SNG 8:9 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=unclear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) If she’s a wall,[fn] we’ll build a silver turret on her.
⇔ And if she is a door, we’ll protect her with cedar planks.

8:9 Some consider these analogies to refer to her (still young) flat chest, others to a wall/door protecting her virginity.

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 Εἰ τεῖχός ἐστιν, οἰκοδομήσωμεν ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ἐπάλξεις ἀργυρᾶς· καὶ εἰ θύρα ἐστὶ, διαγράψωμεν ἐπʼ αὐτὴν σανίδα κεδρίνην.
(Ei teiⱪos estin, oikodomaʸsōmen epʼ autaʸn epalxeis arguras; kai ei thura esti, diagrapsōmen epʼ autaʸn sanida kedrinaʸn. )

BrTr If she is a wall, let us build upon her silver bulwarks; and if she is a door, let us carve for her cedar panels.

ULT If she is a wall,
⇔ we will build on her a battlement of silver.
⇔ And if she is a door,
⇔ we will enclose over her boards of cedar.
⇔ 

UST We will protect her virginity,
⇔ as if we were soldiers building a battlement of silver to protect a wall.
⇔ We will protect her virginity,
⇔ like we would protect a door from intruders by covering it with boards made of cedar wood.

OEB No OEB SNG book available

WEBBE ⇔ If she is a wall,
⇔ we will build on her a turret of silver.
⇔ If she is a door,
⇔ we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET If she is a wall,
⇔ we will build on her a battlement of silver;
⇔ but if she is a door,
⇔ we will barricade her with boards of cedar.

LSV If she is a wall, we build by her a palace of silver. And if she is a door,
We fashion by her board-work of cedar.

FBV If she is a wall, we will build a silver tower on it. But if she is a door, we will bar the way with cedar planks.[fn]

8:9 Some take the image of the wall as representing virginity, and the door as someone who is promiscuous. In any case, the woman identifies herself as a wall in the following verse, indicating faithfulness in any case.

T4T If her chest is flat like [MET] a wall,
⇔ we will decorate it by putting silver jewels that are like [MET] towers on it.
⇔ Or, if she is flat like [MET] a door,
⇔ we will decorate her with bits/pieces of cedar wood.

LEB • If she is a wall, we will adorn her with a turret of silver ;[fn][fn]
• but if she is a door,
• we will barricade her with boards of cedar.[fn]

8:? Literally “we will build upon her a camp of silver”

8:? The term translated “turret” refers to the decorative parapet adorning the top of a building. This image is likely figurative for a silver tiara set upon the head

8:? Or “we will enclose her”

BBE If she is a wall, we will make on her a strong base of silver; and if she is a door, we will let her be shut up with cedar-wood.

Moff If she holds out like a wall
⇔ we will adorn her with silver for dowry;
⇔ if she gives way to lovers like a door,
⇔ then we will plank her up.”
¶ 

JPS If she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

ASV ⇔ If she be a wall,
⇔ We will build upon her a turret of silver:
⇔ And if she be a door,
⇔ We will inclose her with boards of cedar.

DRA If she be a wall: let us build upon it bulwarks of silver: if she be a door, let us join it together with boards or cedar.

YLT If she is a wall, we build by her a palace of silver. And if she is a door, We fashion by her board-work of cedar.

Drby If she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret of silver; And if she be a door, We will enclose her with boards of cedar.

RV If she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

SLT If she be a wall, we will build upon her a fortress of silver: and if she is a door we will bind upon her a tablet of cedar.

Wbstr If she is a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she is a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.

KJB-1769 If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.
(If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. )

KJB-1611 If she be a wall, we will build vpon her a palace of siluer: and if she bee a dore, we will inclose her with boards of Cedar.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation)

Bshps If she be a wall, we shall builde a siluer bulwarke thervpon: yf she be a doore, we shall fasten her with boordes of Cedar tree.
(If she be a wall, we shall build a silver bulwarke thervpon: if she be a door, we shall fasten her with borders of Cedar tree.)

Gnva If shee be a wall, we will builde vpon her a siluer palace: and if she be a doore, we wil keepe her in with bordes of cedar.
(If she be a wall, we will build upon her a silver palace: and if she be a door, we will keep her in with boards of cedar. )

Cvdl Yf she be a wall, we shal buylde a syluer bollworke there vpon: Yf she be a tower, we shal festen her with bordes of Cedre tre.
(If she be a wall, we shall build a silver bowlworke there upon: If she be a tower, we shall festen her with boards of Cedar tree.)

