SNG 7:5 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) Your head crowns you like Mt. Carmel,
⇔ and the loose hair of your head is like purple robes—
⇔ a king is held captive in their tresses.

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 Ὁ τράχηλός σου ὡς πύργος ἐλεφάντινος· οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ὡς λίμναι ἐν Ἐσεβὼν, ἐν πύλαις θυγατρὸς πολλῶν· μυκτήρ σου, ὡς πύργος τοῦ Λιβάνου σκοπεύων πρόσωπον Δαμασκοῦ.
(Ho traⱪaʸlos sou hōs purgos elefantinos; hoi ofthalmoi sou hōs limnai en Esebōn, en pulais thugatros pollōn; muktaʸr sou, hōs purgos tou Libanou skopeuōn prosōpon Damaskou. )

BrTr Thy neck is as an ivory tower; thine eyes are as pools in Esebon, by the gates of the daughter of many: thy nose is as the tower of Libanus, looking toward Damascus.

ULT Your head on you is like Carmel,
⇔ and the loose hair of your head is like purple;
⇔ a king is held captive in the tresses.

UST Your head is majestic like Mount Carmel.
⇔ Your long hair is shiny and black;
⇔ it is as though I, your king, am captured by your tresses.

BSB Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel,
⇔ the hair of your head like purple [threads];
⇔ the king is captured in your tresses.

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE Your head on you is like Carmel.
⇔ The hair of your head like purple.
⇔ The king is held captive in its tresses.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(1-12)Shapely and graceful your sandaled feet,
  and queenly your movement—
Your limbs are lithe and elegant,
  the work of a master artist.
Your body is a chalice,
  wine-filled.
Your skin is silken and tawny
  like a field of wheat touched by the breeze.
Your breasts are like fawns,
  twins of a gazelle.
Your neck is carved ivory, curved and slender.
  Your eyes are wells of light, deep with mystery.
  Quintessentially feminine!
Your profile turns all heads,
  commanding attention.
The feelings I get when I see the high mountain ranges
  —stirrings of desire, longings for the heights—
Remind me of you,
  and I’m spoiled for anyone else!
Your beauty, within and without, is absolute,
  dear lover, close companion.
You are tall and supple, like the palm tree,
  and your full breasts are like sweet clusters of dates.
I say, “I’m going to climb that palm tree!
  I’m going to caress its fruit!”
Oh yes! Your breasts
  will be clusters of sweet fruit to me,
Your breath clean and cool like fresh mint,
  your tongue and lips like the best wine.
The Woman

NET Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.
⇔ The locks of your hair are like royal tapestries –
⇔ the king is held captive in its tresses!
¶ 

LSV Your head on you as Carmel,
And the locks of your head as purple,
The king is bound with the flowings!

FBV Your head is as magnificent as Mount Carmel; your black hair has a purple sheen, as if a king[fn] was held captive in your locks!

7:5 Purple was the color of royalty.

T4T Your head is majestic like [SIM] Carmel Mountain.
⇔ Your long hair is shiny [SIM] and black;
⇔ it is as though I, your king, am captured by your tresses.

LEB • Your head crowns you like Carmel ;[fn][fn] the flowing locks of your head are like purple tapestry ;[fn]
• a king is held captive in the tresses!

7:? Literally “Your head is on you like the Carmel”

7:? Because of its height and fertility, Mount Carmel is often associated with royalty

7:? Literally “the purple”

BBE Your head is like Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple, in whose net the king is prisoner.

Moff your hair as glossy as purple-
⇔ its tresses hold captive your lord;

JPS (7-6) Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple; the king is held captive in the tresses thereof.

ASV Thy head upon thee is like Carmel,
⇔ And the hair of thy head like purple;
⇔ The king is held captive in the tresses thereof.

DRA Thy head is like Carmel: and the hairs of thy head as the purple of the king bound in the channels.

YLT Thy head upon thee as Carmel, And the locks of thy head as purple, The king is bound with the flowings!

Drby Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, And the locks of thy head like purple; The king is fettered by [thy] ringlets!

RV Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held captive in the tresses thereof.
(Thine head upon thee/you is like Carmel, and the hair of thine/your head like purple; the king is held captive in the tresses thereof. )

SLT Thy head upon thee as Carmel, and the locks of thy head as purple; the King being bound in curls.

