SNG 8:2 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (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 Παραλήψομαί σε, εἰσάξω σε εἰς οἶκον μητρός μου καὶ εἰς ταμεῖον τῆς συλλαβούσης με· ποτιῶ σε ἀπὸ οἴνου τοῦ μυρεψικοῦ, ἀπὸ νάματος ῥοῶν μου.
(Paralaʸpsomai se, eisaxō se eis oikon maʸtros mou kai eis tameion taʸs sullabousaʸs me; potiō se apo oinou tou murepsikou, apo namatos ɽoōn mou. )

BrTr I would take thee, I would bring thee into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me; I would make thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranates.

ULT I would lead you; I would bring you to the house of my mother,
⇔ she who taught me.
⇔ I would make you drink from the wine of spice,
⇔ from the juice of my pomegranate.

UST I would like to bring you to my mother’s house,
⇔ to where my mother, who taught me so many things, lives.
⇔ I would like to take you to my mother’s house so I could have sexual relations with you there.
⇔ Having sexual relations with you would be as if I were giving you spiced wine to drink, as if I were giving you sweet pomegranate wine.

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother,
⇔ who would instruct me.
⇔ I would have you drink spiced wine,
⇔ of the juice of my pomegranate.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house,
⇔ the one who taught me.
⇔ I would give you spiced wine to drink,
⇔ the nectar of my pomegranates.

LSV I lead you, I bring you into my mother’s house,
She teaches me, I cause you to drink of the spiced wine,
Of the juice of my pomegranate,

FBV Then I could take you home to my mother's house, where she used to teach me.[fn] I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranate.

8:2 Or “To the room of the one who bore me,” paralleling 3:4.

T4T No one would object if I led you to my mother’s house,
⇔ to where my mother, who taught me many things, lives.
⇔ I would like to take you to my mother’s house because I would like to make love to you [EUP],
⇔ and that would be as delightful as [MET] juice squeezed from pomegranates.

LEB • I would surely bring you[fn][fn] to the house of my mother, who would surely teach me ;[fn]
• I would give you spiced wine to drink ,[fn]
• the sweet wine[fn] of my pomegranates.[fn]

8:? Literally “I would lead you and I would bring you”

8:? The combination of the two verbs creates a hendiadys which may be rendered more cogently as “I would surely bring you …”

8:? Literally “she will teach me”

8:? Literally “I would give you to drink from the wine of the spice”

8:? Or “juice”

8:? The traditional Hebrew reads the singular “my pomegranate.” However, the plural reading “my pomegranates” is attested in numerous medieval Hebrew manuscripts and is reflected in the ancient versions (Greek Septuagint, Aramaic Targum, Syriac Peshitta). The latter makes the most sense in this context as a euphemistic description of the maiden’s delights

BBE I would take you by the hand into my mother's house, and she would be my teacher. I would give you drink of spiced wine, drink of the pomegranate.

Moff to my mother’s house would I bring you,
⇔ to the chamber of her who bore me,
⇔ spiced wine would I give you to drink,
⇔ a draught of my pomegranate wine.

JPS I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, that thou mightest instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.

ASV I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house,
⇔ Who would instruct me;
⇔ I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine,
⇔ Of the juice of my pomegranate.

DRA I will take hold of thee, and bring thee Into my mother’s house: there thou shalt teach me, and I will give thee a cup of spiced wine and new wine of my pomegranates.

YLT I lead thee, I bring thee in unto my mother's house, She doth teach me, I cause thee to drink of the perfumed wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate,

Drby I would lead thee, bring thee into my mother's house; Thou wouldest instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.

RV I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
(I would lead thee/you, and bring thee/you into my mother’s house, who would instruct me; I would cause thee/you to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate. )

SLT I will lead thee, I will bring thee to the house of my mother; thou wilt teach me: I will give thee to drink from spiced wine from the new wine of my pomegranate.

