SNG 7:8 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) I said, “I’ll go up the palm tree.
⇔ I’ll grab hold of its stalks of fruit.”
⇔ And, please, let your breasts be like the clusters on the grapevine,
⇔ and let the fragrance of your nose be like apples,

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 ἐν τρυφαῖς σου τοῦτο μέγεθός σου· ὡμοιώθης τῷ φοίνικι, καὶ οἱ μαστοί σου τοῖς βότρυσιν.
(en trufais sou touto megethos sou; hōmoiōthaʸs tōi foiniki, kai hoi mastoi sou tois botrusin. )

BrTr This is thy greatness in thy delights: thou wast made like a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters.

ULT I said, “I will go up the palm tree;
⇔ I will grab hold of its fruit stalks.”
⇔ And, please, let your breasts be like the clusters of the vine,
⇔ and let the smell of your nose be like apples,

UST I said to myself, “I will climb that palm tree
⇔ and take hold of those clusters of dates.”
⇔ I want your breasts to be like sweet bunches of grapes that I can enjoy;
⇔ I want your breath to be like the sweet fragrance of apples.

BSB I said, “I will climb the palm tree;
⇔ I will take hold of its fruit.”
⇔ May your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
⇔ the fragrance of your breath like apples,

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE I said, “I will climb up into the palm tree.
⇔ I will take hold of its fruit.”
⇔ Let your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
⇔ the smell of your breath like apples.

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 I want to climb the palm tree,
⇔ and take hold of its fruit stalks.
⇔ May your breasts be like the clusters of grapes,
⇔ and may the fragrance of your breath be like apricots!

LSV I said, “Let me go up on the palm,
Let me lay hold on its boughs,”
Indeed, let your breasts now be as clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of your face as citrons,

FBV I tell myself, “I will climb the palm tree and take hold of the fruit.” May your breasts be like bunches of grapes on the vine, and your breath have the scent of apples!

T4T I said to myself, “I will climb that palm tree
⇔ and take hold of those clusters of dates.”
⇔ To me, your breasts are like clusters of grapes that I can feel
⇔ and your breath is like the sweet fragrance of apples

LEB • I say, “I will climb up the palm tree; I will lay hold of its fruit clusters.”
• Let your breasts be pleasing like clusters of the vine
• and the scent of your breath like the apples.

BBE I said, Let me go up the palm-tree, and let me take its branches in my hands: your breasts will be as the fruit of the vine, and the smell of your breath like apples;

Moff methinks I will climb that palm
⇔ taking hold of the boughs!
⇔ Oh may your breasts be clusters of fruit,
⇔ and your breath sweet as an apple!

JPS (7-9) I said: 'I will climb up into the palm-tree, I will take hold of the branches thereof; and let thy breasts be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy countenance like apples;

ASV I said, I will climb up into the palm-tree,
⇔ I will take hold of the branches thereof:
⇔ Let thy breasts be as clusters of the vine,
⇔ And the smell of thy breath like apples,

DRA I said: I will go up into the palm tree, and will take hold of the fruit thereof: and thy breasts shall be as the clusters of the vine: and the odour of thy mouth like apples.

YLT I said, 'Let me go up on the palm, Let me lay hold on its boughs, Yea, let thy breasts be, I pray thee, as clusters of the vine, And the fragrance of thy face as citrons,

Drby I said, I will go up to the palm-tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof; And thy breasts shall indeed be like clusters of the vine, And the fragrance of thy nose like apples,

RV I said, I will climb up into the palm tree, I will take hold of the branches thereof: let thy breasts be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy breath like apples;
(I said, I will climb up into the palm tree, I will take hold of the branches thereof: let thy/your breast/chests be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy/your breath like apples; )

SLT I said, I will go up upon the palm tree, I will hold fast upon its branches: and now thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the odor of thy nose as apples.

Wbstr I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of its boughs: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;

KJB-1769 I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;
(I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy/your breast/chests shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy/your nose like apples; )

KJB-1611 I said, I will goe vp to the palme tree, I will take hold of the boughes thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose, like apples.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps I sayde, I wyll climbe vp into the paulme tree, and take holde of his hye braunches. Thy breastes also shalbe as the wine clusters, the smell of thy nosethrilles like as the smell of apples.
(I said, I will climb up into the palm tree, and take hold of his high branches. Thy/Your breast/chests also shall be as the wine clusters, the smell of thy/your nosethrilles like as the smell of apples.)