Wycl If it is a wal, bilde we theronne siluerne touris; if it is a dore, ioyne we it togidere with tablis of cedre.
(If it is a wall, build we thereonne silver towers; if it is a door, join we it together with tables of cedar.)

Luth Ist sie eine Mauer, so wollen wir silbern Bollwerk drauf bauen. Ist sie eine Tür, so wollen wir sie festigen mit zedernen Bohlen.
(Is they/she/them a/one wall, so want we/us silver bulwark/stronghold on_it build. Is they/she/them a/one Tür, so want we/us they/she/them festigen with of_cedars plank/board.)

ClVg Si murus est, ædificemus super eum propugnacula argentea; si ostium est, compingamus illud tabulis cedrinis.[fn]
(When/But_if the_wall it_is, ædificemus over him propugnacula silver; when/but_if door it_is, compingamus it/this/that boards cedarsnis. )

8.9 Si murus est, etc. Si inventus fuerit aliquis, qui ab incursionibus errantium possit alios defendere, armis nequitiæ fortiter resistendo, vel naturæ ingenio munitus, vel philosophica scientia imbutus: divinis Scripturis eum informemus. Si ostium. Si quis est non adeo imbutus ad repellenda hæreticorum sophismata, sed tamen simplicitate fidei, intrare volentibus in atria patriæ cœlestis, potens pandere rectam viam prædicando, et parvulos imbuendo: proponamus ei immarcessibilia priorum virorum exempla, quibus suum melius impleat officium.

8.9 When/But_if the_wall it_is, etc. When/But_if found has_been someone, who/which away incursionibus they_are_wanderingium can others defendere, armis wickedness bravely/strongly resistendo, or of_nature ingenio munitus, or philosophersca knowledge/skill imbutus: divine Scripturis him informemus. When/But_if door. When/But_if who/any it_is not/no so_much imbutus to repellenda of_heretics sophismata, but nevertheless simplicity of_faith, to_enter volentibus in/into/on atria homeland heavenly, powerful pandere straight way/road preaching, and little_ones imbuendo: proponamus to_him immarcessibilia of_the_former of_men examples, to_whom his_own better fill office.

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 8:8–10

In these verses the young woman and her brothers had a conversation about her physical maturity. Her brothers said that she was young, physically immature, and not ready to be married. They referred to a wall and a door, which symbolize that she was chaste (a virgin). In 8:10 she responded to their comments, agreeing that she was chaste and saying that she was also mature and ready for marriage. She referred to the man whom she loved as one to whom she was bringing peace. The quoted speech of her brothers here forms a possible book-level inclusio with 1:6, where her brothers were also mentioned.

8:9a–d

If she is a wall, we will build a tower of silver upon her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar: In this verse the woman’s brothers discussed what to do for her when a man wants to marry her. They used two parallel figures of speech to describe what they planned to do. The parallel phrases in these figures are indicated with similar typing:

^9a If she is a wall, ^9bwe will build a tower of silver

^9c If she is a door, ^9dwe will enclose her with panels of cedar.

There are different ways to interpret these figures of speech. The Notes for 8:9 will discuss how to interpret and translate them.

8:9a

If she is a wall,

If she is like a wall,
If she guards/protects herself like a city with a wall around it,
If she is chaste, (NLT96)

If she is a wall: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as If she is a wall is more literally “if a wall she.” There is no verb like is. The woman’s brothers used the word wall here as a figure of speech to describe the woman. It implies that the woman had not had sexual relations with anyone.

The figure of a wall contrasts with the figure of a door in 8:9c. A wall blocks people from entering a room, but a door allows them to enter. In that culture a wall was often built around a city to protect the people there from enemies.In other places people build walls around their houses and land to protect their families and possessions.

Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

Use a simile. For example:
If she is like a wall/barrier
If a wall is what she resembles
Use a figure of speech and indicate the meaning. For example:
If she protects her purity like a wall protects a city/home
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
If she is chaste/pure
If she has kept/protected herself from having sexual relations with anyone

8:9b

we will build a tower of silver upon her.

we will build towers of silver on her. (NIV)
we will reward her like people who build a silver tower on their city wall.
we will reward her.

we will build a tower of silver upon her: A tower was a type of barrier that was placed on top of a city wall. It gave extra protection to the city. silver is a precious metal, and a battlement made of silver would be expensive and beautiful.