Wbstr I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

KJB-1769 I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.
(I would lead thee/you, and bring thee/you into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee/you to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. )

KJB-1611 I would leade thee, and bring thee into my mothers house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drinke of spiced wine, of the iuice of my pomegranate.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps I wyll leade thee and bryng thee into my mothers house, that thou myghtest teache me, and that I myght geue thee drynke of the spiced wine, and of the sweete sappe of my pomegranates.
(I will lead thee/you and bring thee/you into my mothers house, that thou/you mightest/might teach me, and that I might give thee/you drink of the spiced wine, and of the sweet sap of my pomegranates.)

Gnva I will leade thee and bring thee into my mothers house: there thou shalt teache me: and I will cause thee to drinke spiced wine, and newe wine of the pomegranate.
(I will lead thee/you and bring thee/you into my mothers house: there thou/you shalt/shall teach me: and I will cause thee/you to drink spiced wine, and new wine of the pomegranate. )

Cvdl yf I toke the and brought the in to my mothers house: that thou mightest teach me, and that I might geue the drynke of spyced wyne and of the swete sappe of my pomgranates.
(if I took the and brought the in to my mothers house: that thou/you mightest/might teach me, and that I might give the drink of spiced wine and of the sweet sap of my pomegranates.)

Wycl Y schal take thee, and Y schal lede thee in to the hous of my modir, and in to the closet of my modir; there thou schalt teche me, and Y schal yyue to thee drink of wyn maad swete, and of the must of my pumgranatis.
(I shall take thee/you, and I shall lead thee/you in to the house of my mother, and in to the closet of my mother; there thou/you shalt/shall teach me, and I shall give to thee/you drink of wine made sweet, and of the must of my pomegranates.)

Luth Ich wollte dich führen und in meiner Mutter Haus bringen, da du mich lehren solltest; da wollte ich dich tränken mit gemachtem Wein und mit dem Most meiner Granatäpfel.
(I wanted you/yourself lead and in mine mother house bring/get, there you(sg) me teach should; there wanted I you/yourself soak with made wine and with to_him cider mine pomegranates.)

ClVg Apprehendam te, et ducam in domum matris meæ: ibi me docebis, et dabo tibi poculum ex vino condito, et mustum malorum granatorum meorum.[fn]
(Apprehendam you(sg), and I_will_lead in/into/on house/home mother my: there me you_will_teach, and I_will_give to_you a_cup from wine condito, and mustum of_evil granatorum of_mine. )

8.2 Ibi me docebis. Tu augebis gratiam in me, et ego non ingrata augebo servitium.

8.2 There me you_will_teach. You(sg) augebis grace in/into/on me, and I not/no ingrata augebo servitium.

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 8:1–4 The woman longed for more intimacy with the man

In these verses, the woman continued to speak to the man. She told him that she longed to express her love for him openly. She wished that her beloved were like a brother so that she could kiss him in public without shame. The section ends with a refrain that is also found in 2:6–7 and 3:5. Here she was probably thinking of a time before they married.

8:2a

I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother

I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, (NASB)
I could take you to my mother’s house.

8:2b

who taught me.

who used to teach me.
She is the one who taught/nurtured me.

8:2a–b

I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me: This theme of the “mother’s house” is also found in 3:4e. Scholars differ about how to interpret the phrase the house of my mother here. Most English versions indicate that it refers to the place where the woman’s mother lived.English versions which follow this interpretation are BSB, NIV, GNT, NRSV, ESV, CEV, GW, REB, NASB, NET, and NCV. It refers to the house where an unmarried woman lives. Some scholars mention that marriage plans were often made at the mother’s house, so that could be a reason why the woman wanted to bring him there. She may have wanted to make preparations for their marriage, which is described in the Song’s central section (3:5–5:1). Other scholars suggest that the house of my mother is the place of intimate relations. For example:

I would take you to my mother's house (GNT)

to the house of my mother who taught me: There is a textual issue concerning the word that the BSB translates as taught:

The Hebrew text has the word that means “taught.” For example:
taught (NET) (BSB, NET, NIV, CEV, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NJPS)
The Greek text has the word that means “conceived” or “bore.” For example:
conceived (RSV) (RSV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most English versions.A similar verse is found in 3:4, which has “to the chamber of the one who conceived me.” It is possible that an LXX translator or copyist thought that 8:2 had the same meaning as that verse.

