SNG 2:15 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

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

OET (OET-RV) Catch the foxes for us—
⇔ the little foxes that destroy the vineyards,
⇔ and our vineyards are in blossom.

Key: khaki:verbs.
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 Πιάσατε ἡμῖν ἀλώπεκας μικροὺς ἀφανίζοντας ἀμπελῶνας· καὶ αἱ ἄμπελοι ἡμῶν κυπρίζουσαι.
(Piasate haʸmin alōpekas mikrous afanizontas ampelōnas; kai hai ampeloi haʸmōn kuprizousai. )

BrTr Take us the little foxes that spoil the vines: for our vines put forth tender grapes.

ULT Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes
⇔ that destroy the vineyards,
⇔ and our vineyards are in blossom.

UST There are harmful things that are like little foxes that ruin vineyards;
⇔ do not allow these things to ruin our growing relationship.

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE Catch for us the foxes,
⇔ the little foxes that plunder the vineyards;
⇔ for our vineyards are in blossom.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Catch the foxes for us,
⇔ the little foxes,
⇔ that ruin the vineyards –
⇔ for our vineyard is in bloom.

LSV Seize for us foxes,
Little foxes—destroyers of vineyards,
Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.

FBV Catch the foxes[fn] for us, all the little foxes that come and destroy the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom![fn]

2:15 Or “jackals.”

2:15 The meaning of this verse, and the speaker, are both uncertain.

T4T There are other men who are like [MET] little jackals/foxes that ruin vineyards;
⇔ do not allow those men to attack me.

LEB • Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes destroying vineyards,
• for[fn] our vineyards are in blossom!

2:? Or “while”

BBE Take for us the foxes, the little foxes, which do damage to the vines; our vines have young grapes.

Moff (Catch us the foxes,
⇔ the little foxes
⇔ that gnaw at our vines
⇔ when the vines are in bloom.)
¶ 

JPS 'Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.'

ASV ⇔ Take us the foxes, the little foxes,
⇔ That spoil the vineyards;
⇔ For our vineyards are in blossom.

DRA Catch us the little foxes that destroy the vines: for our vineyard hath flourished.

YLT Seize ye for us foxes, Little foxes — destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.

Drby Take us the foxes, The little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in bloom.

RV Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.

SLT Seize for us the foxes, the little foxes destroying the vineyards: and our vineyards are in blossom.

Wbstr Take for us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

KJB-1769 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

KJB-1611 Take vs the foxes, the litle foxes, that spoile the vines: for our vines haue tender grapes.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Get vs the foxes, yea the litle foxes that hurt the vines: for our vines beare blossomes.
(Get us the foxes, yea the little foxes that hurt the vines: for our vines bear blossoms.)

Gnva Take vs the foxes, the little foxes, which destroy the vines: for our vines haue small grapes.
(Take us the foxes, the little foxes, which destroy the vines: for our vines have small grapes. )

Cvdl Gett vs the foxes, yee the litle foxes that hurte ye vynes, for oure vynes beare blossoms.
(Get us the foxes, ye/you_all the little foxes that hurt ye/you_all vines, for our vines bear blossoms.)

Wycl Catche ye litle foxis to vs, that destrien the vyneris; for oure vyner hath flourid.
(Catch ye/you_all little foxes to us, that destroying the vineries/vineyards; for our vineyard hath/has flowered.)

Luth Fahet uns die Füchse, die kleinen Füchse, die die Weinberge verderben; denn unsere Weinberge haben Augen gewonnen.
(Fahet us/to_us/ourselves the foxes, the small foxes, the die vineyards spoil/corrupt; because/than our vineyards have eyes won/gained.)

ClVg Sponsa Capite nobis vulpes parvulas quæ demoliuntur vineas: nam vinea nostra floruit.[fn]
(The_bride Take_it us foxes parvulas which are_demolished vineyards: for/surely vineyard our flourished. )

2.15 Capite nobis. Quoniam non sufficit nobis vitam nostram aliis in exemplum proponere, et bonam prædicationem facere, nisi etiam errantes corrigamus, et infirmos ab insidiis aliorum defendamus, recte dicitur capite non vobis, sed nobis; in hoc mihi enim servitis, in hoc vos remunerabo. Vulpes in foveis abduntur, et cum apparuerint, nunquam directis itineribus currunt, sic hæretici. Nam vinea nostra. Pulchre, cum supra vineas plurali numero, hic singulariter vinea, quia multæ vineæ per fidem et charitatem unam: et ideo sunt expellendi, qui eam volunt per hæreses scindere.

