SNG 6:12 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=obscure Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

6:12 OSHB exegesis note: WLC has this word divided as עַמִּי

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 Ἐκεῖ δώσω τοὺς μαστούς μου σοί· οὐκ ἔγνω ἡ ψυχή μου· ἔθετο με ἅρματα Ἀμιναδάβ.
(Ekei dōsō tous mastous mou soi; ouk egnō haʸ psuⱪaʸ mou; etheto me harmata Aminadab. )

BrTr There I will give thee my breasts: my soul knew it not: it made me as the chariots of Aminadab.

ULT I did not know—my soul put me
⇔ among the chariots of my people, a noble.
⇔ 

UST All of a sudden
⇔ I imagined that I was among the chariots of my noble people.

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE Without realising it,
⇔ my desire set me with my royal people’s chariots.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I was beside myself with joy!
⇔ There please give me your myrrh,
⇔ O daughter of my princely people.

LSV I did not know my soul,
It made me—chariots of my people Nadib.

FBV I was so excited it was like I was riding in a royal chariot.[fn]

6:12 The Hebrew of this verse is so obscure that the meaning is very unclear. Other possible translations among many could include: “I don't know how but I found myself in a nobleman's chariot with my love.” Or “Before I knew it I was in a chariot beside a prince.”

T4T But before I realized it,
⇔ my desire to make love caused me to be as excited as a prince riding in a chariot.

LEB   • I did not know my heart[fn] set me in a chariot of my princely people.[fn]
• [fn] Turn, turn,[fn] O Shulammite![fn]
  • Turn, turn[fn] so that we may look upon you!
• Why do you look upon the Shulammite
  • as at a dance of the two armies?

6:? Literally “soul”

6:? Or “Before I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib” (KJV, ASV) or “Before I knew it, my desire set me mid the chariots of Ammi-nadib” (JPS) or “Before I was aware, my soul set me over the chariots of my noble people” (NASB) or “Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people” (NIV) or “… among the chariots of Amminadab” (NIV margin) or “… among the chariots of the people of the prince” (NIV margin)

6:? Song of Songs 6:13–7:13 in the English Bible is 7:1–14 in the Hebrew Bible

6:? Or “Return, return …!”

6:? Or “O perfect one,” “O peaceful one,” “O bride.” Many interpreters take this moniker as suggesting the maiden was from the village of Shulem (alternately called Shunem)

BBE Before I was conscious of it, ...

Moff . . .

JPS Before I was aware, my soul set me upon the chariots of my princely people.

ASV Before I was aware, my soul set me
⇔ Among the chariots of my princely people.

DRA Return, return, O Sulamitess: return, return that we may behold thee.

YLT I knew not my soul, It made me — chariots of my people Nadib.

Drby Before I was aware, My soul set me upon the chariots of my willing people.

RV Or ever I was aware, my soul set me among the chariots of my princely people.

SLT I knew not my soul set me the chariots of my willing people.

Wbstr Or ere I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.

KJB-1769 Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.[fn][fn]

6.12 Or ever…: Heb. I knew not

6.12 made…: or, set me on the chariots of my willing people

KJB-1611 [fn][fn]Or euer I was aware, my soule made me like the chariots of Amminadib.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

6:12 Heb. I knew not.

6:12 Or, set me on the chariot of my willing people.

Bshps I knewe not that my soule had made me the charyot of the people that be vnder tribute.
(I knew not that my soul had made me the chariot of the people that be under tribute.)

Gnva Returne, returne, O Shulamite, returne: returne that we may behold thee. What shall you see in the Shulamite, but as the company of an armie?
(Return, return, Oh Shulamite, return: return that we may behold thee/you. What shall you see in the Shulamite, but as the company of an army? )

Cvdl Then the charettes of the prynce of my people made me sodenly afrayed.
(Then the chariots of the prince of my people made me suddenly afraid.)

Wycl Turne ayen, turne ayen, thou Sunamyte; turne ayen, turne ayen, that we biholde thee. What schalt thou se in the Sunamyte, no but cumpenyes of oostis?
(Turn again, turn again, thou/you Sunamyte; turn again, turn again, that we behold thee/you. What shalt/shall thou/you see in the Sunamyte, no but companies of hosts/armies?)

Luth Meine SeeLE wußte es nicht, daß er mich zum Wagen Ammi-Nadibs gesetzt hatte.
(My soul knew it not, that he me for_the wagon/cart Ammi-Nadibs set(v) had.)

ClVg Chorus Revertere, revertere, Sulamitis ! revertere, revertere ut intueamur te.][fn]
(Chorus Return, return, Sulamitis ! return, return as let's_look you(sg).] )

6.12 Revertere. Synagoga confitente suam tarditatem, Ecclesia consolando et exhortando respondet: quater dicit revertere, quia Judæi ubicunque modo in quatuor mundi partibus dispersi, in fine sunt convertendi. Vel, revertere corpore, revertere animo ab errore, ut declines a malo. Iterum revertere corpore, revertere animo, ut facias bonum, et ne velis esse turbata. Non sufficit reverti voluntate, nisi reversio ostendatur Ecclesiæ. Ut intueamur te, Ut speciem castitatis cognoscamus, et copulante adinvicem nos Christi amore, unam domum fidei ambæ in ipso angulari lapide construamus.

6.12 Return. Synagoga confitente his_own tarditatem, Assembly/Church consolando and exhortando responds: quater he_says return, because Jews ubicunque just/only in/into/on four world parts dispersed, in/into/on fine are convertendi. Or, return body, return in_mind away errore, as declines from I_prefer. Again return body, return in_mind, as do good, and not velis to_be crowdta. Not/No enough to_return willingly, except returnedo be_shown Assemblies/Churches. As let's_look you(sg), As appearance castitatis cognoscamus, and copulante adinvicem us of_Christ with_love, one house/home of_faith both in/into/on himself angulari stone construamus.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:4–8:4: The man praised the woman and sang about springtime

In this section the man described the woman in two separate speeches (6:4–10 and 7:1–10). Some verses are difficult to understand, especially 6:11–13, and it is important to think about them carefully. The woman responded to the man in 7:11 and continued to speak to the end of the section at 8:4.

