This verse is the title of this book. Use whatever formatting convention is most natural in your language for indicating the title of a poem or song. The ULT places this line further to the left than the other lines in this book to indicate that this verse is the title.

The possessive form in Song of Songs is used here to indicate a comparison with other Songs and to show that this Song is the best or greatest of all songs. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use another form to indicate this. Alternate translation: [The best song] or [The most excellent song] or [The greatest song]

The phrase of Solomon could mean: (1) Solomon wrote this song. Alternate translation: [Solomon wrote]; (2) this song was dedicated to Solomon. Alternate translation: [is dedicated to Solomon]; (3) this song was about Solomon. Alternate translation: [is about Solomon]

Here, kiss me with the kisses of his mouth is an emphatic construction that uses a verb and its object that come from the same root. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to express the meaning here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of showing the emphasis. Alternate translation: [Let him kiss me again and again with the kisses of his mouth] or [Let him cover my face with the kisses of his mouth] or [I wish he would kiss me passionately with his mouth]

In this book every occurrence of the words you and your is singular. Your language may require you to mark these forms.

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the way you love me is better than wine] or [your loving is better than wine]

Alternate translation: [I enjoy your love more than I enjoy drinking wine] or [your love is more pleasant than wine]

These lines of poetry most likely indicate internal words or thoughts, things that the woman is thinking while she is alone. Your language may have a way of indicating speech that is expressed toward a person who is not present to hear what is being said. If your language has a way to indicate that, you could use it here.

The Hebrew word which the ULT translates as As for could: (1) indicate reference, in which case it should be translated with an equivalent phrase or as the ULT translates it. Alternate translation: [In reference to the scent of]; (2) indicate emphasis or be making an assertion. Alternate translation: [Truly, the scent of] or [Indeed, the scent of]

Here, oils refers to colognes or perfumes. The author is assuming the reader knows that pleasant-smelling spices were mixed into olive oil in order to make a pleasant-smelling perfume, which was then applied to the skin. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. If men do not put pleasant-smelling things on their skin in your culture, you could say that the scent of the man being spoken of here is pleasant. Alternate translation: [your colognes—they are good] or [your scented oils—they are good] or [your skin—it is good] or [your body—it is good]

Here, your name represents her beloved’s reputation. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [oil poured out is your reputation] or [your name is pleasant like good perfume is pleasant]

The woman makes a comparison between the man’s reputation (which she refers to as his name) and scented oil that is poured out, after which the good smell of the oil spreads as the air moves. If it would be helpful in your language, you could explain the comparison. Alternate translation: [your reputation spreads like the fragrance of scented oil spreads after it has been poured out] or [your reputation spreads like the scent of perfumed oil after it has been poured out]

The Hebrew words translated as Therefore indicate that what follows is a result of what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a result of what came before. Alternate translation: [As a result]

Here, marriageable women refers to young women who are old enough to be married or who have been recently married but not yet given birth to a child. Your language may have a term for women during this stage of life that you could use here, or you could use a more general term.

Alternate translation: [Lead me]

The word us refers to the young woman and the man that she is addressing, so use the inclusive form of that word if your language marks that distinction. Alternate translation: [let you and me run]

Here the woman uses run as a poetic way of expressing her desire that she and the man she loves should quickly go away together. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [let us hurry]

Here the woman is speaking affectionately of the man she loves as if he were The king. She is not speaking of an actual king but using the word as a term of endearment. She is still speaking of the same man that she was speaking of in 1:2–3. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [He whom I love is like a king to me and] or [He who is like a king to me]

The original language word which the ULT translates as The king has brought me could be describing: (1) a request or wish that the woman has. Alternate translation: [May the king bring me]; (2) an action that has already happened. Alternate translation: [The king brought me]

Your language may say “taken” rather than brought in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [has taken me]

The us in these two lines could be: (1 )a group of young women speaking about the man. Alternate translation: [We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will profess your love more than wine]; (2) the woman continuing to speak to the man she loves and using us to refer to herself. Alternate translation: [May I be glad and rejoice in you. May I profess your love more than wine]

The word us is inclusive all three times that it occurs in this verse. Use the inclusive form of this word if your language marks that distinction.

The terms be glad and rejoice mean similar things. The author is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [Let us greatly rejoice] or [Let us rejoice greatly]

Alternate translation: [Let us proclaim]

The phrase more than wine could mean: (1) that the women would profess that the man’s love was more delightful than wine. Alternate translation: [as being more delightful than wine]; (2) that the women would profess the delightfulness of the man’s love more often than they would profess the delightfulness of wine. Alternate translation: [more often than we profess wine]

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [that the way you love is better than wine] or [that the way you love me is better than wine]

Here the speaker could be: (1) the woman speaking to the man about the young women who admire him. Alternate translation: [rightly do the young women love you]; (2) the young women speaking of other women who admire the man. Alternate translation: [rightly do the other young women love you]. You may wish to indicate who the presumed speaker is here by placing a heading above this section, as modeled by the UST.

Alternate translation: [it is right that other young women adore you] or [no wonder other young women adore you]

Solomon assumes that his readers will understand that here, I am black means “my skin is black” or “my skin is very dark.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [My skin is black] or [My skin is very dark]

Here the word but is introducing a contrast between what was expected and what follows. In the author’s culture, it was not considered attractive for a woman to have skin darkened by the sun. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a contrast. Alternate translation: [yet lovely] or [but still lovely]

The woman is using the possessive form to poetically describe where the young women (daughters of Jerusalem) live. The phrase refers to the young women from Jerusalem; probably the same women as the “marriageable women” in 1:3 and “they” in 1:4). If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could indicate the association between them in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [daughters from Jerusalem] or [young women from Jerusalem]

The Kedar people group used black goat skins to make their tents. The woman is comparing her skin to these tents. The phrase the curtains of Solomon refers to the beautiful curtains in Solomon’s palace. The point of the first comparison is that the woman’s skin was black. The second indicates that the woman was also lovely. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use equivalent comparisons from your culture, or you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [like the dark tents of the Kedar people, like the curtains of Solomon’s palace] or [as dark as the tents of Kedar, as beautiful as the curtains in Solomon’s palace]

The phrase Do not look at me could mean: (1) the woman does not want people to look at her with contempt. Alternate translation: [Do not look at me with contempt, that I am black] or [Do not look at me disapprovingly, that I am black]; (2) the woman does not want people to stare at her in admiration of her beauty. Alternate translation: [Do not stare at my beauty, that I am black]

The word that indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [because I]

Solomon assumes that his readers will understand that here, I am black means “my skin is black” or “my skin is very dark,” as it did in 1:5. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [that my skin is black] or [that my skin is very dark]

The word that indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [because the sun scorched me]

The author assumes that his readers will understand that the sun scorched me means “the sun made my skin color turn very dark.” You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [that the sun darkened my skin]

Alternate translation: [as caretaker of the vineyards— I have not taken care of my own vineyard]

The woman is probably using the phrase my vineyard to refer to her skin. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [my skin I have not protected from the sun] or [I have not protected my complexion from the sun]