2.15 Take_it us. Since not/no enough us life ours to_others in/into/on exemplum proponere, and good preaching to_do, except also they_are_wanderinges corrigamus, and sick away ambushes of_others defendamus, correctly/straight it_is_said head not/no to_you(pl), but us; in/into/on this to_me because servitis, in/into/on this you(pl) remunerabo. Vulpes in/into/on foveis abduntur, and when/with apparuerint, never/certainly_not directis itineribus they_run, so heretics. For/Surely vineyard our. Beautifully, when/with above vineyards moreli number, this/here uniquely/especially vineyard, because many vineyards through faith and charity one: and therefore/for_that_reason are expellendi, who/which her they_want through heires to_split.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:8–3:5: The man called the woman, but later she could not find him

The author began this scene at a different place and time from the ending of the preceding section (1:1–2:7). At the end of that section, the woman and man were together, but at the beginning of this section (2:8) the woman was in her room at home, and the man was coming to her over the hills.

There are two poems in Section 2:8–3:5. In the first poem (2:8–17) the man came and stood outside the woman’s room. She quoted what he said as he invited her to come out with him and enjoy a beautiful spring day. The second poem (3:1–5) describes a time when the woman searched for her beloved at night. This second poem has much in common with Section 5:2–6:3. See the discussion of similarities at the beginning of that section.

Both parts of this section (2:8–17 and 3:1–5) may describe what the woman imagined or what she dreamed. The descriptions may not refer to actual events in the poem.

Paragraph 2:8–17

This beautiful poem (2:8–17) describes springtime. In springtime, new plants begin to grow, flowers bloom, and fruit trees begin to blossom. In these lines springtime symbolizes that love was growing between the woman and the man. The woman first spoke to herself, but then she quoted the man as he invited her to come out of her house and go away with him.

This poem begins and ends in a similar way. At the beginning (2:8–9) the man came to the woman over the mountains like a gazelle or stag. At the end (2:17) he again roamed on the mountains like a gazelle or stag.

In these lines the woman spoke. However, from 2:10b through 2:14 she quoted what the man said. Then she continued speaking in 2:15–17.

2:15

Many scholars agree that in the preceding verses (2:8–14) the woman quoted what the man said to her. However, scholars have different views about who spoke in 2:15.It is sometimes difficult to determine which interpretation the English versions follow, so lists of supporting English versions are not provided for this issue. The main viewsIt is also possible that the man and woman speak together in unison to an unspecified person or chorus. are:

The woman spoke. Some versions use a heading to indicate this. For example:
The Beloved to her Lover (NET)
The man spoke (or the woman quoted what he said). For example, the NCV has this heading for 2:14–15:
The Man Speaks (NCV)
The young women of Jerusalem (or an unspecified group) spoke. For example, the NLT has this heading:
Young Women of Jerusalem (NLT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with many Bible scholars.This interpretation is supported by a number of careful Bible scholars, including Bergant, Davidson, Delitzsch, Elliott, Exum, Fox, Gledhill, Gordis, Mitchell, Murphy, Snaith, and the UBS Handbook. In 2:14, the man told the woman that he wanted to hear her voice, so it is likely that here in 2:15 the woman replied to him.

The literal meaning of 2:15 is fairly clear. However, scholars do not agree on its figurative meaning and what it implies. One likely interpretation is that the man must try to remove the small disagreements or problems that damage their love for each other. The General Comment on 2:15 suggests ways that translators may help readers to understand the figurative meaning.

2:15a

Catch for us the foxes—

Catch^(sing) the foxes for us,
Grab^(sing) those foxes for us^(incl).

Catch for us the foxes: The phrase Catch for us the foxes is a request to more than one person. It means “you^(plur) catch the foxes for us.” However, the woman was speaking only to the man. There are different ways to interpret the plural form here.The Hebrew verb that the BSB translates as Catch is a masculine plural imperative verb (“you^(plur) catch”). Scholars debate the function and meaning of the plural form here. One likely interpretation is that the form intensifies the meaning, indicating the urgency of catching the foxes. It may imply urgency. It was urgent for the man to catch the foxes to prevent them from spoiling the vineyards. Other ways to translate this request are:

Catch the foxes for us (GW)

we must catch the little foxes (CEV)

us: The word us refers here to the man and the woman. It implies that catching the foxes will help both of them.It may be possible that the woman included the daughters of Jerusalem also in the people to benefit from this request (though the Notes does not take that view). She occasionally addressed them in other places in the Song (for example, 1:5; 2:7; 3:5, and 5:16). However, in those cases she referred to them with an explicit title (such as “daughters of Jerusalem), whereas here she did not. So it seems less certain that they were included here.

foxes: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as foxes can refer to either foxes or jackals.A fox is any canine mammal of the genus Vulpes. Foxes are small predators that do not hunt in packs. They typically have large pointed ears, a pointed muzzle, and a bushy tail.” A jackal is a canine mammal of the genus Canis, closely related to the dog, with long legs and pointed ears and muzzle. Jackals are predators and carrion-eaters. These animals are wild, though they look like small dogs. They live in holes in the ground or in natural shelters like caves. In the Bible the foxes are known for being crafty and destructive.

