SNG 6:4 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not necessarily 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 Bible-translators and others 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 early looks into the drafted 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 Speaker(s)=The groom (All still tentative.)

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 Καλὴ εἶ ἡ πλησίον μου, ὡς εὐδοκία, ὡραῖα ὡς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, θάμβος ὡς τεταγμέναι.
(Kalaʸ ei haʸ plaʸsion mou, hōs eudokia, hōraia hōs Hierousalaʸm, thambos hōs tetagmenai.)

BrTr Thou art fair, my companion, as Pleasure, beautiful as Jerusalem, terrible as armies set in array.

ULT You, are beautiful, my darling, like Tirzah,
⇔ lovely like Jerusalem,
⇔ awe-inspiring like bannered armies.

UST My dear one, you are beautiful.
⇔ You are as beautiful as the city of Tirzah and as lovely as the city of Jerusalem.
⇔ You are as exciting and majestic to look at as an army with banners.

BSB & MSB You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah,
⇔ as lovely as Jerusalem,
⇔ as majestic as troops with banners.

OEB No OEB SNG 6:4 book available

WEBBE & WMBB ⇔ You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah,
⇔ lovely as Jerusalem,
⇔ awesome as an army with banners.

NET My darling, you are as beautiful as Tirzah,
⇔ as lovely as Jerusalem,
⇔ as awe-inspiring as bannered armies!

LSV You [are] beautiful, my friend, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem,
Awe-inspiring as bannered hosts.

FBV You are beautiful, my darling, as pretty as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem—you look[fn] stunning!

6:4 The word used here is the same as for the “looks” of the man in 5:10.

T4T ⇔ My darling, you are beautiful,
⇔ like [SIM] Tirzah the capital city of Israel and Jerusalem the capital city of Judah are beautiful;
⇔ you are as exciting [MET] as a group/battalion of troops holding up their banners.

LEB • You are beautiful, my beloved, as Tirzah,
• lovely as Jerusalem,
• overwhelming as an army with banners .[fn]

6:? Literally “terrible as the bannered ones”

BBE You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, as fair as Jerusalem; you are to be feared like an army with flags.

Moff “You are fair as a crocus, my dear,
⇔ lovely as a lily of the valley
⇔ you overawe me like an army with banners--

JPS Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

ASV ⇔ Thou art fair, O my love, as Tirzah,
⇔ Comely as Jerusalem,
⇔ Terrible as an army with banners.

DRA (SNG 6:3) Thou art beautiful, O my love, sweet and comely as Jerusalem: terrible as an army set in array.

YLT Fair [art] thou, my friend, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Awe-inspiring as bannered hosts.

Drby Thou art fair, my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as troops with banners:

RV Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
(Thou/You art beautiful, Oh my love, as Tirzah, comely as Yerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.)

SLT Thou art beautiful my friend, as delight; becoming as Jerusalem, a terror as those being furnished with banners.

Wbstr Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

KJB-1769 ¶ Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
(¶ Thou/You art beautiful, Oh my love, as Tirzah, comely as Yerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.)

KJB-1611 ¶ Thou art beautifull, O my loue, as Tirzah, comely as Ierusalem, terrible as an armie with banners.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation))

Bshps Thou are beautifull O my loue as is the place Thirza, thou art faire as Hierusalem, fearefull as an armie of men with their banners.
(Thou/You are beautiful Oh my love as is the place Thirza, thou/you art fair as Yerusalem, fearful as an army of men with their banners.)

Gnva Turne away thine eyes from me: for they ouercome mee: thine heare is like a flocke of goates, which looke downe from Gilead.
(Turn away thine/your eyes from me: for they overcome me: thine/your hear is like a flock of goats, which look down from Gilead.)

Cvdl Thou art pleasaunt (o my loue) euen as louelynesse itself, thou art fayre as Ierusalem, glorious as an armye of men with their baners
(Thou/You art pleasant (o my love) even as loveliness itself, thou/you art fair as Yerusalem, glorious as an army of men with their banners)

Wycl (SNG 6:3) Mi frendesse, thou art fair, swete and schappli as Jerusalem, thou art ferdful as the scheltrun of oostis set in good ordre.
(My friends, thou/you art fair, sweet and shapely as Yerusalem, thou/you art fearful as the battle_array of hosts/armies set in good order.)

Luth Du bist schön, meine Freundin, wie Thirza, lieblich wie Jerusalem, schrecklich wie Heerspitzen.
(You(sg) are beautiful, my girlfriend, as/like Tirzah, lovely/delightful as/like Jerusalem, terrible as/like army_leaders.)

ClVg (SNG 6:3) Sponsus Pulchra es, amica mea; suavis, et decora sicut Jerusalem; terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata.[fn]
(The_spouse Beautiful you_are, girlfriend my; sweet, and decorative like Yerusalem; terrible as of_the_camp line/array organized.)