The woman is using one part of herself, her soul, to represent all of her. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [you, the man whom I love]

The woman is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need to be complete. You could supply these words from the context if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [where do you graze your flock] or [where do you graze your sheep]

Here the woman is not asking for information but is using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate her words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [I do not want to be like a woman who covers herself beside the flocks of your companions] or [Tell me so that I will not be like a woman who covers herself beside the flocks of your companions]

The author assumes that his readers will understand that covers herself means “covers herself with a veil.” The phrase your companions refers to the other shepherds who pastured their animals near the flocks of the man; they were probably his friends. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [like a woman who covers herself with a veil beside the flocks of the other shepherds]

The woman does not want to look like a woman who covers herself because in her culture, prostitutes often covered their faces with a veil so that people would not recognize them. She did not want to be mistaken for a prostitute while attempting to find him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [For why should I be like a prostitute who covers herself with a veil and wanders around among the flocks of your companions]

If it would help your readers to see that this is a conditional statement, you could supply a word like “then” in your translation. Alternate translation: [If you do not know, most beautiful among women, then go out]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could begin this verse with the phrase most beautiful among women. Alternate translation: [Most beautiful among women, if you do not know]

Your language may say “come” rather than go in contexts such as these. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [come out]

Alternate translation: [and let your young goats graze] or [and let your young goats eat]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could begin this verse with the phrase my darling. Alternate translation: [My darling, I liken you to a mare among the chariots of Pharaoh]

The comparison To a mare among the chariots of Pharaoh I liken you could be: (1) the man saying that the excitement caused by a mare (a female horse) among Pharaoh’s male chariot horses is like the excitement that the woman caused him to feel. (2) the man saying that the beauty of the woman is like the beauty of one of Pharaoh’s mares. The horses of the king of Egypt, the Pharaoh, were known to be the best in the world and very beautiful. This is the second option because, normally, only stallions, not mares, pulled the chariots. Alternate translation: [Your beauty is like the beauty of Pharaoh’s chariot horses] or [I compare your beauty to the beauty of Pharaoh’s chariot horses]

Here, the chariots represents “the horses that pull the chariots.” Chariots were normally drawn by pairs of male horses (stallions). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [among the stallions that pull Pharaoh’s chariots] or [among the stallions that pull the chariots of Pharaoh]

The word Pharaoh is a title and represents kings of Egypt in general, not one particular king of Egypt. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural expression. Alternate translation: [the king of Egypt]

The term which the ULT translates as earrings refers to strings of small ornaments or jewels which hung down the side of one’s face from the ears. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of jewelry, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term and put an explanation in a footnote. Alternate translation: [with neck ornaments] or [with strings of jewels]

Here, necklaces are a type of jewelry worn around the neck to make a person look more attractive. If your readers would not be familiar with necklaces, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term and make a footnote to explain what a necklace is. Alternate translation: [with neck ornaments] or [with strings of jewels]

See how you translated the term Earrings in the previous verse.

By we, the writer could mean: (1) that the man will have someone make the Earrings of gold for her. The man is not including the woman, so use the exclusive form of this word if your language marks that distinction. Alternate translation: [Earrings of gold I will have someone make for you] or [I will pay someone to make earrings of gold for you]; (2) that though the man is using a plural form, he expects the woman to understand that he means “I.” Alternate translation: [Earrings of gold I will make for you]; (3) that a group of people, and not the man, speak here. If you are using section headers, you can place a header above this section to indicate who you think is speaking.

Alternate translation: [with beads of silver] or [that are decorated with silver]

See how you translated the phrase the king in 1:4 where it is used with the same meaning.

The word which the ULT translates as couch could: (1) refer to a couch, which is a long upholstered piece of furniture. (2) refer to a table. Alternate translation: [was at his table]

The term nard refers to pleasant-smelling, perfumed oil that was made from the roots of the nard plant. If your readers would not be familiar with nard plants, you could use a general expression or describe what nard is. Alternate translation: [my perfumed oil] or [my pleasant-smelling perfume made from the nard plant]

Alternate translation: [gave off its good odor] or [spread its pleasant aroma]

In the author’s culture, women sometimes wore a small bag or pouch of myrrh on a necklace so they could enjoy its pleasant fragrance. The woman makes a comparison between that enjoyable experience and that of having the man she loves near her. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [I enjoy having my beloved near me throughout the night just like I enjoy the fragrance of a bag of myrrh]

Here, myrrh is a pleasant-smelling incense made from resin obtained from the bark of a certain kind of tree. If your readers would not be familiar with myrrh, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [pleasant-smelling perfume]

Alternate translation: [is my lover]

If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a polite way of referring to breasts, or state the meaning of the phrase between my breasts it stays by using a more general expression. Alternate translation: [My beloved stays very close to me during the night, like a bundle of myrrh around my neck]

Here the original language word that the ULT translates it stays is ambiguous regarding what it is that stays. This word could: (1) indicate that the bundle of myrrh is what stays. Alternate translation: [the bundle of myrrh stays]; (2) mean that the man does not leave that location throughout the night. Alternate translation: [he lingers]

The phrase henna blossoms refers to pleasant-smelling blossoms from the henna plant. If your readers would not be familiar with this plant, you could use the name of a fragrant plant in your area, you could describe the henna plant, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [fragrant flowers] or [fragrant blossoms from the henna plant]

Here the phrase the vineyards of Engedi refers to one of the most beautiful places in Israel, and the henna blossoms there were famous for their exquisite fragrance. In this verse, the woman makes a comparison between the pleasurable experience of the vineyards and her enjoyment of having the man she loves near to her. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [The presence of my lover gives me feelings of pleasure] or [I delight in my beloved being near me like I delight in the smell of the henna flowers in the vineyards of En Gedi]

The man is using the term Behold to focus the woman’s attention on what he is about to say. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation. Alternate translation: [Look at you! … Look at you!]

The man uses the phrase Behold you, beautiful two times for emphasis. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the phrases and express emphasis in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [Behold you, beautiful, my darling! Your eyes are doves]

See how you translated the phrase my darling in 1:9

Here the man is speaking of the woman’s eyes as if they were doves. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Your eyes are like doves] or [Your eyes are gentle and beautiful]

The woman is using the term Behold to focus the man’s attention on what she is about to say. Your language may have a comparable expression that you could use in your translation. Alternate translation: [Look at you]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could either begin or end this verse with the phrase my beloved. Alternate translation: [My beloved, behold you! You are handsome, truly pleasant. Indeed, our couch is leafy]

See how you translated the phrase my beloved in 1:13. Alternate translation: [my lover]

The woman is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need to be complete. You could supply these words from the context if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [my beloved. You are truly pleasant]

Here, couch refers to the place where the couple would lie down in the forest. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the place where we lie down is] or [the place on which we lie down like a bed is]

Here the word that the ULT translates as leafy could be translated in a general way such as “green,” or you could indicate a more specific meaning. Here, leafy could refer to: (1) the grass that the couple lay down on. Alternate translation: [grass]; (2) the branches above their meeting place in the forest. Alternate translation: [under the cover of branches] or [shaded by branches]. The author assumes that readers will understand that it is not a literal couch. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers.