The phrase tower of silver is used in a figurative way here. The woman’s brothers implied that they planned to reward the woman for being sexually pure and to continue to protect her. They would decorate her with silver so that she would be very appealing and beautiful to any man who wanted to marry her. A man would see the silver and also realize that she was precious to her family.

Some ways to translate the figure of speech in 8:9b are:

Keep the figure of speech of a silver barrier and indicate its purpose to protect a city or a person. For example:
we will build a silver barrier around her. (GW)
we will give her a silver shield to defend her.
we will protect her with a silver tower. (NLT)
Translate the meaning more directly without the figure of speech of a tower. For example:
we will decorate her with silver jewelry to show that she is precious and guarded
If she is chaste, we will strengthen and encourage her. (NLT96)

8:9c

If she is a door,

However, if she is like a door,
But if she is as welcoming as a gate that is open for people to enter,

8:9d

we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

we will barricade her with cedar boards. (GW)
we will protect her like people who make a fine cedar/wooden fence around a beautiful house.

8:9c–d

If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar: Here the brothers used a door and panels of cedar as metaphors to contrast with the metaphor of a wall in 8:9a–b. A woman who is like a door is too willing to allow men to be intimate with her. If the woman was like a door, she would need even more protection.

Some ways to translate the metaphor here are:

Keep the metaphor. For example:
But if she is a gate, we will protect her with panels of cedar. (GNT)
if she is a door, we shall bar it with a plank of cedarwood. (REB)
Use a simile. For example:
But if she is like a door that opens to men too freely, we will prevent them from entering, as though we blocked the door with cedar panels.
If it is a gate that she resembles, we will prevent men from entering, as though we blocked a gate with fine wooden boards.
Translate the meaning more directly without the figure of speech. For example:
But if she welcomes men too freely, we will protect her by preventing them from coming.

In 8:10 the woman affirmed that she was like a wall by saying clearly, “I am a wall.” She did not compare herself to a door.

we will enclose her with panels of cedar: The clause we will enclose her with panels of cedar implies that the brothers would block the woman’s doorway with wooden boards to protect her against intruders. It does not indicate that the brothers would imprison her.

panels of cedar: cedar wood is a hard wood which was beautiful and expensive in Israel. It may imply here that the brothers wanted to enhance the woman’s beauty, in addition to protecting her. It may also imply that the brothers wanted to attract a rich man who would bring wealth to the family when he married their sister.

In some areas cedar trees are not known or are not common. If that is true in your area, you may use a more general term. For example:

beautiful, expensive wood

the beautiful wood called “cedar”

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אִם־חוֹמָ֣ה הִ֔יא נִבְנֶ֥ה עָלֶ֖י⁠הָ טִ֣ירַת כָּ֑סֶף

if wall she/it let_us_build on/upon=it(f) battlement_of silver

Here the woman’s brothers are speaking of their sister as if she were a wall that they would protect by building a battlement of silver on it. The meaning could be: (1) that they would protect her virginity by guarding her, like a wall that has a battlement can be guarded. Alternate translation: [We will protect her virginity like we would protect a wall by building a battlement of silver on it] (2) that her chest was flat because her breasts were not fully formed, and they would try to make her attractive for the man she was going to marry by adorning her with silver jewels. Alternate translation: [If her chest is flat like a wall, we will decorate it by putting silver jewels that are like towers on it]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠אִם־דֶּ֣לֶת הִ֔יא נָצ֥וּר עָלֶ֖י⁠הָ ל֥וּחַ אָֽרֶז

and=if door she/it enclose on/upon=it(f) boards_of cedar

Here the woman’s brothers are speaking of their sister as if she were a door that they would enclose with boards of cedar. The meaning could be: (1) that they would make an effort to protect her virginity. Alternate translation: [We will protect her virginity like we would enclose a door with boards of cedar] (2) that her chest was flat because her breasts were not fully formed, and so they would try to make her more attractive for the man she was going to marry by adorning her the way they would decorate a door with cedar wood. (The word the ULT translates as enclose is identical in form to another word which means “decorate” so “decorate” could be the intended meaning here.) Alternate translation: [And if she is flat like a door, we will decorate her like we would decorate a door with planks of cedar wood]

Parallel SNG 8:9