who taught me: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the BSB translates as who taught me:

It means “she teaching me,” and it refers to the woman’s mother. For example:
my mother, who taught me all I know. (CEV) (BSB, NIV, ESV, CEV, NASB, GW, NET, NCV, KJV)
It means “you teaching me,” and it refers to the man. For example:
there you would teach me. (NLT) (NLT, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

my mother, who used to instruct me (NASB)

She is the one who was my teacher. (GW)

8:2c

I would give you spiced wine to drink,

I would give you spiced wine.
There I could give you love as exciting as fine wine,

I would give you spiced wine to drink: The phrase spiced wine refers to wine that is mixed with spices.Here “spiced wine” may be a symbol for kisses. Notice that in 7:9a the author compared kisses to fine wine, and kisses are also in focus in 8:1d.

8:2d

the nectar of my pomegranates.

I would give you the juice of my pomegranates.
flavored with the most delicious fruit juice.

the nectar of my pomegranates: The phrase the nectar of my pomegranates is parallel to 8:2c. Probably it describes the spiced wine in 8:2c. That implies that the woman mixed pomegranate juice with the wine. It is also possible that the pomegranate juice was a separate drink in addition to the wine in 8:2c. The pomegranates are a symbol of romantic love.

Some other ways to translate the nectar of my pomegranates are:

with pomegranate juice

my sweet pomegranate wine (NLT)

If pomegranates are not known in your area, you may use a more general word or phrase. For example:

with nectar/juice from the love fruit

flavored with fruit juice

pomegranates: pomegranates are a red fruit with reddish pulp and seeds. It makes a delicious sweet drink. For more information about pomegranates, see the note on 4:3c.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / go

אֲבִֽיאֲ⁠ךָ֛ אֶל־בֵּ֥ית אִמִּ֖⁠י

I,will_bring_you to/towards house_of my_mother_of,of

See how you translated the similar phrase I had brought him to the house of my mother in [3:4](../03/04.md). Alternate translation: [I would take you to the house of my mother]

אֲבִֽיאֲ⁠ךָ֛ אֶל־בֵּ֥ית אִמִּ֖⁠י תְּלַמְּדֵ֑⁠נִי

I,will_bring_you to/towards house_of my_mother_of,of [who]_she,taught_me

Alternate translation: [I would bring you to the house of my mother who taught me]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אַשְׁקְ⁠ךָ֙ מִ⁠יַּ֣יִן הָ⁠רֶ֔קַח

I,will_give_you_to_drink some,(the)_wine of_(the),spice

The phrase I would make you drink from the wine of spice means “I would cause you to drink (by giving you) spiced wine.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include that information. Alternate translation: [I would cause you to drink spiced wine] or [I would give you spiced wine to drink]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

מִ⁠יַּ֣יִן הָ⁠רֶ֔קַח

some,(the)_wine of_(the),spice

See how you translated the similar phrase “spiced wine” in [7:2](../07/02.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

אַשְׁקְ⁠ךָ֙ מִ⁠יַּ֣יִן הָ⁠רֶ֔קַח מֵ⁠עֲסִ֖יס רִמֹּנִֽ⁠י

I,will_give_you_to_drink some,(the)_wine of_(the),spice some,of_the_juice_of my_pomegranate_of,of

The woman is politely and poetically referring to giving herself sexually to the man by using the phrase I would make you drink from the wine of spice and drink from the juice of my pomegranate. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a polite way of referring to this in your language, or you could state this plainly. Alternate translation: [I will give myself to you as if I were making you drink from the wine of spice and pomegranate juice] or [I will give myself to you as if I were giving you spiced wine to drink and giving you pomegranate juice to enjoy]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מֵ⁠עֲסִ֖יס רִמֹּנִֽ⁠י

some,of_the_juice_of my_pomegranate_of,of

Here the term the ULT translates as juice refers to fresh new wine that is sweet. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [from my fresh pomegranate wine] or [from my sweet pomegranate wine]