Here the woman is speaking of the forest as if it were a house, the cedar trees as if they were the beams of the house, and the pine trees as if they were the rafters of the house. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Our meeting place is shaded by cedar and pine trees] or [Branches of cedar and pine trees will be a canopy over our meeting place]

The Hebrew word that the ULT translates as pine refers to a tall evergreen tree that is either a fir or a pine. This tree would provide a dense covering that would act like the rafters of a roof. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of tree, you could use the name of a similar tree in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [are tall leafy trees]

Here the woman is speaking of herself as if she is a type of wildflower. She compares herself to these common wildflowers to express that she thinks she is no more attractive than other young women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [I am as common as a wildflower of Sharon or a lily of the valleys] or [My beauty is as common as a wildflower of Sharon or a lily of the valleys]

The original word which the ULT translates as wildflower refers to a specific type of flower which grows on the ground. The exact type of flower that the original word refers to cannot be known with certainty, so you could use the name of a pretty wildflower in your area, or you could use a more general term.

The writer assumes that the reader will know that Sharon was the name of a specific plain (a flat area) and that the word itself refers to a flat, wide area. Here the woman is probably referring to “plains” in general and expressing that she is like a wildflower that grows on the plains. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [I am a flower that grows on the plain of Sharon] or [I am a flower that grows on the plains]

These two phrases a flower of Sharon and a lily of the valleys mean basically the same thing. The second phrase emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the phrases into one. Alternate translation: [I am a wildflower that grows in the plains and the valleys]

The woman is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. If it would be clearer in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [I am a lily of]

The Hebrew word that the ULT translates as lily is a type of flower which grows as a wildflower. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of flower, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [a wildflower of]

The man is saying that the woman he loves is like a lily among thorns. The idea is that just as a lily is much more beautiful than thorns, so the woman he loves is much more beautiful than the other young women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [You, my darling, are much more beautiful than all other women]

See how you translated the word lily in 2:1.

See how you translated the phrase my darling in 1:9.

The writer assumes that the readers will understand that the daughters refers to the “daughters of Jerusalem” mentioned in 1:5. The phrase probably also refers to all women. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the young women of Jerusalem] or [the other young women]

The woman is saying that the man is like an apple tree because, in the same way that an apple tree is more pleasant than the other trees of the forest, so the man she loves is more pleasant than other men. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [As apple trees are more pleasant than other trees, so you, my beloved, are more pleasant than other men] or [As apple trees are more delightful than other trees, so you, my beloved, are more delightful than other men]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [Among the other young men, my beloved is like an apple tree among the trees of the forest] or [Compared to other men, my beloved is like an apple tree among the trees of the forest]

An apple tree is a tree that produces apples, a round, pleasant-tasting fruit. Bible scholars are not certain that the word the ULT translates as apple refers to what we now call an apple. It could refer to an apricot or another type of fruit. If your readers would not be familiar with these types of trees, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [Like a tree that produces pleasant tasting fruit] or [Like an apricot tree]

The writer assumes that the reader will understand that the trees of the forest refers to the other trees of the forest, those which were considered common when compared to the beautiful, fruit-bearing apple tree. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [among the other trees of the forest] or [compared to the common trees of the forest]

See how you translated the phrase my beloved in 1:13.

Here the writer assumes that the reader will know that the sons refers to the other young men. In the previous verse the man compared the woman to the other “daughters”. Here the woman compares the man she loves to the other young men, whom she calls sons. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [among the other young men] or [when compared to all the other men]

Here the woman continues speaking of the man as if he were an apple tree. The word shadow refers to the shade of the apple tree which gives protection from the sun. I sat represents being near or in the presence of the man. Here the woman speaks of her pleasurable feelings as if they were his fruit which is sweet to my palate. If it is possible in your language, you should try to retain the images used here or substitute a comparable image. However, if it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [He provides me with refreshment and protection when I am in his presence; he gives me great pleasure] or [I sit in his presence, and he refreshes and protects me. Like sweet fruit, he is delightful to me]

Alternate translation: [In his shade I took delight, and I sat]

See how you translated the phrase “has brought me” in 1:4. The original language word which the ULT translates here as He brought me could be describing: (1) a request or wish that the woman has and not something that has already happened. Alternate translation: [May he bring me] or [I desire him to bring me]; (2) an action that has already happened. Alternate translation: [He has brought me]

Your language might say “took” rather than brought in a context such as this. Alternate translation: [He took me]

The writer assumes that the reader will understand that the phrase house of wine refers to a location to which people went to drink wine. The phrase does not necessarily mean a house, so here it could be referring to the private location that the couple used as their meeting place, (described in 1:17). You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the place where wine is drunk] or [the place where wine is served] or [our meeting place]

The woman is referring to a private meeting place, one in which they could enjoy expressing their love for each other. She speaks of it in a polite way by using the phrase house of wine, an image that was meaningful in her culture. 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: [our meeting place so that we could enjoy our love] or [the place where we could celebrate our love for each other] or [the place where we could consummate our love]

The woman is speaking of the man’s love for her as if it were a banner. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and he publicly displays his love for me, and his intention is to protect me] or [and he covers me with his love]

A banner is a flag made from a large piece of cloth that is attached to a long pole. People, groups, and kings had their own unique banners by which they identified themselves. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of flag, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [and his flag]

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [and his banner shows that I belong to him, and he loves me]

These two clauses mean basically the same thing. In the author’s culture both raisins and apples were believed to give people strength for love. The second clause emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the clauses with a word that shows that the second clause is repeating the first one, not saying something additional, or you could combine these two clauses into one. Alternate translation: [Sustain me with raisin cakes; yes, refresh me with apples] or [strengthen me with fruit] or [strengthen me for love with fruit]

The phrases Sustain me and refresh me are plural imperative forms in the original language. The woman is addressing the man using plural forms to show the intensity of her feelings. The ULT indicates this intensity by placing an exclamation point at the end of this verse. Your language may allow you to use a plural form for this purpose, or you could use the singular form and show the intensity of emotion in another way.

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: [Because I am sick with love, sustain me with raisin cakes and refresh me with apples]

Here, raisin cakes were cakes made of dried grapes pressed together. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of fruit, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [with cakes made of dried fruit]

See how you translated the word “apple” in 2:3.

The woman speaks of feeling sick with love as an exaggeration to emphasize the strength of her feelings for the man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: [for my love for you is so strong that I feel as if I were sick with love] or [because my love for you overwhelms me like a sickness]

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [longing for you]

This verse could be describing: (1) an action that the man was doing, in which case it should be translated in a similar way to the ULT. (2) a request or wish that the woman has, and not something which has already happened. Alternate translation: [I hope he puts his left arm under my head and holds me close with his right arm] or [I want him to put his left arm under my head and hold me close with his right arm]

Alternate translation: [The man I love cradles my head on his left arm]

Here the woman is speaking to the daughters of Jerusalem, but most likely they are not present. The woman is doing this as a poetic way of giving voice to her strong feelings. Because the author does this intentionally for poetic effect, it is suggested that you do the same. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate this in a footnote.