Gnva I saide, I will goe vp into the palme tree, I will take holde of her boughes: thy breastes shall nowe be like the clusters of the vine: and the sauour of thy nose like apples,
(I said, I will go up into the palm tree, I will take hold of her boughs: thy/your breast/chests shall now be like the clusters of the vine: and the savour of thy/your nose like apples, )

Cvdl I wil clymme vp into the date tre, and take holde of his braunches. Thy brestes also shalbe as the vyne grapes, the smell of thy nostrels like the smell of apples,
(I will climb up into the date tree, and take hold of his branches. Thy/Your breast/chests also shall be as the vine grapes, the smell of thy/your nostrils like the smell of apples,)

Wycl I seide, Y schal stie in to a palm tree, and Y schal take the fruytis therof. And thi tetis schulen be as the clustris of grapis of a vyner; and the odour of thi mouth as the odour of pumgranatis;
(I said, I shall ascend/descend in to a palm tree, and I shall take the fruits thereof. And thy/your teats/nipples should be as the clusters of grapes of a vineyard; and the odour of thy/your mouth as the odour of pomegranates;)

Luth Deine Länge ist gleich einem Palmbaum und deine Brüste den Weintrauben.
(Your length is even on palm_tree and your breasts the grapes.)

ClVg Dixi: Ascendam in palmam, et apprehendam fructus ejus; et erunt ubera tua sicut botri vineæ, et odor oris tui sicut malorum.[fn]
(I_said: Ascendam in/into/on palm_tree, and apprehendam fruit his; and they_will_be breasts your like clusters vineyards, and smell mouth yours(sg) like of_evil. )

7.8 Dixi: Ascendam. Quasi diceret: Et quod tales habet doctores, tam discrete prædicantes, non est tui meriti, sed donum meum, quia ascendi in palmam, id est, dedi Ecclesiæ augmentum virtutum, donec ad perfectum veniat, et apprehendam fructus ejus; id est, ita confortabo et multiplicabo virtutes in eis, ut nullo modo possint decidere, donec ad maturitatem perveniant, et per hoc ubera tua erunt sicut botrus cypri, quia illi, qui parva norunt, si benivole nuntiant interdum potiore sapientia debriabuntur. Dixi. Quasi, insistendum est ad conversionem Judæorum, quia tam pulchra conjunctio est secutura, et quia pro eis maxime passus sum, quia eos salvandos provideram. Fructus ejus. Fructus Crucis, potest dici resurrectio, et ascensio, adventus Spiritus sancti, et salus mundi: et per hæc doctores sunt debriati et confortati. Et odor oris. Odor malis, guttur vino comparatur: quia mala, ex novitate, vinum ex vetustate laudem consequitur. Sicut vinum malo præstat, ita præstat præsens allocutio Ecclesiæ ipsi famæ quam de illa potest audientium sermo disseminare. Odor in gutture, vox præsentis doctrinæ. In odore fama absentis designatur: et ideo vino illa propter fragantiam virtutum, hæc malis ob suavitatem absentis famæ comparatur.

7.8 I_said: Ascendam. As_if would_say: And that tales has teachers, tam discrete preachings, not/no it_is yours(sg) meriti, but a_gift/present/donation mine, because ascendi in/into/on palm_tree, that it_is, I_gave Assemblies/Churches augmentum virtues, until to perfect let_him_come, and apprehendam fruit his; that it_is, so/thus confortabo and multiplicabo by_virtues in/into/on to_them, as with_no_one just/only can decidere, until to maturitatem perveniant, and through this breasts your they_will_be like botrus cypri, because them, who/which small they_know, when/but_if benivole nuntiant sometimes potiore wisdom debriabuntur. I_said. Quasi, insistendum it_is to conversionm Yudahorum, because tam beautiful conyunctio it_is secutura, and because for to_them especially/most suffered I_am, because them savendos I_had_forseen. Fructus his. Fructus Crucis, can to_be_said resurrection, and ascensio, arrivals Spirit holy, and health/safety world: and through these_things teachers are debriati and confortati. And smell oris. Odor bad_things, throat wine is_compared: because evil, from he_knowsate, wine from old_age praise consequitur. Like wine I_prefer provides, so/thus provides present allocutio Assemblies/Churches themselves famæ how from/about that can of_listeners speech disseminare. Odor in/into/on throat, voice presents doctrines. In smelle fame absentis is_designated: and therefore/for_that_reason wine that because fragantiam virtues, these_things bad_things because suavitatem absentis famæ is_compared.

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.

7:8–9a

These verses include several metaphors. In 7:8a–b the man continued to use the metaphor of the palm tree, which he began to use in 7:7. In 7:8c he used grapes as a metaphor, in 7:8d he used apples, and in 7:9a he used wine.

7:8a

I said, “I will climb the palm tree;

I said, “I will climb that palm tree
I have decided that I shall climb this palm tree,

I said, “I will climb the palm tree: The clause I will climb the palm tree is a metaphor. The phrase I said tells the man’s intention. It indicates that he was determined to become more intimate with the woman. He wanted to embrace her. He did not literally mean that he was going to climb her as he would climb a tree. It implies that the top of a tall palm tree is difficult to reach, and it was also difficult to persuade the woman to be intimate with him. However, the man decided that he must try hard (climb) to persuade her.

Some other ways to translate the man’s intention and the metaphor of the palm tree are:

I have decided, ‘I shall climb the palm tree… (NJB)

I want to climb the palm tree… (NET)

I will surely come to you, even if it is as difficult as climbing the palm tree…

The difficulty of climbing the palm tree is another way to imply that the woman is sometimes hard to reach. The author used this theme in other verses, for example, in 2:14; 4:8; 6:4, and 6:10.

