SNG 8:13 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.)

8:13 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

8:13 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

8:13 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

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 καθήμενος ἐν κήποις, ἑταῖροι προσέχοντες τῇ φωνῇ σου, ἀκούτισόν με.
(Ho kathaʸmenos en kaʸpois, hetairoi proseⱪontes taʸ fōnaʸ sou, akoutison me. )

BrTr Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: make me hear it.

ULT You who reside in the gardens;
⇔ companions are listening intently for your voice—
⇔ let me hear it.
⇔ 

UST You, the woman I love, who are staying in the gardens,
⇔ my friends are eagerly listening so that they can hear you speak;
⇔ speak to me!

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance,
⇔ let me hear your voice!

WMBB (Same as above)

NET O you who stay in the gardens,
⇔ my companions are listening attentively for your voice;
⇔ let me be the one to hear it!

LSV The companions are attending to your voice,
Cause me to hear. Flee, my beloved, and be like to a roe,

FBV My darling, sitting there in the gardens with companions listening to you—please talk to me!

T4T You are staying in the gardens
⇔ and my friends are listening to your voice;
⇔ so allow me to hear it, too.

LEB • O you who dwell in the garden, my companions are listening to your voice.
• Let me hear it!

BBE You who have your resting-place in the gardens, the friends give ear to your voice; make me give ear to it.

Moff My comrades hear your voice
⇔ girl in the garden haunt
⇔ ah, let me hear it too!--

JPS Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice: 'Cause me to hear it.'

ASV ⇔ Thou that dwellest in the gardens,
⇔ The companions hearken for thy voice:
⇔ Cause me to hear it.

DRA Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken: make me hear thy voice.

YLT The companions are attending to thy voice, Cause me to hear. Flee, my beloved, and be like to a roe,

Drby Thou that dwellest in the gardens, The companions hearken to thy voice: Let me hear [it].

RV Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice: cause me to hear it.
(Thou/You that dwellest/dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy/your voice: cause me to hear it. )

SLT Thou sitting in the gardens, the companions attending to thy voice: cause thou me to hear.

Wbstr Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it .

KJB-1769 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.
(Thou/You that dwellest/dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy/your voice: cause me to hear it. )

KJB-1611 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to heare it.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Thou that dwellest in the gardens, O let me heare thy voyce, that my companions may hearken to the same.
(Thou/You that dwellest/dwell in the gardens, Oh let me hear thy/your voice, that my companions may hearken to the same.)

Gnva O thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken vnto thy voyce: cause me to heare it.
(Oh thou/you that dwellest/dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken unto thy/your voice: cause me to hear it. )

Cvdl Thou that dwellest in the gardens, O let me heare thy voyce, that my companyons maye herken to the same.
(Thou/You that dwellest/dwell in the gardens, Oh let me hear thy/your voice, that my companions may hearken to the same.)

Wycl Frendis herkene thee, that dwellist in orchertis; make thou me to here thi vois.
(Friends hearken thee/you, that dwellest/dwell in orchertis; make thou/you me to here thy/your voice.)

Luth Die du wohnest in den Gärten, laß mich deine Stimme hören; die Gesellschaften merken drauf.
(The you(sg) live in the gardens, let me your voice hear/listen; the fellow/companionschaften remember/realise on_it.)

ClVg Sponsus Quæ habitas in hortis, amici auscultant; fac me audire vocem tuam.[fn]
(The_spouse Which you_live in/into/on the_garden, friends they_listen; do me to_hear voice your(sg). )

8.13 Quæ habitas in hortis. Ecclesia, vel quælibet fidelis anima, in hortis habitat; quæ jam viriditate spei et bonorum operum est repleta. Sicca quippe est spes hujus mundi, quia omnia, quæ hic amantur, cum festinatione arescunt: Quæ ergo in hortis habitat, oportet ut sponsum vocem suam audire faciat, id est in tantum bona prædicationis emittat in quantum ille delectatur, quem desiderat; quia amici auscultant, videlicet omnes electi, qui ut ad cœlestem patriam reviviscant, verba vitæ audire desiderant. Quæ habitas. Et quandoquidem unicuique apud me reservatur pro meritis præmium, et duplex retributio doctoribus: ergo dum adest tempus merendi, dum differtur dies nuptialis, quantum valet unusquisque, in cultura hujus vineæ persistat. Amici. Id est angeli, quos adjutores tibi dedi; et spiritus justorum, qui jam cum Deo sunt, et pro fratribus orant. Fac me audire. Exigo a te ut habites, nullo tumultu discessura; postea etiam exigo ut vocem tuam me audire facias.