The phrase I adjure you and the word by are both parts of a Hebrew oath formula. Use a natural way in your language to express an oath. Alternate translation: [I urge you to promise me … with the female gazelles or the does of the field as our witnesses] or [Please promise me … with the female gazelles or the does of the field as our witnesses] or [I want you to make an oath … with the female gazelles or the does of the field listening]

See how you translated the phrase daughters of Jerusalem in 1:5.

Here the woman is using the possessive form to describe the female gazelles and does that are characterized as being of the field and therefore are wild animals. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could explain the meaning of the phrase of the field in your translation. Alternate translation: [by the wild female gazelles and does] or [by the wild female gazelles or the wild does] or [by the female gazelles or the does that live in the wild]

A gazelle is a small type of antelope, that looks and moves like a deer and is similar in size. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of animal, you could use the name of a similar animal in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [by the female antelopes]

The writer assumes that the reader will understand that does refers to female deer. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the female deer of]

Here the woman speaks of love as if it were a person who could sleep, awaken, and have desires. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [do not encourage people to love romantically until the appropriate time] or [do not encourage people to have romantic feelings until the appropriate time]

Here the words awaken and stir mean similar things. The repetition is used for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [do not awaken] or [do not stir up feelings of]

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way.

Here the word voice either refers to: (1) the man’s words that he is speaking or (2) the sound of his voice which indicates he is approaching. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Listen, I hear my beloved speaking] or [Listen, I hear my beloved approaching]

Behold is an exclamation word that is used to bring attention to the man’s approach. Use an exclamation that would communicate that meaning in your language. See how you translated Behold in 1:15. Alternate translation: [See]

Your language may say “going” rather than coming in contexts such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [is going]

These two phrases mean the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine these two phrases and provide emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [leaping over the mountains!] or [leaping and jumping over the mountains and hills!]

The woman is saying that the man she loves is like a gazelle or a young stag because he appears strong and exuberant as he approaches her. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [leaping over the mountains, jumping over the hills. My beloved is agile and exuberant, and he exudes freedom and strength as does a gazelle or young stag]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [My beloved is being like a gazelle or a young stag, leaping over the mountains, jumping over the hills]

See how you translated the plural form, “gazelles,” in 2:7; then translate this word as the singular form of “gazelles.”

The writer assumes that the readers will understand that a stag is an adult male deer. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [adult male deer]

See how you translated the word Behold in 1:15 where it occurs with the same meaning.

Here the phrase this one refers to the man whom the woman calls My beloved in the first part of this verse. If this is not clear for your readers, you could specify the person here. Alternate translation: [this man] or [my beloved]

Here the word our refers to the woman and her family and does not include the man, so use the exclusive form of that word in your translation if your language marks that distinction. Alternate translation: [behind the wall of my house] or [on the other side of the wall of my family’s house]

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than “and” in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [gazing through the windows, yes, looking through the lattices]

Here the words windows and lattices are plural forms and could: (1) have a plural meaning here, indicating that the man was walking around the house and looking into the house through different windows and lattices. (2) be used with singular meanings here, indicating the multiple openings of a single window and lattice. Alternate translation: [the window … the lattice]

The lattices are vertical and horizontal strips found inside a window frame. They have spaces between them through which a person could look. If your readers would not be familiar with lattices, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use the wording of the UST. Alternate translation: [the screen]

Your language may say “go” rather than come in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [and go]

The man is using the term behold to focus the woman’s attention on what he is about to say. Your language may have a comparable expression that you could use in your translation. Alternate translation: [see]

Here the word for indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [behold, this is because]

In Israel, winter is the time of year when it is cold and rains more heavily than during other seasons. If the seasons do not vary much in your location, you could explain this with a general expression such as “the cold season.” Alternate translation: [the cold, rainy season] or [the cold, wet season]

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than “and” in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [the winter has gone; yes, the rain has passed]

Your language might not say has gone in a context such as this. Alternate translation: [is finished] or [is over]

Alternate translation: [it has ended] or [it has departed]

The terms passed and went away mean similar things. The author is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [is over and gone] or [has gone away]

Alternate translation: [throughout the land]

If your language does not use a passive form like the turtledove is heard, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it is people. Alternate translation: [and people hear the voice of the turtledove] or [and people hear the turtledove cooing]

In this verse, the word fig tree is in singular form but refers to all the fig trees as a group. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this plainly. Alternate translation: [The fig trees are ripening their green figs] or [The figs on the trees are becoming ripe]

Alternate translation: [and the grapevines are flowering] or [and the grapevines are blossoming]

Here the pronoun they refers to the blossoms on the grapevines. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [their flowers give off a pleasant smell] or [their blossoms have a sweet smell]

See how you translated the similar phrase in 2:10. Alternate translation: [Get up, go, my darling, my beauty, and go]

Here the phrase My dove could be: (1) the man speaking directly to the woman. Alternate translation: [O my dove]; (2) the man speaking about the woman rather than speaking to her directly. Alternate translation: [The woman I love is a dove]

Here the man speaks to the woman he loves as if she were his dove. He then tells her the way in which she is like a dove. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [O my one who is like a dove. You are like a gentle and timid dove which hides in the clefts of the rock and in the hiding places of the cliff] or [You are like a dove, like a gentle and shy dove which hides in the clefts of the rock and in the hiding places of the cliff] or [You are like a dove, far away in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the cliff]

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word such as “yes” in order to show that the second phrase is repeating a similar idea to the first one, not saying something additional. You could also combine the two lines as modeled by the UST. Alternate translation: [in the clefts of the rock, yes, in the hiding places of the cliff]

Alternate translation: [in the cracks of the rock]

Here two ideas are presented and then they are further explained in reverse order. This is called a chiasm. Biblical Hebrew sometimes uses this literary device. If possible, try to follow this AB-BA sequence of presenting the information here. See the chapter introduction for more information regarding chiasms.

The phrases show me and make me hear are imperatives, but they communicate a polite request rather than a command. Use a form in your language that communicates a polite request. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” or “let” to make this clear. Alternate translation: [please let me see your appearance, please let me hear] or [let me see you, let me hear]

Alternate translation: [your voice is sweet-sounding] or [your voice sounds beautiful]

Here the writer is speaking of the foxes as if they represent things, perhaps even other men, who could harm the man and woman’s developing relationship with each other. Catching the foxes represents removing or protecting against them. The vineyards represent the love the man and woman have for each other. The phrase our vineyards {are in} blossom means that their love is growing, like a plant blossoms and grows. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Get rid of the harmful things that hinder and damage our relationship, for our relationship is blossoming] or [Remove the little things that threaten our growing relationship] or [There are other men who are like little foxes that ruin vineyards; do not allow those men to attack me]

It is possible that the word that the ULT translates as foxes could, instead, refer to jackals. Jackals are wild dogs that resemble wolves and coyotes. Alternate translation: [the jackals for us, the little jackals]

Both foxes and jackals are land animals that are similar to small dogs and would ruin vineyards by digging up roots and eating the budding blossoms. If your readers would not be familiar with these animals and their habits, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [the dog-like animals for us, the little dog-like animals]

Here the words us and our refer to the woman and the man, so use the inclusive forms of these words if your language marks that distinction.