Wbstr Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

KJB-1769 Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.[fn][fn]
(Thine head upon thee/you is like Carmel, and the hair of thine/your head like purple; the king is held in the galleries. )

7.5 Carmel: or, crimson

7.5 held: Heb. bound

KJB-1611 [fn][fn]Thine head vpon thee is like Carmel, and the haire of thine head like purple, the king is held in the galleries.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

7:5 Or, crimson

7:5 Heb. bound

Bshps That head that standeth vpon thee is lyke Carmel: and the heere of thy head is like purple, and like a kyng dwellyng among many water conduites.
(That head that standeth/stands upon thee/you is like Carmel: and the hear of thy/your head is like purple, and like a king dwelling among many water conduits.)

Gnva Thine head vpon thee is as skarlet, and the bush of thine head like purple: the King is tyed in the rafters.
(Thine head upon thee/you is as scarlet, and the bush of thine/your head like purple: the King is tied in the rafters. )

Cvdl That heade that stondeth vpon the is like Carmel: The hayre of thy heade is like the kynges purple folden vp in plates.
(That head that standeth/stands upon the is like Carmel: The hair of thy/your head is like the kings purple folden up in plates.)

Wycl Thin heed is as Carmele; and the heeres of thin heed ben as the kyngis purpur, ioyned to trowyis.
(Thin heed is as Carmele; and the hairs of thine/your head been as the kings purple, joined to trowyis.)

Luth Dein Hals ist wie ein elfenbeinerner Turm. Deine Augen sind wie die Teiche zu Hesbon, am Tor Bathrabbim. Deine Nase ist wie der Turm auf Libanon, der gegen Damaskus siehet.
(Your neck/throat is as/like a ivory tower. Your eyes are as/like the pools/ponds to/for Hesbon, in/at/on_the doorway Bathrabbim. Your nose is as/like the/of_the tower on/in/to Lebanon, the/of_the to/against Damaskus see/look.)

ClVg Caput tuum ut Carmelus; et comæ capitis tui sicut purpura regis vincta canalibus.[fn]
(The_head your(sg) as Carmelus; and hair_loss of_the_head yours(sg) like purple king bound/tied canals. )

7.5 Caput tuum. Mens tua, quia regit totum corpus cogitationum, est alta, ut mons per conversationem vitæ, et talis mons, qui habet scientiam circumcisionis, non in ablatione carnis, sed superfluitatum cordis. Cochleæ maris ferro circumcisæ, lacrymas purpurei coloris emittunt, quibus collectis tinctura purpurei coloris conficitur. Canales, qui purpuram regis suspiciunt, sunt præcordia fidelium. Lana quæ intingitur, ut indumentum regis efficiatur, est humilitas in patiendo, quæ juncta est canalibus, quando constanti corde virtus humilitatis, et continua Dominici cruoris memoria ad tolerantiam animatur. Semper purpuram veri regis, id est passionem, in memoria habentes, et ad imitandum parati, ut cum Christo resuscitentur.

7.5 The_head your(sg). Mens your, because rules whole body thoughts, it_is alta, as mountain through conversation of_life, and such mountain, who/which has knowledge circumcision, not/no in/into/on ablatione of_flesh, but superfluitatum of_the_heart. Cochleæ of_the_sea with_iron circumcisæ, lacrymas purpurei coloured buystunt, to_whom collectis tinctura purpurei coloured conficitur. Canales, who/which purplem king suspiciunt, are I_begrdia faithful. Lana which intingitur, as indumentum king efficiatur, it_is humility in/into/on patiendo, which joined it_is canals, when constanti heart virtue humility, and continua Masterci cruoris memory to tolerantiam animatur. Semper purplem true king, that it_is passion, in/into/on memory having, and to imitandum ready, as when/with to_Christ/Messiah resuscitentur.

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 7:1–10 The man praised the woman and she responded

In 7:1–9a the man sang another praise song to the woman, and then she responded in 7:9b–10. Here the man used a different order to describe her beauty. He began with her feet and moved upward to her head as the final focus. In other descriptions (4:1–5, 5:10–16, and 6:4–7) he began with the head and moved downward. Here, he described several parts of her body that he described earlier in the book (neck, eyes, breasts, hair, and head), and he mentioned some other parts for the first time. Notice that 7:3 is identical to 4:5a.

Scholars differ about whether the woman was dancing in this section. In 6:13 the woman said that she did not want spectators to look at her as though she were a dancer. In 7:1–10 the man did not describe her movements, but only her physical features. So, she was probably not dancing in this unit. Some scholars think that she was naked or dressed in transparent clothing, but that idea is not supported in the text.

These verses have many metaphors and similes, and scholars differ about how to interpret some of them. The Notes will discuss each one and give translation suggestions.