I said: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as I said indicates that the man was determined to accomplish his goal to come near his beloved woman. (The tree symbolizes the woman.) Translate this intention in a natural way in your language. See the examples in the preceding note.

7:8b

I will take hold of its fruit.”

and grasp those clusters of fruit/dates.”
and hold/enjoy its fruit.

I will take hold of its fruit: This clause implies that the man will touch and caress the woman’s breasts. The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as fruit occurs only here in the Old Testament. Scholars interpret it in different ways:

It refers to clusters of dates (or stalks of fruit), which represent the woman’s breasts. For example:
I will take hold of its fruit. (NIV) (BSB, NIV, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, NLT, GNT)
It refers to the arching branches of the palm tree, which represent the woman’s limbs/arms. For example:
and cling to its branches. (CEV) (CEV, NJPS, RSV)
It refers to “fronds” (the leaf-like part of the palm), which may represent the woman’s hair. For example:
Let me climb up into the palm to grasp its fronds. (REB) (REB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with more English versions. In this description of the palm tree, the fruit stalks, and clusters refer to the same part of the tree as the phrase its clusters in 7:7b. Option (2) does not seem to fit the structure of the palm tree. Usually, palm trees do not have real branches. The trunk of the tree rises high without branches, and fruit, and palm leaves (fronds) are at its top.

7:8c

May your breasts be like clusters of the vine,

I long for your breasts—they are like bunches of grapes
How I want to taste your breasts, which are like sweet grape/fruit clusters!

May your breasts be like clusters of the vine: The Hebrew verb form that the BSB translates as May…be expresses the man’s wish or desire. His beloved’s breasts seem wonderful to him. He indicates that he wants to enjoy her breasts as he would enjoy grape clusters. Use a natural way in your language to express a strong desire like this.

Some ways to translate this desire are:

Oh let your breasts be like clusters of the vine for me!

I desire/long for the sweetness of your breasts as if they were grape clusters!

Your breasts are like clusters of grapes, and I really want to enjoy them.

your breasts…like clusters of the vine: Here the man compared the woman’s breasts to clusters of grapes (instead of to clusters of dates). The phrase clusters of the vine, refers to bunches of grapes. As in 7:7b, the man compared the woman’s breasts to the sweetness of the fruit, not to its shape. He referred to the way her beautiful breasts made him feel. Her breasts symbolize the sweetness and joy of love. The phrase may also imply that her love intoxicates like wine, since grapes are used to make wine (as referred to in 7:9a).

Some other ways to translate this simile are:

May your breasts be like sweet grape clusters.

Oh how I want your breasts to be like bunches of grapes for me!

clusters of the vine: Here the phrase clusters of the vine refers to bunches of grapes. The vine refers to a grapevine.

7:8d

the fragrance of your breath like apples,

and the scent of your breath is like apples.
I want to smell your breath. It has the sweet smell/fragrance of apples.

the fragrance of your breath like apples: Here the man compared the sweet scent of the woman’s breath to the sweet smell of apples. The same verb (“may be like”) that was used in 7:8c is also implied here. In some languages it is necessary to supply the same verb or a similar verb here in 7:8d. For example:

May your breath smell as sweet as apples

and your breath is like the scent of apples

Some languages have special idioms to describe the way a person’s breath smells. Use a natural phrase in your language. Some other ways to translate the meaning are:

I want to smell your breath, which is as fragrant/sweet as apples

your breath is like the sweetness of apples; I want to enjoy/smell it

the smell of your breath like apples (NCV)

the fragrance of your breath: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as breath literally means “nose.”Some commentaries (including the UBS Handbook) understand the mention of “nose” here to be a possible euphemism for the woman’s nipples. But no versions follow this interpretation, and it is not recommended. In this context it probably refers to what the nose does—it breathes. This is why almost all English versions translate the word as your breath here. Other ways to translate the fragrance of your breath are:

your sweet breath

the smell when you breathe

apples: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as apples refers to a type of fruit from the “pome” family, which is still called by the same name in Israel today. In English this fruit is called “apples,” though some scholars (and the NET version) interpret it as referring to apricots.In spite of the NET footnote stating that most modern botanists and lexicographers now identify this word as “apricot” rather than the traditional “apple,” even the new versions CEB (2011), (NAB (2011) and NIV (2011) continue to translate this word as “apple.” The lexicon, HALOT, continues to identify the fruit as “apple.” It seems best to follow the vast majority of versions by translating this as “apple.” If people are not familiar with apples in your area, some other ways to translate it are:

Use a more general term. For example:
as the sweetest smelling fruit
Use the name of a sweet-smelling fruit in your area that people like to eat. It is also fine to include a footnote to describe the biblical fruit.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ אֶעֱלֶ֣ה בְ⁠תָמָ֔ר אֹֽחֲזָ֖ה בְּ⁠סַנְסִנָּ֑י⁠ו