Alternate translation: [because the grapevines in our vineyards are blooming] or [because our grapevines are in bloom]

The woman is speaking about the man in the third person even though she is most likely speaking directly to the man. This is common in Hebrew poetry. If this would not be natural in your language, you can translate this in a way that indicates that the woman is speaking directly to the man. Alternate translation: [My beloved, you belong to me, and I belong to you]

The phrase the man grazing among the lilies could mean: (1) that the man himself is grazing among the lilies. (2) that the man grazes his flock of animals among the lilies. Alternate translation: [the man grazing his flock among the lilies]

Here the woman is speaking of the man as if he were “a gazelle or a young stag” (2:9) that eats among the lilies. She is using lilies to represent herself as she did in 2:1. Here, the lilies probably represent the woman’s lips. The meaning here is that the man finds sustenance and enjoyment through being with the woman and kissing her lips. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [my beloved gets pleasure grazing among the lilies] or [my beloved gets pleasure as he grazes among the lilies]

See how you translated “lily” (the singular form of lilies) in 2:1.

The phrases the day breathes and the shadows flee mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this type of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. Together, they both either refer to: (1) the evening time, when the evening breeze blows (breathes) and the shadows cast by the sun disappear (flee). Alternate translation: [the evening time when the breeze blows and the shadows cast by the sun disappear] or (2) the morning time, when the light from the sun dawns and the morning breeze blows (breathes). Alternate translation: [dawn tomorrow morning, when the darkness disappears]

Here the author is leaving out the word Until that in many languages this sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply this word from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [and until the shadows flee]

Alternate translation: [turn; my beloved, and be like]

See how you translated the plural form “gazelles” in 2:7, and translate this word as the singular form of “gazelles.”

The word Bether is a word borrowed from the Hebrew that means “cleft” or “divided.” You will need to decide if you will borrow it into your language or if you will translate the meaning. Either approach has broad support. Here it could: (1) be a proper name that refers to a specific place in Israel. If you choose this option, then in your translation you could spell it the way that it sounds in your language and then put the meaning in a footnote. (2) be a description of the mountains. Alternate translation: [the cleft mountains] or [the rugged mountains] or [the mountain gorges]

Because Bible scholars do not know if the events described in 3:1–4 describe real events, dreams, or things imagined, you should not expand on or explain the phrase On my bed in the night in the text. However, you may wish to make reference to these possibilities in a header or footnote. See the section “Translation Issues in This Chapter” in the chapter introduction for more information.

In the original language, the phrase in the night uses a plural form of night and could mean that the woman: (1) sought the man during the night. Alternate translation: [during the night]; (2) sought the man throughout the night. Alternate translation: [throughout the night] or [all night long]; (3) sought the man on many nights. Alternate translation: [night after night]

The phrase I sought him is repeated for emphasis. Hebrew poetry often uses repetition for emphasis. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to show the emphasis here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of showing the emphasis. Alternate translation: [I desperately sought him whom my soul loves] or [I earnestly sought him whom my soul loves]

See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in 1:7. Alternate translation: [him whom I love]

The writer assumes that the reader will understand that the woman is thinking or saying this to herself. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [I thought to myself, ‘I will get up now’]

Alternate translation: [and walk through the city]

The word squares refers to spacious open places where people gather to sell things and conduct business and legal matters. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of place, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [and in the open plazas] or [and in the wide-open places]

Alternate translation: [I will look for … I looked for him]

See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in 1:7. Alternate translation: [him whom I love]

The word guards refers to men who had the job of walking about the city during the night for the purpose of keeping the people safe. If your readers would not be familiar with this term, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term.

The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [I said to them, “Have you seen him whom my soul loves]

See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in 1:7. Alternate translation: [him whom I love]

Alternate translation: [Do you know where the man whom I love is?]

Alternate translation: [Scarcely]

See how you translated the similar phrase “you whom my soul loves” in 1:7. Alternate translation: [him whom I love]

Your language may say “taken” rather than brought in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural in your language. Alternate translation: [I had taken him]

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than “and” in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [I had brought him to the house of my mother; yes, to the room of the woman who had conceived me]

This verse is identical to Song of Songs 2:7. Translate this verse exactly as you translated that verse. This verse is a refrain (a repeated phrase). Refrains are a common feature of poetry. This refrain closes section 2:8–3:5.

The phrase Who is that could: (1) be a rhetorical question used to create a sense of expectation and interest. If you would not use a question for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [Look who is coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense, from all the powders of the merchant]; (2) be a request for information. Alternate translation: [Who is it that I see arising from the wilderness like columns of smoke, fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense from all the powders of the merchant]

The word translated as that here could refer to: (1) Solomon’s “litter,” which is named in the following verse. Alternate translation: [is that group of people arising from the wilderness]; (2) the woman. Alternate translation: [is this woman arising from the wilderness]

The writer assumes that the readers will understand that the phrase coming up describes the group of people traveling from the wilderness to Jerusalem because the wilderness is in the valley and Jerusalem is built on high hills. Use a word or phrase that expresses moving upward in elevation. Alternate translation: [moving upward] or [arising]

Your language may say “going” rather than coming in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural in your language. Alternate translation: [going up]

The writer is saying that the dust clouds created by a group of people traveling in a dry area are like columns of smoke, fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [creating a dust cloud that resembles a column of smoke, which resembles the fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense]

Here the phrase fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense could be: (1) further describing the words coming up. Alternate translation: [creating dust clouds that resemble rising columns of smoke; Yes, creating dust clouds that resemble the fragrant smoke of myrrh and frankincense]; (2) describing the phrase columns of smoke. Alternate translation: [like a column of smoke, incensed with myrrh and frankincense]

The writer is leaving out a word that in many languages a sentence would need to be complete. You could supply this word from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [like fragrant smoke of]

Alternate translation: [the sweet-smelling incense made from the resin of a myrrh tree]

The word translated as from all could: (1) be introducing the powders of the merchant as additional information about myrrh and frankincense. Alternate translation: [which are among the powders of the merchant]; (2) indicate that the powders of the merchant are being introduced as additional things the merchant sells. Alternate translation: [and other powders of the merchants]

See how you translated the word Behold in 1:15 where it occurs with the same meaning.

A litter was a portable bed or couch used to carry important people from place to place. It was carried by wooden poles that were attached to it. This litter probably had a canopy on top that functioned as a roof and curtains around it that could be opened and closed. If your readers would not be familiar with this term, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [his portable couch]

The phrase his litter, which belongs to Solomon could mean: (1) that the woman was riding on the litter which belonged to Solomon and which he had sent for her. The UST models this interpretation. (2) that Solomon himself was riding in the litter. Alternate translation: [Solomon riding in his royal portable chair]

Alternate translation: [trained in warfare] or [and all of them have been trained to use their swords]

The implication is that Each one has his sword at his thigh means that his sword is strapped to his thigh so that it is ready to use to defend against the terrors in the nights. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [Each warrior has his sword strapped to his thigh so that it is ready to use against the terrors in the nights] or [Each warrior has his sword ready to use to defend against the terrors in the nights]

The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [ready to guard against dangers that happen during the night] or [ready to defend against the dangers of the night]

A palanquin is a sedan chair. Here it refers to the same object that the term “litter” referred to in 3:7 only in more descriptive terms. You could translate the term palanquin the same way you translated “litter” in 3:7 or you could use the name of something similar in your area. Alternate translation: [a portable couch] or [a sedan chair]

Alternate translation: [King Solomon had a palanquin made from the trees in Lebanon]

These two verses give background information about the palanquin to help readers understand the description more completely. In your translation, present this information in a way that makes it clear that this is background information.

