SNG 3:1 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=small word differences 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 Ἐπὶ κοίτην μου ἐν νυξὶν, ἐζήτησα ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου· ἐζήτησα αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον αὐτόν· ἐκάλεσα αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐχ ὑπήκουσέ μου.
(Epi koitaʸn mou en nuxin, ezaʸtaʸsa hon aʸgapaʸsen haʸ psuⱪaʸ mou; ezaʸtaʸsa auton, kai ouⱪ heuron auton; ekalesa auton, kai ouⱪ hupaʸkouse mou. )

BrTr By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he hearkened not to me.

ULT On my bed in the night
⇔ I sought him whom my soul loves;
⇔ I sought him, but I did not find him.

UST At night while I lay on my bed,
⇔ I searched for the man whom I love.
⇔ I searched for him,
⇔ but could not find him.

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE By night on my bed,
⇔ I sought him whom my soul loves.
⇔ I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET All night long on my bed
⇔ I longed for my lover.
⇔ I longed for him but he never appeared.

LSV On my bed by night, I sought him whom my soul has loved; I sought him, and I did not find him!

FBV One night when I was lying in bed, I longed for the one I love. I longed for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

T4T All through the night while I lay on my bed,
⇔ I longed for the one whom I love.
⇔ I desired for him to come,
⇔ but he did not come.

LEB No LEB SNG 3:1 verse available

BBE By night on my bed I was looking for him who is the love of my soul: I was looking for him, but I did not see him.

Moff Night after night in be
⇔ I dreamed I sought my beloved,
⇔ and sought him in vain.

JPS By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but I found him not.

ASV By night on my bed
⇔ I sought him whom my soul loveth:
⇔ I sought him, but I found him not.

DRA In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not.

YLT On my couch by night, I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him, and I found him not!

Drby On my bed, in the nights, I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

RV By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
(By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth/loves: I sought him, but I found him not. )

SLT Upon my bed in the night I sought him whom my soul loved: I sought him, and I found him not.

Wbstr By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

KJB-1769 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
(By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth/loves: I sought him, but I found him not. )

KJB-1611 ¶ By night on my bed I sought him whome my soule loueth. I sought him, but I found him not.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps By night in my bed I sought hym whom my soule loueth: yea diligently sought I him, but I found him not.
(By night in my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth/loves: yea diligently sought I him, but I found him not.)

Gnva In my bed by night I sought him that my soule loued: I sought him, but I found him not.
(In my bed by night I sought him that my soul loved: I sought him, but I found him not. )

Cvdl By night in my bedd, I sought him, whom my soule loueth: yee diligently sought I him, but I founde him not.
(By night in my bed, I sought him, whom my soul loveth/loves: ye/you_all diligently sought I him, but I found him not.)

Wycl In my litle bed Y souyte hym bi niytis, whom my soule loueth; Y souyte hym, and Y foond not.
(In my little bed I sought him by nights, whom my soul loveth/loves; I sought him, and I found not.)

Luth Ich suchte des Nachts in meinem Bette, den meine SeeLE liebet. Ich suchte, aber ich fand ihn nicht.
(I searched the night in my bed, the my soul love(s). I searched, but I found him/it not.)

ClVg [In lectulo meo, per noctes, quæsivi quem diligit anima mea: quæsivi illum, et non inveni.[fn]
([In bed mine, through at_nights, I_asked which he_loves the_soul my: I_asked him, and not/no I_found. )