The verse numbering in the Hebrew text is different from the BSB and a majority of English versions. The Hebrew text begins chapter 7 where the BSB begins 6:13, so in chapter 7 the verses in the Hebrew text are one number higher than the verse numbers in the BSB. For example, 6:13–7:13 in the BSB is 7:1–14 in the Hebrew text (and also in the NJB and NJPS). It is helpful to be aware that some commentaries follow the Hebrew verse numbering. The Notes will follow the verse numbers in the BSB (along with the majority of English versions).

Paragraph 6:11–13 She went to the orchard and imagined her beloved as a prince

It is difficult to be certain about who speaks in 6:11–13. There are also several ways to interpret the verses, and English versions vary greatly. The Notes recommends an interpretation that agrees with the author’s themes throughout the Song, and in general it follows the BSB text. The Notes for these verses include suggestions for footnotes that translators may include to tell readers the different interpretation options.

6:12

The meaning of the Hebrew text of this verse is uncertain. There are no explicit connectors in the Hebrew verse, and scholars have different views about how the meanings of the words and phrases are connected. There are also different ways to interpret the verse as a whole.

Because scholars are not certain about the meaning of the Hebrew text here, it is helpful to include a footnote in your translation, as several English versions do. For example:

The meaning of the Hebrew text of 6:12 is uncertain.

The Notes recommends that translators follow the interpretation of the BSB in this verse. It has good support among scholars and fits the context well.

6:12a

Before I realized it,

Before I was aware, (RSV)
Suddenly

Before I realized it: The phrase Before I realized it implies that what the woman described in 6:12b happened suddenly. She did not think about it in advance or plan for it. Other ways to translate this meaning are:

Before I was aware (RSV)

suddenly (CEV)

Before I knew it (NJPS)

6:12b

my desire had set me among the royal chariots of my people.

my desire had put me in a chariot sitting beside my prince.
I saw/imagined myself in a chariot next to my loving prince.

In the Song, the author often described dreams, as well as events. In 6:12 also, he probably referred to a dream or to something the woman imagined. The CEV makes this explicit:

But in my imagination (CEV)

I was suddenly riding

on a glorious chariot.

The verse implies that the woman took a walk to the garden. (6:11). Then while she was there, she imagined herself riding in the chariot with her beloved (6:12).This verse is probably an expression of the woman’s romantic daydreaming about her beloved. She expressed her emotions through poetic language. This is an example of the “royal” motif. (Some other examples of the royal motif include 1:4; 1:9–14; 3:6–11; 4:4; 6:4; 6:8; 7:5; 8:11–12.)

my desire had set me among the royal chariots of my people: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as my desire had set me is more literally “my soul put me.” The phrase probably indicates that the woman imagined the event in 6:12b. It implies that her desire for her beloved caused her to imagine being in a chariot with him.

Some other ways to translate the clause are:

I imagined that I was in a chariot of my people

in my mind/heart I was suddenly riding in a chariot of my people

Use a natural way in your language to describe an event that someone imagines. Many languages have idioms to describe this type of imagined event. For example:

I found myself in the royal chariot with my beloved.

among the royal chariots: A “chariot” was a cart with two-wheels. The cart was partly open and partly enclosed and was pulled by a horse or horses. The driver and passenger stood in it as they rode. Chariots were used for different purposes in times of peace and also for warfare. Here the chariot that the woman imagined was probably beautiful and decorated. Use an appropriate word or phrase in your language.In Hebrew the plural form of chariot is used, and the NIV also uses that form. However, the author of the Song also used plural forms in other verses where he intended the meaning to be singular. For example, in 1:17 the Hebrew says literally, “beams of our houses,” when it refers to a singular house.

of my people: In Hebrew this phrase literally says: “of-my-people noble.” There are different ways to interpret the phrase that the BSB translates as of my people.

It means “my prince.” For example:
in a chariot beside my prince. (NRSV) (ESV, NRSV, RSV)
It is used as a proper name, “Amminadib,” as in some ancient Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. For example:
the chariots of Amminadib (NJB) (NJB, NJPS)
Other interpretations include: “among the royal chariots of my people” (BSB, NIV); “in the royal chariot” (NLT); “chariots of my noble people” (GW, NASB); and daughter of my princely people (NET).

Scholars are uncertain about the meaning of the phrase. It is recommended that you follow option (1), which is a fairly literal translation of the Hebrew phrase. You may want to include a footnote to list some of the other possible meanings in options (2) and (3).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי

not I_know

Here the phrase I did not know means “Before I realized it” or “Before I was aware.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [Before I realized it] or [Before I was aware]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

נַפְשִׁ֣⁠י שָׂמַ֔תְ⁠נִי

desire_of,my it,set_me

The phrase my soul put me probably means that the man imagined what follows. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מַרְכְּב֖וֹת עַמִּ⁠י־נָדִֽיב

chariots_of of_Ammi-,- my

There are many different views among Bible scholars regarding what this phrase means and what this entire verse means. The UST offers one possible interpretation for what this phrase means. See the section on 6:12 in the chapter 6 introduction for more information about how to translate this difficult verse.

Parallel SNG 6:12

Section 6:4–8:4: The man praised the woman and sang about springtime

Paragraph 6:11–13 She went to the orchard and imagined her beloved as a prince

6:12

6:12a

6:12b