6.3 Pulchra es, amica mea. Hactenus vox Ecclesiæ Dominum suum laudantis et quærentis: qui quoniam a suis amatoribus non longe est, sequitur quid quæsitus respondeat: et declarat se illis loquentibus adfuisse, et quid loquerentur audisse; devotionemque erga se remunerat digna illorum laudatione. Terribilis, ut castrorum acies ordinata. Quia per unitatem charitatis compacta, nullum locum aperit per malum discordiæ hostibus, id est, hæreticis vel immundis spiritibus. Castra Romanorum terribilia erant, quia totum mundum premebant: sed non erant suavia, quia veram pacem non habebant. In Ecclesia nec terror suavitatem, nec suavitas terrorem aufert: quæ in terra cœlestem vitam agit, et barbaros diversarum nationum animos ad suum ritum trahere satagit. Quæ tamen quia necdum faciem dilecti, quam maxime quærit, cernere meretur: hic subsequenter audit:

6.3 Beautiful you_are, girlfriend my. So_far voice Assemblies/Churches the_Master his_own praising and to_the_seekers: who/which since/because from to_his_own lovers not/no far_away it_is, follows what sought respond: and declares himself to_them speaking to_have_presented, and what they_would_speak you_hearse; and_devotion towards himself rewards worthy of_them praise(n)ne. Terrible, as of_the_camp line/array organized. Because through unity of_charity joined, none place opens through evil disagreement enemies, that it_is, heretics or unclean spirits. Camp Roman terrible_(things) they_were, because whole the_world they_were_pressing: but not/no they_were sweets, because true peace not/no they_had. In Assembly/Church but_not terror sweetness, but_not sweetness terror takes_away: which in/into/on earth/land heavenly life acts, and a_barbarians different of_nations in_minds to his_own ritual to_pull endeavours. Which nevertheless because not_yet face beloved, how especially/most seeks, to_discern deserves: this/here subsequently listens:

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 6:4–10 The man described the woman

In 6:4–10, the man spoke to the woman. In 6:4–7, he spoke directly to her with forms like “you” and “your.” But in 6:8–10, he spoke about her, using forms like “she” and “her.” In 6:10 the man probably quoted what the other women said to praise her beauty.

This section begins and ends with the same phrase. The BSB translates the phrase in 6:4c as “as majestic as troops with banners,” and in 6:10 it repeats this phrase. However, the context is different, so scholars are not certain whether the meaning of the phrase is the same or different in the two verses. The notes for 6:10 will discuss this issue.

In 6:4–10 the man sang his second praise song to describe the woman. This song is similar in some ways to his first praise song in 4:1–5, and it repeats some portions of that song. However, here his words seem less intimate. In 4:9 the man indicated that she is superior to all other women.

6:4a–c

The two lines, 6:4a and 6:4b, are parallel. In each line the man compared the woman’s beauty to the beauty of an important city. In 6:4a he compared her beauty to Tirzah, and in 6:4b he compared it to Jerusalem. In the third line, he compared the woman to troops carrying banners.

When the man compared the woman to cities and armies, he implied that she was beautiful, grand, splendid, and strong like those cities and armies. He felt awe when he was with her, just as he felt awe when he was in the royal cities or looked at the powerful armies. Be sure that your translation communicates this meaning.

6:4a

You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah,

You are beautiful like the city of Tirzah, my darling.
My beloved/love, you are as beautiful as the city of Tirzah,

You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah: Here the man used the phrase my darling as a loving name for the woman, as he did in 1:9. You can translate it in the same way here. In some languages it is more natural to translate the phrase in a different place in the sentence. For example:

My darling, you are as beautiful as Tirzah (NET)

You are beautiful, my true love, like Tirzah (GW)

You are as beautiful…as Tirzah: Here the man compared the woman’s beauty to an important city called Tirzah. It had beautiful streets and grand buildings. The man implied that the woman was as grand and beautiful as that city. Some other ways to translate this comparison are:

as lovely as the city of Tirzah (GNT)

you are beautiful…like the splendid/magnificent city of Tirzah

beautiful: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as beautiful is a common word that is used often in the Song. It is used in the phrase “most beautiful of women” in 6:1. Here it compares the woman’s beauty to the beauty of a city. In some languages it is natural to use different words to refer to the beauty of a woman and the beauty of a city. For example:

You are as beautiful as the grand city of Tirzah

Tirzah: Tirzah was the name of a city that King Solomon favored. It was known for its royal splendor and beauty. It became the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel soon after Solomon died.The breakup of Israel occurred during the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. The northern tribes revolted under the leadership of Jeroboam I who made Tirzah his capital. To many people, the name Tirzah is not familiar, so it may be helpful to make explicit that it is the name of a city. For example:

as lovely as the city of Tirzah (GNT)

beautiful like Tirzah city is beautiful

my darling: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as my darling literally means “my friend” or “my companion.” But in a context like the Song, it has a romantic sense. This word is the most common way the man used to refer to the woman in the Song. It was first used in 1:10–11, and you may translate it as you did there.