7:5a

Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel,

Your head is as majestic as Mount Carmel (NLT)
Your head is like a crown for your body, as Mount Carmel is like a crown for the land,
Your head completes your beauty, just as Carmel Mountain beautifies all the land around it.

Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel: The phrase Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel is more literally “your head upon you is like Carmel.” Mount Carmel refers to a majestic, tall mountain called Mount Carmel. The phrase implies that the woman’s head gave her majesty and beauty, as Mount Carmel adds majesty and beauty to the land of Israel.

Some ways to translate this simile are:

Your head is as majestic as Mount Carmel (NLT)

Your head shows your dignity/glory that is like Carmel mountain.

Mount Carmel: Mount Carmel is a mountain that is surrounded by flat land, so it is especially prominent and majestic. It is about 550 meters (1800 feet) high, and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea.

7:5b

the hair of your head like purple threads;

and your wavy/flowing hair is like a queen’s purple tapestry.
and the sheen of your hair radiates royalty. (NLT)

the hair of your head like purple threads: The clause the hair of your head like purple threads compares the woman’s long wavy hair to the color purple. Purple dye was expensive, and people considered purple to be a royal color. In this verse the color purple probably suggests that the woman was as majestic as a queen. It may imply that her hair was a shiny black color as the sun shone on it. It is unlikely that she dyed her hair purple.

Some ways to translate the clause are:

and your hair is like purple cloth (NCV)

Your hair is like royal tapestry (NIV)

the sheen of your hair radiates royalty (NLT)

your locks are shiny black

7:5c

the king is captured in your tresses.

Its beauty captures/captivates a king.
Your beautiful hair fascinates even a king.

the king is captured in your tresses: This clause is a figure of speech. It indicates that when a man, even a king, looks at the woman’s hair (tresses), he is like a captive. He cannot stop looking at it because it is so beautiful. The man implies that he himself is like such a king. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

its beauty could hold a king captive. (GNT)

you have captured your king with its loveliness

your hair is so lovely that the king cannot escape its charms.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

רֹאשֵׁ֤⁠ךְ עָלַ֨יִ⁠ךְ֙ כַּ⁠כַּרְמֶ֔ל

(Some words not found in UHB: neck_of,your [is]_like_(the),tower_of of_(the),ivory eyes_of,your pools in,Heshbon on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in gate_of daughter_of -rabbim nose_of,your [is]_like,the_tower_of of_(the),Lebanon looking face/surface_of Damascus )

The man is saying that the woman’s head is beautiful and majestic like Mount Carmel and it increases the beauty of the rest of her body. Mount Carmel is a beautiful and majestic looking mountain and adds beauty to what is below it. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [Your head is beautiful and majestic like Mount Carmel]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כַּ⁠כַּרְמֶ֔ל

Carmel refers to the mountain called Mount Carmel. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וְ⁠דַלַּ֥ת רֹאשֵׁ֖⁠ךְ כָּ⁠אַרְגָּמָ֑ן

Here the word purple refers to wool cloth that was dyed a purple-red color. The phrase the loose hair of your head is like purple could mean: (1) that the woman’s hair was a shiny black that reflected a black-purplish color in sunlight. Alternate translation: [and the loose hair of your head is shiny and black] or [and the loose hair of your head looks shiny purplish black as the sun shines on it] (2) that the woman’s hair made her look like a queen (purple was associated with royalty). Alternate translation: [and the loose hair of your head is like royal cloth]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מֶ֖לֶךְ אָס֥וּר בָּ⁠רְהָטִֽים

The man is speaking of the beauty of the tresses of the woman’s hair as if they could capture a king because the woman’s tresses are so beautiful that they captivate his attention. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Your tresses are so beautiful that a king is not able to stop admiring them] or [Your hair is so beautiful that a king is not able to stop admiring it] or [the king is captivated by your tresses]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מֶ֖לֶךְ אָס֥וּר

The implication is that the man speaking here is the king. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [your king is held captive] or [I, your king, am held captive]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

מֶ֖לֶךְ אָס֥וּר בָּ⁠רְהָטִֽים

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who did the action, the context implies that the woman’s tresses did it. Alternate translation: [the tresses hold the king captive] or [your tresses hold the king captive]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בָּ⁠רְהָטִֽים

Here the writer assumes his readers will understand that tresses refers to the woman’s hair which hangs down from her head. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [in the long locks of your hair] or [in the flowing locks of your hair]

Parallel SNG 7:5

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

Paragraph 7:1–10 The man praised the woman and she responded

7:5a

7:5b

7:5c