where the man would pasture his sheep. In some languages it is helpful to make explicit what the woman did not know. For example:

not know the place

not know where I pasture them

O fairest of women: The phrase fairest of women is more literally “the beautiful one among women.” The man used this phrase like a “praise name” to show his admiration for the woman. He compared her to other women, saying that she was more beautiful than any of them. Translate this comparison in a natural way in your language.

In some languages it may not be natural to use a phrase like this as direct address. Some other ways to translate it are:

As a statement. For example:
You are the most beautiful of women. (NCV)
You are very beautiful. Other women are not beautiful beside you.
As an exclamation. For example:
Oh very beautiful woman among all other women!

Translate the phrase in a natural way for this context.

1:8b

follow the tracks of the flock,

follow the path of my flock,
then follow the trail that my sheep leave/make,

follow the tracks of the flock: Here the man advised the woman that she could find him if she looked at the tracks that the sheep and goats made as they walked. Other ways to translate this are:

just follow the path of the sheep (CEV)

follow the trail of my flock (NLT)

Notice that the NLT refers specifically to the flock of the man.

tracks: The word tracks refers to the marks (footprints) that the sheep made as they walked. It probably does not refer to a well-used trail, but to recent tracks left by his flock. Some other ways to translate it are:

footprints

marks

1:8c

and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds.

and graze your^(sing) kids by the tents of the shepherds.
and feed your^(sing) flock of young goats near the shepherds’ camps/shelters.

and graze your young goats: The phrase and graze your young goats is similar to the phrase “pasture your flock” in 1:7b. See how you translated it there.

young goats: The woman had young goats that she led to places where they could graze. Some languages have a specific term for young goats, such as “kid” in the RSV. If goats or kids are not common in your language, you may be able to refer to a different animal that people herd, or you may be able to use a more general term. For example:

animals

lambs/sheep

near the tents of the shepherds: Here the man suggested that the woman should let her goats graze near the tents of other shepherds. That is where she would find him, and he could also find her. He may also imply that the other shepherds could protect and help her.Garrett (page 139) says, “when she goes out and joins him she will no longer be an outsider—a woman among the shepherds—but will find her community and family. Her lover’s community will be hers, and she need have no fear or discomfort.” Another way to translate the phrase near the tents of the shepherds is:

near the tents where the shepherds usually rest.