6:4b

as lovely as Jerusalem,

You are grand/majestic like Jerusalem.
and you are as lovely as the city of Jerusalem.

as lovely as Jerusalem: Here the man compared the woman to the city of Jerusalem. He used a different Hebrew word from the word “beautiful” in 6:4a. This word refers to a type of beauty that is appropriate for what is being described. In this situation it is the kind of beauty that is fitting for the woman and also for those great cities.

This word was also used in Song 1:4, 2:14, and 4:3. Refer to how you translated it in these verses. Some other ways to translate the comparison here are:

you are as comely as Jerusalem

you are awesome/grand like the city of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem: Jerusalem was the capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah. It was known for its royal splendor and was famous for its great beauty.

6:4c

as majestic as troops with banners.

You are powerful/terrifying like an army waving its banners.
You are as majestic as troops/soldiers carrying their flags.

as majestic as troops with banners: In this clause the man continued to describe the woman. There are several ways to interpret the clause:

It refers to being as awe-inspiring as an army of soldiers, in which some of the soldiers carried large flags (banners). For example:
as majestic as troops with banners. (NIV) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, RSV)
It refers to being as awe-inspiring as the sky and all its stars.In 6:10 the context suggests this meaning. For example:
more powerful than all of the stars in the heavens. (CEV) (CEV, REB footnote).
It refers to the splendor of these cities without mentioning an army or banners. For example:
as breathtaking as these great cities. (GNT) (GW, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most English versions.

majestic: In this context the Hebrew word that the BSB translates as majestic probably indicates that the woman was awesome and imposing. The man respected her and felt awed by her great beauty. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

awesome as an army with banners. (ESV)

as awe-inspiring as bannered armies! (NET)

In some languages it may be distracting or strange to compare a woman to an army. If that is true in your language, you may be able to compare her to a queen leading her army. For example:

You are as majestic as a queen coming with an army waving flags.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

יָפָ֨ה אַ֤תְּ רַעְיָתִ⁠י֙ כְּ⁠תִרְצָ֔ה נָאוָ֖ה כִּ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם

beautiful (Some words not found in UHB: beautiful you my_friend_of,my like,Tirzah lovely like,Jerusalem awesome like_(the)_[hosts],banners )

The man is saying that the woman is like the city of Tirzah and like the city of Jerusalem because both of these cities were beautiful. These lines are parallel, and both mean basically the same thing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternately, you could combine the lines if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [You are beautiful, my darling, like the beautiful city of Tirzah, lovely like the lovely city of Jerusalem] or [You are beautiful and lovely, my darling, like the cities of Tirzah and Jerusalem]

יָפָ֨ה אַ֤תְּ רַעְיָתִ⁠י֙

beautiful (Some words not found in UHB: beautiful you my_friend_of,my like,Tirzah lovely like,Jerusalem awesome like_(the)_[hosts],banners )

See how you translated the phrase “you are beautiful, my darling” in [1:15](../01/15.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

יָפָ֨ה אַ֤תְּ רַעְיָתִ⁠י֙ כְּ⁠תִרְצָ֔ה

beautiful (Some words not found in UHB: beautiful you my_friend_of,my like,Tirzah lovely like,Jerusalem awesome like_(the)_[hosts],banners )

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [My darling, you are beautiful like Tirzah]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

נָאוָ֖ה כִּ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אֲיֻמָּ֖ה כַּ⁠נִּדְגָּלֽוֹת

lovely (Some words not found in UHB: beautiful you my_friend_of,my like,Tirzah lovely like,Jerusalem awesome like_(the)_[hosts],banners )

The man is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the context if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [you are lovely like Jerusalem; you are awe-inspiring like bannered armies]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

אֲיֻמָּ֖ה כַּ⁠נִּדְגָּלֽוֹת

(Some words not found in UHB: beautiful you my_friend_of,my like,Tirzah lovely like,Jerusalem awesome like_(the)_[hosts],banners )

The man is saying that the woman is awe-inspiring like bannered armies because looking at her causes the man to feel a sense of awe that is comparable to seeing an army with its banners above it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [and the awe I feel when looking at you is like the awe I would feel if I were to see armies with their banners] or [and the awe I feel when looking at you is like the awe I feel when I see armies with their banners above them]

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

כַּ⁠נִּדְגָּלֽוֹת

(Some words not found in UHB: beautiful you my_friend_of,my like,Tirzah lovely like,Jerusalem awesome like_(the)_[hosts],banners )

See how you translated the term “banner” in [2:4](../02/04.md).

Parallel SNG 6:4

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

Paragraph 6:4–10 The man described the woman

6:4a–c

6:4a

6:4b

6:4c