8.13 Which you_live in/into/on the_garden. Assembly/Church, or whichlibet faithful soul, in/into/on the_garden he_lives; which already menditate hope and of_goods works it_is filled. Sicca indeed/sure it_is hope of_this world, because everything, which this/here amantur, when/with haste arescunt: Which therefore in/into/on the_garden he_lives, it_is_necessary as groom voice his_own to_hear let_him_do, that it_is in/into/on only good(s) preaching buystat in/into/on quantum he/that_one is_delighted, which desires; because friends they_listen, that_is/namely everyone chosen, who/which as to heavenly homeland reviviscant, words of_life to_hear they_desire. Which you_live. And quandoquidem to_each_one at me reservatur for merits prize, and duplex retribution to_teachers: therefore while is_present time/season merendi, while differentur days nuptialis, quantum valet each_one/everybody, in/into/on culture of_this vineyards persistat. Amici. That it_is messengers/angels, which helperes to_you I_gave; and spirit of_the_righteous, who/which already when/with to_God are, and for brothers orant. Fac me to_hear. Go_outgo from you(sg) as habites, with_no_one commotion discessura; afterwards also exigo as voice your(sg) me to_hear do.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:5–14: Love has great power

In this final section, there are many key words and statements that repeat themes from earlier parts of the Song. For example, 8:5a mentions the woman coming up from the wilderness, as in 3:6. The author also repeats the themes of vineyard (8:12; 1:6), orchard (8:5; 2:3), and garden (8:13; 4:12–5:1). In the final verse of the Song, the author repeats the theme of a gazelle on the mountains, which was mentioned in 2:17. This final section also contains what many scholars consider a climax of the Song in 8:6–7.

Some other headings for this section are:

Homecoming (NRSV)

The Young Woman’s Love for Her Beloved

Paragraph 8:13–14

These verses are a brief conversation between the man and woman that shows their deep desire for one another. It repeats themes from early in the book, including gardens, the voice of the beloved, and gazelles. It closes the book by repeating 2:17 with a gazelle bounding over the mountains.

8:13a

You who dwell in the gardens,

You who live in the gardens, (NCV)
My love, you love to be/stay in the gardens,

You who dwell in the gardens: The man referred to the woman here as You who dwell in the gardens. In previous chapters, the woman was often in a garden or connected with a garden (and nature in general). A good example is the garden imagery of 4:12–5:1.

The phrase You who dwell in the gardens probably implies two meanings. The woman was in the gardens and she herself was like a garden. Figuratively, she was like a private garden for the man. The fragrances and tastes of the garden symbolize the pleasure that the woman gave him.

Some other ways to translate You who dwell in the gardens are:

you who sit in the gardens (NASB)

you love to be in gardens

Here the word You refers to the woman. In some languages it is helpful to make this clearer. For example:

my beloved, lingering in the gardens (NLT96)

My bride, you stay/linger in the gardens

gardens: Some English versions have “garden” referring to only one garden, but the Hebrew word is plural. The plural form probably implies that the man did not refer to one specific garden. In some languages it is more natural to use a singular form.

In 4:12, the man called the woman a garden locked up and a fountain sealed. Refer to how you translated “garden” there.

8:13b

my companions are listening for your voice.

my friends are listening for your voice.
my companions are waiting to hear you speak. (GNT)

my companions are listening: Scholars have different views about who the word companions refers to in 8:13b.

The companions were male friends of the man. For example:
my friends are listening (REB) (BSB, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, REB, RSV, GNT, NJB)
The companions were friends of the woman. For example:
your friends are listening (GW) (CEV, GW, NIV, NLT, ESV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with more English versions. In the Hebrew text “friends” is masculine here (there is no word for my). The man’s male companions probably correspond to the woman’s female companions in 1:3–4. That helps the preface and epilogue of the Song to form an inclusio. This inclusio indicates that the Song is a unified poem.

are listening for your voice: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as are listening for your voice:

It indicates that the man’s companions want to hear the woman speak. They are alert so that they can hear her when she speaks. For example:
listen for your voice (NJB) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NET, NIV, NJB, NJPS, RSV, GNT)
It indicates that the man’s companions are listening to the woman’s voice as she speaks. For example:
are listening to your voice (GW) (GW, NLT, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions. However, interpretation (2) also has good support from commentaries. Some other ways to translate interpretation (1) are:

wait to hear you speak

want to hear your voice

8:13c

Let me hear it!

Let me hear your voice! (NIV)
I also want to hear you speak!

Let me hear it!: The phrase Let me hear it contrasts with 8:13b. The man’s companions were listening for the woman’s voice, but the man wanted to be the person that she spoke to. The phrase clearly repeats the theme of 2:14d, which says, “let me hear your voice.” Translate in a similar way here. See the notes for 2:14d–e for further discussion.

it!: The word it refers to the woman’s voice.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / extrainfo

הַ⁠יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת בַּ⁠גַּנִּ֗ים חֲבֵרִ֛ים מַקְשִׁיבִ֥ים לְ⁠קוֹלֵ֖⁠ךְ הַשְׁמִיעִֽי⁠נִי

O,[you_who]_dwell in,gardens companions listening for,your_of,voice cause,me_to_hear_[it]

The author does not say who is speaking in this verse so you should not indicate who you think is speaking in the text. However, if you are using section headers to indicate who is speaking, you could place a header above this section indicating that the man is speaking.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

חֲבֵרִ֛ים

companions

Here the term companions is masculine in form in the original language and most likely refers to the man’s friends who were shepherds and were mentioned in [1:7](../01/07.md). See how you translated the term companions in [1:7](../01/07.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לְ⁠קוֹלֵ֖⁠ךְ

for,your_of,voice

Here the word voice could: (1) represent the woman’s words. Alternate translation: [to hear you speak] (2) refer to the sound of the woman’s voice. Alternate translation: [to hear your voice]

Parallel SNG 8:13

Section 8:5–14: Love has great power

Paragraph 8:13–14

8:13a

8:13b

8:13c