The implication is that Solomon had people make a palanquin for him, not that he made it himself. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [He had craftsmen make him a palanquin…He had craftsmen make its post with silver] or [He had a palanquin made for him…He had its posts made with silver]

The writer assumes that the readers will know that the posts were made of wood and overlaid with silver. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [He made its posts of wood that was overlaid with silver] or [He made its posts of wood covered in silver]

The writer is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need to be complete. You could supply these words from the context if it would be clearer in your language. The phrase its back, gold could mean: (1) that the base or foundation of the palanquin was covered in gold. Alternate translation: [its foundation was covered in gold] or [its base of gold]; (2) the back of the chair was covered in gold. Alternate translation: [its back is made from gold]

Alternate translation: [and covered the cushion with purple cloth]

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express this idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [The daughters of Jerusalem fitted its interior with love]

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way that is natural in your language.

Alternate translation: [The inside of it was lovingly inlaid with decorations by the women of Jerusalem]

See how you translated the phrase daughters of Jerusalem in 1:5.

Your language may say “Come out” rather than Go out in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural in your language. Alternate translation: [Come out]

Here the possessive form daughters of Zion is a poetic way of describing the young women who were from the city of Jerusalem (These are probably the same women as the “marriageable women” in 1:3 and the women referred to as “daughters of Jerusalem” in 2:7 and 3:5). If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could indicate the association between these young women and Zion in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [young women from Zion] or [young women from the city of Zion] or [you young women who live in Zion]

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than “and” in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [on the day of his wedding, yes, on the day of the joy of his heart]

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of joy, you could express the same idea in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [on the day his heart was exceedingly joyful] or [on the day when his heart was very joyful]

Here, heart represents Solomon’s inner being which the Jews viewed as the center of a person’s mind and feelings. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly.

See how you translated these two parallel phrases in 1:15.

See how you translated the phrase Your eyes are doves in 1:15.

The writer is saying that both the color and the motion of the woman’s hair is like a flock of goats that hop down from the slopes of Gilead. The original readers would have understood this to mean that the woman’s hair was black since goats in Israel were also black. Seen from a distance, a flock of black goats descending from the heights of Mount Gilead would have created a majestic visual effect because the goats would have looked like one long flowing mass of black. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [Your black hair moves in graceful waves like a flock of black goats moving down the slopes of Mount Gilead] or [Your long black hair flows in graceful waves like a flock of black goats coming down the slopes of Mount Gilead]

The writer is saying that the white color of the woman’s teeth is being compared to the white color of sheep after they have been shorn and washed. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly.

If your language does not use this passive form, 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, it is implied that “shepherds” did it. Alternate translation: [sheep whose wool shepherds have cut off] or [sheep whose wool people have cut off]

Alternate translation: [give birth to twins]

The writer is stating that the woman’s teeth are like a flock of female sheep which have all given birth to twin lambs because each of the woman’s teeth has a matching tooth on the other side of her mouth. She has not lost any of her teeth. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [As a flock of female sheep that has born twin lambs without losing any, so your mouth has its teeth, each with a match, and none of them are missing]

Alternate translation: [and there is not one among them which has died]

The writer is stating that the woman’s lips are Like a thread of scarlet because they are a bright red color. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. You could also use a term for a material that is thicker than thread such as ribbon. Alternate translation: [Your lips are a beautiful red like scarlet thread] or [Your lips are a beautiful red like scarlet ribbon]

The term translated as cheeks could: (1) refer to the woman’s two cheeks on the side of her mouth. (2) be translated as “temples” and refer to the woman’s two temples on the side of her forehead. Alternate translation: [Like a slice of pomegranate are your temples]; (3) be translated as “forehead.” Alternate translation: [Like a slice of pomegranate is your forehead]

The writer could be comparing: (1) the shape of the woman’s cheeks to the shape of a pomegranate which has been sliced in half and to the red outside color of a pomegranate. Alternate translation: [Your cheeks are red and rounded like a slice of pomegranate] or [Your cheeks resemble the color and shape of a slice of pomegranate] or (if you decided that the term cheeks refers to the woman’s temples) [Your temples are red like a slice of pomegranate]; (2) the way the woman’s cheeks looked through the inside of the veil to the color and pattern of a pomegranate which has been sliced in half. Alternate translation: [Your cheeks resemble the color and pattern of the inside of a slice of pomegranate] or (if you decided that the term cheeks refers to the woman’s temples) [Your temples are the color of the inside of a slice of pomegranate]

See how you translated the phrase from behind your veil in 4:1.

The writer is saying that the woman’s neck is Like the tower of David which was a tall fortress built of layers or rows. A long neck was considered beautiful in the writer’s culture. King David built some of his towers of beautiful marble rock. It is probable that this tower was made from marble since it is compared to the beauty of the woman’s neck. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [Your neck is long and beautiful like the tower of David] or [Your neck is beautiful like the tower of David]

The tower of David was a tall building built for defense. Towers were significantly taller than other buildings and often were not wide. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of structure, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [Like the tall, narrow defense structure of David is] or [Like David’s tall, thin rock defense building is]

If your language does not use a passive form like built of layers, 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 David instructed men to build it. Alternate translation: [Your neck is like the tower of David that men built in layers] or [Your neck is like the tower of David that David had men build of layers]

Alternate translation: [built using rows of stones]

In the writer’s culture it was a common practice to hang shields on walls as decorations. Here the man compares the beauty of the woman’s neck with shields hanging on the tower of David. This comparison probably included the decorations of the woman’s necklaces which probably went around her neck many times. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [The beauty of your neck jeweled in necklaces is like a thousand warriors‘ shields hanging from a tower]

In the writer’s culture, the number a thousand was often used to represent a very large, but not precise, amount. This is how the number is being used here. Alternate translation: [with many]

The phrase all the shields of the warriors is parallel to the statement a thousand shields hanging on it and adds the additional information that the shields belonged to the warriors. Hebrew poetry often used this kind of parallel statement, in which the second line gives additional information, so it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect these two parallel phrases with “each of which” or “each one” in order to show that the second phrase is not repeating the first one but rather saying something additional. Alternate translation: [a thousand shields hanging on it, each of which belongs to the warriors] or [a thousand shields hanging on it, each one belonging to the warriors]

Here the man compares the woman’s two breasts to young twin gazelles. The context does not explicitly indicate how exactly the woman’s breasts are like young gazelles so it would be best if you leave the point of comparison unstated and simply express the simile as the author of this book has done.