If neither foxes nor jackals are known in your area, some options to consider are:

Use an animal that is similar to a fox. For example:
coyote
wild dog
wolf
Use a different animal that has characteristics that are appropriate in this context (like being small and destructive).
Use a more general term. For example:
those little animals
those small, pesky animals

2:15b

the little foxes that ruin the vineyards—

those little foxes that spoil the vineyards,
They are pesky/troublesome little animals that destroy our^(incl) grape farms/vines.

the little foxes that ruin the vineyards: Foxes (or jackals) are destructive. They may damage vineyards by digging around grapevines and eating the new shoots and blossoms. Some other ways to translate 2:15b are:

These little foxes damage the grapevines

before they ruin our vineyard (GNT)

Here the little foxes represent things that may damage the love between the man and woman. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate that in some way. For example:

those things/problems that damage our love like small foxes damage a vineyard

little foxes: The word little probably implies that the foxes are small and hard to catch. It may be hard to notice them until they have done a lot of damage. The word little probably does not imply that the foxes were only a small problem.

2:15c

for our vineyards are in bloom.

because our^(incl) vineyards are blossoming.
¶The vines in our^(incl) grape farms are blossoming and vulnerable.

for our vineyards are in bloom: This clause gives the reason for the command to catch the foxes in 2:15a. Because the vineyards are in bloom, it is important to catch the little foxes. Otherwise, the foxes may damage the blossoms so that the vines do not produce fruit. The meaning of this clause is similar to 2:13b, which says that “the vines are in blossom.” Blooming grapevines are one of the signs of springtime.

Some other ways to translate the clause are:

because our grapevines have little flowers

for the grapevines in our farm are blooming

our vineyards: The word our implies that the vineyards belonged to the man and woman. So they were personally concerned about the damage that the foxes did. Here vineyards refers figuratively to the love between the man and woman. In some languages it may be helpful to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

the vineyard of love (NLT)

the grape farm of our love

See the General Comment on 2:15 for more information.

General Comment on 2:15

This verse has both a literal and a figurative meaning. Literally, it means that foxes may damage the new blooms of the grapevines. Figuratively, it implies that the man and woman were beginning to love each other, and “foxes” represent dangers that may damage their new love. (It is possible that the foxes may represent other young men, but that is not certain.)It was common in Ancient Near Eastern love literature for wild animals to symbolically represent threats to romantic relationships. So, here the woman asks the man to guard against anything that might endanger their growing relationship. She may also be asking for his physical protection over her. This interpretation fits the woman’s action of hiding behind a wall (2:9) and on rocky cliffs (2:14). She wanted the man to protect her and not allow anything to harm their love.

It may be helpful to add a footnote here about the figurative sense of “foxes” and “vineyards.” Here is a possible footnote:

Here foxes represent dangers (for example, other young men) that may try to damage or hinder the growing love between the man and woman.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אֶֽחֱזוּ־לָ֨⁠נוּ֙ שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים קְטַנִּ֖ים מְחַבְּלִ֣ים כְּרָמִ֑ים וּ⁠כְרָמֵ֖י⁠נוּ סְמָדַֽר

catch to/for=us foxes foxes little ruin vineyards and,our_of,vineyards blossom

Here the writer is speaking of the foxes as if they represent things, perhaps even other men, who could harm the man and woman’s developing relationship with each other. Catching the foxes represents removing or protecting against them. The vineyards represent the love the man and woman have for each other. The phrase our vineyards are in blossom means that their love is growing, like a plant blossoms and grows. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Get rid of the harmful things that hinder and damage our relationship, for our relationship is blossoming] or [Remove the little things that threaten our growing relationship] or [There are other men who are like little foxes that ruin vineyards; do not allow those men to attack me]

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

לָ֨⁠נוּ֙ שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים קְטַנִּ֖ים

to/for=us foxes foxes little

It is possible that the word that the ULT translates as foxes could, instead, refer to jackals. Jackals are wild dogs that resemble wolves and coyotes. Alternate translation: [the jackals for us, the little jackals]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

לָ֨⁠נוּ֙ שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים קְטַנִּ֖ים

to/for=us foxes foxes little

Both foxes and jackals are land animals that are similar to small dogs and would ruin vineyards by digging up roots and eating the budding blossoms. If your readers would not be familiar with these animals and their habits, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [the dog-like animals for us, the little dog-like animals]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

לָ֨⁠נוּ֙ & וּ⁠כְרָמֵ֖י⁠נוּ

to/for=us & and,our_of,vineyards

Here the words us and our refer to the woman and the man, so use the inclusive forms of these words if your language marks that distinction.

וּ⁠כְרָמֵ֖י⁠נוּ סְמָדַֽר

and,our_of,vineyards blossom

Alternate translation: [because the grapevines in our vineyards are blooming] or [because our grapevines are in bloom]