3.1 In lectulo. Orantibus prædicatoribus de Judæa, ecce gentilitas Spiritu divino afflata ad agnitionem suæ salutis advenit, et inventam firmo amore tenet. Unde sequitur: Vox ejus plene intrantis. In lectulo. GREG. Moraliter lectulum sibi sancta anima in nocte facit, dum omnes mundi perturbationes fugiens, secretum, in quo requiescit, comparat. In hoc lecto dilectum quærit: quia dum a sollicitudinibus vacat, in ejus inquisitione quomodo ad illum perveniat requiescit: sed dum in mundo vivit, tenebras mundi a se perfecte non excutit et quanto gravius patitur, eo frequentius quærit, et ferventius eum, quo invento tenebras amplius non patiatur. Sed quia in hoc mundo non invenit, ideo subditur: Quæsivi eum, et non inveni. Quia vero maximo desiderio æstuat, et quidquid tenet, ei non sufficit, donec delictum inveniat: ideo perseverantiam inquisitionis subjungit, Surgam, et circuibo civitatem. In lectulo. Ex quo Adam peccavit, cœpit homo in terrenis quiescere, et tamen duce ratione quasi per somnium veram beatitudinem intelligens, ipsam in terrenis putabat consistere. HIERON. Moraliter. In lectulo anima Deum quærit, quando in suo otio quidem appetit Deum videre, et ad eum de carcere carnis exire desiderat, sed non conceditur: et abscondit se sponsus, ut non inventus, ardentius quæratur. Et non inveni. GREG. Quia mihi gentilitati non angelus, non propheta, non quilibet doctor in dubiis lumen divinæ cognitionis ostendit, ideo non inveni, quod ubi comperi, quod in lecto non posset inveniri, proposui in animo meo de lecto carnalium voluptatum exsurgere, et ad laborem salutiferæ inquisitionis accingi, et terra et mari publice et privatim universorum, quos sapientes audirem, magisteria adire. Vici, sunt spirituales viri, qui dum ad cœlestia gradiuntur, angustam viam tenent. Plateæ, id est, sæculares, qui multas voluptates sequuntur, et alta via incedunt. Omnes ergo circumit, quia omnes sanctos, qui sunt vel fuerunt, mente conspicit et imitatur: etiam in sæcularibus aliquando invenit, quod valeat ad inquisitionem sponsi: sed postquam laborem geminatum inquisitionis ostendit, iterum difficultatem inventionis subdit: Quæsivi, et non inveni: sed dum quærit et non invenit, ipsa et quæritur et invenitur: Unde dicitur: Invenerunt me vigiles. Quæsivi. Plurimo labore mundo peragrato, sapientium verbis discussis, nil certum de via veritatis addiscere potui.

3.1 In bed. Orantibus preachers from/about Yudea, behold nationlitas By_Spirit divine afflata to lambtionem his/her_own health he_arrived, and inventionm firmo with_love holds. From_where/who follows: The_voice his fully/completely they_enteris. In bed. GREG. Moraliter bed to_himself holy the_soul in/into/on at_night he_does, while everyone world perturbationes fleeing, secretum, in/into/on where rests, compares. In this bed beloved seeks: because while from sollicitudinibus vacat, in/into/on his inquisitione how to him arrive rests: but while in/into/on to_the_world lives, darkness world from himself perfectly not/no excutit and how_much heavier suffers, by_him frequentius seeks, and ferventius him, where invento darkness more not/no suffer. But because in/into/on this to_the_world not/no he_found, therefore/for_that_reason is_added: I_searched him, and not/no I_found. Because indeed/however maximo desire brasstuat, and whatever holds, to_him not/no enough, until offence/crime find: therefore/for_that_reason perseverantiam inquisitionis subjoins, I_will_get_up, and I_will_go_around the_city. In bed. From where Adam he_sinned, he_began human in/into/on earthly to_rest, and nevertheless as_a_leader by_reason as_if through a_dream/sleep true happiness intelligent, itself in/into/on earthly putabat consistere. HIERON. Moraliter. In bed the_soul God seeks, when in/into/on his_own leisure indeed appetit God to_see, and to him from/about prison of_flesh to_go_out desires, but not/no conceditur: and hid himself groom, as not/no found, ardentius seekur. And not/no I_found. GREG. Because to_me nationlitati not/no messenger/angel, not/no a_prophet, not/no anyone/anything doctor in/into/on dubiis the_light divine knowledge he_showed, therefore/for_that_reason not/no I_found, that where comperi, that in/into/on bed not/no could I_foundri, proposui in/into/on in_mind mine from/about bed carnal of_pleasures get_upre, and to work salutiferæ inquisitionis accingi, and earth/land and of_the_sea publicly and privatim in_the_universerum, which wise_people to_hearm, teacheria adire. Vici, are spiritual men, who/which while to heaven gradiuntur, narrow way/road tenent. Plateæ, that it_is, foreverres, who/which fines pleasures they_follow, and high way/road incedunt. All_of_them therefore circumit, because everyone saints, who/which are or they_were, mind sees and imitates: also in/into/on secularbus sometimes he_found, that valeat to investigation grooms: but after work geminatum inquisitionis he_showed, again difficultatem inventionis I_submit: I_searched, and not/no I_found: but while seeks and not/no he_found, herself and is_wanted and is_found: From_where/who it_is_said: They_found me the_police. I_searched. Plurimo with_hard_work to_the_world peragrato, wise with_words discussis, nil certain from/about way/road to_the_truths addiscere potui.