See how you translated the plural form “gazelles” in 2:7.

See how you translated the singular form “lily” in 2:1.

See how you translated the phrase Until the day breathes and the shadows flee in 2:17.

Your language may say “come” rather than go in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [I myself will come]

See how you translated myrrh in 1:13.

Here the writer is speaking of the woman’s breasts as if they are the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense. The man is discreetly indicating that his bride’s breasts are pleasant smelling and that he wants to enjoy them. It would be good to retain this discreet and beautiful poetic imagery if possible. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly or use a comparison. Alternate translation: [I myself will go to your breasts, which are like two sweet-smelling mountains] or [I myself will be close to your breasts, which are like two pleasant-smelling hills]

Alternate translation: [Every part of you is beautiful]

This entire verse is a metaphor. This is poetry and the writer is not literally indicating that the woman is in the mountains and in danger. Rather, he is using this metaphor to express his feelings regarding the distance between them and his strong desire to have her near him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly.

Your language may say “go” rather than come in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [Go with me … go]

The word translated as Descend here could mean: (1) to come down from a height. Alternate translation: [Climb down]; (2) to bend down and look. Alternate translation: [Bend down and look]

The word Hermon is the name of a mountain range in northern Israel, and Amana and Senir are both the names of mountain peaks.

These two phrases mean very similar things. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful for your readers, you could combine these two phrases into one as modeled by the UST.

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could also add the word “yes” to show that the phrase You have enchanted my heart is repeated in order to add emphasis. Alternate translation: [My sister, my bride; you have enchanted my heart. Yes, you have enchanted my heart]

The phrase translated as You have enchanted my heart is an idiom which could mean: (1) to steal or capture a person’s heart. In Jewish thinking, the heart was the center of a person’s thinking. This phrase probably also meant that he was so in love that he could not think clearly. If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable phrase from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [You have captured my heart … you have captured my heart] or [It is as though you have captured my heart … it is as though you have captured my heart] or [You have made me feel so in love with you that it is as if I have lost my mind … you have made me feel so in love with you that it is as if I have lost my mind]; (2) the woman had made the man’s heart beat faster. Alternate translation: [You have caused my heart to beat fast … you have caused my heart to beat fast]; (3) that the woman had encouraged the man’s heart. Alternate translation: [You have encouraged my heart … you have encouraged my heart] or [You have given me heart … you have given me heart]

Here the man is speaking of the woman as if she were his sister. This is a term of endearment which expresses affection, close companionship, and a deep emotional bond between the lovers. The woman is not actually his sister. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different term of endearment or state the meaning plainly.

Here the word How is used as an exclamation to emphasize two statements about how wonderful the woman’s love is. Use an exclamation that would communicate that meaning in your language.

See how you translated the phrase my sister in 4:9.

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [My sister, my bride; how your love is beautiful! How your love is better than wine]

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way.

Here, oils refers to perfumes. In the author’s culture, pleasant-smelling spices were mixed into olive oil in order to make perfume which was put on the skin. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [your scented oils are better] or [the perfumed oils on your skin are better]

The writer is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply the words is better from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language.

Here the woman’s lips refer to the kisses from her lips. The man says that her lips drip with nectar to indicate the pleasantness of her kisses. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Your kisses are so pleasant that it is as if your lips drip with nectar] or [Your kisses are delightfully sweet] or [Being kissed by you is as enjoyable as eating honey]

The word translated as nectar refers specifically to honey which drips or flows from a honeycomb. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly by translating it as “honey”.

The phrase honey and milk are under your tongue could mean: (1) that the taste of the woman’s kisses were as pleasant as milk and honey. Alternate translation: [your kisses are like milk and honey to me] or [your kisses are as pleasant and delightful as milk and honey]; (2) that the woman’s words were as pleasant as milk and honey. Alternate translation: [your words are as pleasant as milk and honey]; (3) that both the woman’s kisses and her words were as pleasant as milk and honey. Alternate translation: [the kisses from your mouth and your words are as pleasant as milk and honey to me]

Lebanon is known for its forests of cedar trees. Cedar trees have a very pleasant smell. The phrase the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon probably means that the woman’s clothes smelled like cedar wood. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [and the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon’s pleasant-smelling cedar]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [My sister, my bride; you are a locked garden, a locked spring, a sealed fountain]

The man is speaking of the woman as if she were a locked garden. He uses garden as a poetic way of referring to the woman herself, and by saying she is a locked garden he means that the woman is both beautiful and seemingly inaccessible like a locked garden. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [You are like a locked garden, my sister, my bride]

The word translated as garden refers to a large, enclosed area where bushes, flowers, plants, and trees grow. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of garden, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [A locked park where many trees and plants grow is my sister, my bride]

See how you translated the phrase my sister in 4:9.

The man continues to draw an extended comparison between the woman he loves and a garden by speaking of her as if she were a locked spring and a sealed fountain within a locked garden. The man means that the woman’s body is beautiful and inaccessible like a locked spring or a sealed fountain. You could explain this comparison if it would be helpful to your readers. If you used the alternate translation, “You are like a locked garden, my sister, my bride”, then you should use the alternate translation which follows. Alternate translation: [you are like a locked spring; you are like a sealed fountain]

The phrases a locked spring and a sealed fountain mean basically the same thing. The second phrase emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea using different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the phrases and show the emphasis in some other way.

The word translated as shoots refers to the stems and roots that come out (shoot out) from trees and plants. The word shoots is used here to refer to the woman so if it would be helpful to your readers, you could translate the phrase Your shoots as “You”. Alternately, you could translate it with a more general term that your language uses to speak of what grows out of plants and trees. Alternate translation: [Your sprouts are]

The man continues to draw an extended comparison between these plants and the woman by speaking of her as if she were an orchard of pomegranate trees and various other spices, pleasant-smelling plants, and trees in the “locked garden” (4:12). If you translated 4:12 using the words “You are like,” then you should also do that here. Alternate translation: [You are like an orchard of pomegranate trees with delicious fruits; henna with nard, nard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes with all the best spices]

Here the man uses poetic language to describe the woman as if she is a garden where all types of pleasant plants and trees grow. These plants and trees would not normally grow in the same garden because they have different growing requirements, but because this is poetry the author places these plants in one garden to create a poetic comparison for how wonderful the woman is. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate in a footnote that the author is using plants and trees from different areas to create an image of how wonderful the woman is.

See how you translated the word nard in 1:12 and the word henna in 1:14.