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 3:1–5 The woman described searching for her beloved at night

In the preceding poem (2:8–17) the author described the man and woman as they were together on a beautiful spring day. Here in Paragraph 3:1–5 the woman was alone in her bed at night, and she longed to be with her beloved again. Her joy in 2:8–17 changed to being troubled in 3:1–5 as she searched for her beloved and then clung to him when she found him.

Bible scholars are not sure whether this poem tells about a dream, the woman’s feelings, or an actual event. It seems more like a dream than an actual event. In that culture it would not be likely for a woman to go out into the city at night, as the author described in 3:1–5, but in a dream almost anything is possible.

Some versions (including BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NJPS, and GNT) have a section heading or footnote at 3:1 to indicate that 3:1–5 describes a dream. The GNT mentions in the text that it was a dream, saying, “Asleep on my bed, night after night I dreamed of the one I love…” Other scholars interpret 3:1–5 as a description of the woman’s feelings. The Song is lyric poetry, which often uses such descriptions. It does not necessarily describe actual events. The Notes interpret 3:1–5 as a dream.

It is likely that 3:5 functions as a refrain, probably for the entire section (2:8–3:5). It is identical to the refrain in 2:7.

3:1a

On my bed at night I sought the one I love;

While I was in my bed at night, I searched for the one whom my heart loves.
At night on my bed I dreamed that I was looking for my true love.

On my bed…I sought the one I love: There are different ways to interpret this clause. The two main interpretations are:

It indicates that while the woman was on her bed, she searched for her beloved, probably in a dream. For example:
On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves (ESV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NAB, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJB, NJPS, REB, RSV, GNT)
It is a figurative way to say that she longed for her beloved. For example:
All night long on my bed, I longed for my lover (NET) (NET, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It fits the context, which continues to describe the woman searching. When she did not find her beloved in her bed (3:1), she went out into the city streets to continue searching for him (3:2–4). In some languages it is natural to combine the idea of searching and longing in options (1) and (2). For example:

On my bed at night I longingly searched for the one my soul loves.

On my bed: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as bed is the common word for “bed.” By itself it does not imply anything about sexual relations.Context determines the connotations of the word. By itself, the word is neutral. It is used both in scriptural contexts where sexual actions are in focus (for example, Gen 49:4, Prov 7:17–18) and in contexts where no sexual actions are involved (for example, Ps 4:4). The word is also used to refer to a sick bed (Ps 41:3) or even to a bed that represents abstinence from sexual activity. For example, it is used when Uriah the Hittite (2 Sam 11:13) slept among the servants on his mat instead of going home to sleep with his wife. Use an appropriate word in your language. For example:

in the place I sleep

as I lay in bed (NLT)

at night: There are different ways to interpret the Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as at night:

It means “at night,” “during the night.” For example:
On my bed at night (NJB) (BSB, CEV, ESV, NAB, NCV, NJB, NJPS, RSV)
It means “night after night.” For example:
Asleep on my bed, night after night (GNT) (GW, NASB, REB, GNT)
It means “all night long.” For example:
All night long on my bed (NIV) (NET, NIV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as a majority of English versions do. Although the word for night is plural in the Hebrew text, it is a special use of the plural that refers to nighttime in general.This is called a “plural of composition.” (See Waltke and O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, 7.4.1b and Longman, p. 128.)

the one I love: The phrase the one I love is used four times in 3:1–4. It indicates that the woman loved the man very much. She had strong feelings of love for him. The word that the BSB translates as I is literally “my soul.” It literally refers to the part of a person that feels emotions like love, joy, sorrow, or anger. Figuratively, it refers to the woman herself.

Some ways to translate this figure of speech are:

Use a figure of speech in your language that refers to strong feelings of love. Some languages use a part of the body such as the “heart,” “liver” or “stomach” or a special idiom. For example:
the one I love with heart and soul (CEV)
the one who is in my heart
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
the one I love (GNT)
my true love (REB)

3:1b

I sought him, but did not find him.

I searched for him, but I did not find him.
I looked all around for him, but he was not there.

I sought him, but did not find him: Here the woman repeated the phrase I sought him from 3:1a to emphasize her strong desire to be with the man. In some languages it may be more natural to translate the emphasis in a different way. For example:

Though I searched desperately for him, I could not find him.

Some English versions do not mention “search” and “find” here at all. For example, the NLT and NET mention only that the woman longed for the man, but he did not come. However, this section emphasizes the woman’s search, and it is important to communicate that in your language.

but did not find him: The woman dreamed that she was searching for her beloved, but she did not find him nearby.It is not necessary for readers to expect that descriptions of a dream should be completely logical and consistent. If she were awake, it would seem silly for the woman to be searching for her beloved in her small room. But dreams often are not logical or consistent. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

I did not see him anywhere/nearby.

but he was not there.

Some versions include a statement at the end of 3:1, as in the RSV, which says, “I called him, but he gave no answer.” There is a textual issue concerning the statement. Some manuscripts include this statement, and others do not.

The Hebrew text of 3:1 does not include this statement about the woman calling her beloved. For example, in 3:1 the NIV does not mention that the woman called the man:
All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. (NIV) (BSB, NIV, ESV, GNT, CEV, GW, REB, NASB, NLT, NET, NCV, KJV)
The LXX (Greek translation) of 3:1 includes the statement, “I called him, but he gave no answer.” For example, in the NRSV, 3:1 ends with that statement:
Upon my bed at night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. (NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), which does not include the statement about the woman calling the man. The LXX translators probably included it because it is found in 5:6, which is similar to 3:1.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / extrainfo

עַל־מִשְׁכָּבִ⁠י֙ בַּ⁠לֵּיל֔וֹת

on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in bed_of,my in,nights

Because Bible scholars do not know if the events described in [3:1-4](../03/01.md) describe real events, dreams, or things imagined, you should not expand on or explain the phrase On my bed in the night in the text. However, you may wish to make reference to these possibilities in a header or footnote. See the section “Translation Issues in This Chapter” in the chapter introduction for more information.

Note 2 topic: translate-plural

בַּ⁠לֵּיל֔וֹת

in,nights

In the original language, the phrase in the night uses a plural form of night and could mean that the woman: (1) sought the man during the night. Alternate translation: [during the night] (2) sought the man throughout the night. Alternate translation: [throughout the night] or [all night long] (3) sought the man on many nights. Alternate translation: [night after night]

Note 3 topic: writing-poetry

בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁ⁠אָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑⁠י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖י⁠ו

sought DOM [the,one]_whom_it_loves self_of,my I,sought_him

The phrase I sought him is repeated for emphasis. Hebrew poetry often uses repetition for emphasis. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to show the emphasis here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of showing the emphasis. Alternate translation: [I desperately sought him whom my soul loves] or [I earnestly sought him whom my soul loves]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

אֵ֥ת שֶׁ⁠אָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑⁠י

DOM [the,one]_whom_it_loves self_of,my

See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in [1:7](../01/07.md). Alternate translation: [him whom I love]

Parallel SNG 3:1

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

Paragraph 3:1–5 The woman described searching for her beloved at night

3:1a

3:1b