Both saffron, a beautiful flowering plant that produces purple flowers, and calamus, a cane, were used to make a pleasant-smelling oil. The term cinnamon refers to a spice made from the bark of the cinnamon tree. The term aloes refers to the pleasant-smelling resin that comes from specific trees in Asia. If your readers would not be familiar with these types of plants, you could use the names of similar plants in your area, or you could use more general terms. Alternate translation: [and saffron flowers, calamus canes and cinnamon trees … and pleasant-smelling resins called aloes]

Here the man continues the metaphor that he began in 4:12 and speaks of the woman he loves as if she were a fountain in a garden, a well of living waters, and flowing streams from Lebanon. If you translated 4:12–14 using the words “You are like”, you should do that here also. See how you translated the word “garden” in 4:12. Alternate translation: [you are like a fountain of gardens, like a well of living waters, and like flowing streams from Lebanon]

The writer assumes that the readers will understand that a fountain refers to a spring or underground well that is dug in order to be used as a water source. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [a garden spring] or [a garden well]

Here the author could be using the plural form gardens to: (1) designate the kind of fountain that would be found in gardens. Alternate translation: [a garden fountain]; (2) designate a large garden. Alternate translation: [a fountain in a large garden]

Here the term living means that the water is fresh and flowing. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [fresh water] or [flowing water]

The woman is speaking to the wind which she knows cannot hear her. She is doing this to communicate her strong desire that the pleasant smell of her body will flow through the air and attract the man she loves so that he will come to her. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate these words as a wish or desire. Alternate translation: [I wish that the north wind and south wind would come and blow on my garden and let its spices flow]

Your language may say “go” rather than come in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [and go … Let my beloved go]

Here the woman continues the “garden” metaphor (from 4:12) by referring to her body as my garden and then his garden. The woman calls to the wind to blow on her garden so that its spices flow into the air and attract the man she loves. She invites him to come to his garden (a poetic way of inviting him to come and enjoy her body). You should translate the term garden here the same way you did in 4:12 because both uses refer to the woman’s body. In 4:13 the man spoke of her body as “an orchard of pomegranate trees with delicious fruits,” and here the woman invites the man to come to his garden and eat its delicious fruit. If you translated 4:12–15 as a comparison, you should also translate the sentence Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its delicious fruit as a comparison.

Alternate translation: [and carry the pleasant smell of its spices through the air] or [and make the pleasant smell of its spices flow through the air]

Here the man continues to draw an extended comparison between the woman’s body and the garden that he began in 4:12. He accepts the woman’s invitation (that she gave in the previous verse) to enjoy her body. The lines I have plucked my myrrh with my spice and I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey and I have drunk my wine with my milk are all metaphors for the man enjoying the woman’s body. If you used the alternate translation in verses 4:12–16, you should do so here also. Alternate translation: [You who are as dear to me as a sister, my bride, I am ready to go with you and enjoy the delights of your body; it will be as though I am gathering myrrh with my other spices, eating my honey and honeycomb, and drinking my wine and my milk]

Though the man is speaking as if he has already done these things, he is actually getting ready to do them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [I am getting ready to come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I will pluck my myrrh with my spice. I will eat my honeycomb with my honey; I will drink my wine with my milk]

Your language may say “gone” rather than come in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [I have gone]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [My sister, my bride, I have come to my garden]

See how you translated the phrase my sister in 4:9.

Since the author does not say who is speaking to the couple here, you should not indicate who is speaking in the text of your translation. However, if you are using section headers to indicate who is speaking, the speakers could be: (1) the “daughters of Jerusalem” who spoke earlier in the book. They are speaking to the couple at the couple’s wedding. You can use a phrase such as “The young women of Jerusalem speak to the couple” or “The young women of Jerusalem speak to the couple at their wedding” (2) a group of people who are the couple’s friends and wedding guests. You can use a phrase such as “The couple’s friends speak” or “The couple’s wedding guests speak”

Here the speaker is speaking of “eating and drinking” as metaphors to represent the couple enjoying their sexual union. The phrase be drunk is an encouragement to fully enjoy the delights of their sexual union. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could express the meaning plainly, or you could use a phrase such as “drink deeply” or “drink abundantly” instead of “be drunk.” Alternate translation: [Enjoy your marital intimacy and make love until you are fully satisfied as if you are eating food until full and drinking wine freely] or [Eat, friends; Drink, and be drunk with love] or [Eat, friends; Drink, and drink abundantly of love]

Here the term heart could represent: (1) the woman’s thoughts and mental awareness which would make the phrase my heart is awake mean that her mind is alert and dreaming while she is sleeping. Alternate translation: [I am asleep, but my mind is dreaming] or [I am asleep, but my mind is alert and dreaming]; (2) the woman’s entire person which would make the phrase my heart is awake mean that she had been awakened after falling asleep or awakened after she was almost asleep. Alternate translation: [I was almost asleep, now I am awakened] or [I was asleep, but now I have been awakened]

Alternate translation: [I hear a sound; it is my beloved knocking] or [I hear a sound; it is the sound of my beloved knocking on my door]

See how you translated the phrase my beloved in 1:13. Alternate translation: [my lover]

See how you translated the phrase my sister in 4:9 and the phrase my darling in 1:9.

See how you translated the phrase my dove in 2:14.

Here the phrase full of is a Hebrew expression which means “wet with.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [because my head is wet with dew]

The writer is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need to be complete. You could supply the words is full of from the previous phrase if it would be clearer to your readers.

This verse is a quotation of: (1) what the woman thought to herself. Alternate translation: [I thought to myself; I have taken off my robe; how will I put it on? I have washed my feet; how could I get them dirty?]; (2) the woman speaking directly to the man. Alternate translation: [I said to the man I love; I have taken off my robe; how will I put it on? I have washed my feet; how could I get them dirty?]

The woman is using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation and express the emphasis in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [I do not want to put it back on! I have already washed my feet so I do not want to get them dirty again!]

See how you translated the phrase my beloved in 1:13.

Here, belly represents the center of a person’s emotions. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and my feelings for him roared]

Here the term belly represents the woman’s feelings and the woman saying that her belly roared is a poetic way of saying that her feelings were aroused. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and my feelings for him were aroused]

The two phrases my hands dripped with myrrh and my fingers dripped with flowing myrrh mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than “and” in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [and my hands dripped with myrrh, yes, my fingers dripped with flowing myrrh]

The phrase translated as flowing myrrh refers to liquid myrrh. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [liquid myrrh]

The woman is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need to be complete. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could supply the words “dripped with.”

See how you translated the phrase my beloved in 1:13.

Your language may say “went” rather than gone in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [and went away]

Your language may say “gone” rather than went in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [My soul had gone out]

Here, soul represents the entire person, and the phrase My soul went out is a Hebrew idiom that means to feel extreme despair. If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that has this meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [My heart sank] or [I felt great despair]

Here the word translated as because he departed could mean: (1) when he departed. If you choose this option, use the translation of the ULT. (2) “when he spoke.” Alternate translation: [when he spoke]

The implication is that the man did not answer because he was not there. She is not saying that he was present but not answering. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [but he did not answer me, since he was not there].

See how you translated the sentence The guards going about in the city found me in 3:3.

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [The guards of the walls beat me and wounded me; they lifted my shawl from me]

The reason that the city watchmen beat and wounded the woman is because they thought she was a prostitute. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers.

The word translated as shawl could refer to: (1) a light article of clothing like a robe or cloak that was worn as an outer garment and wrapped around the body. Alternate translation: [my cloak]; (2) a large veil. Alternate translation: [my veil]

The men called the guards of the walls are the same men as “The guards going about in the city” mentioned earlier in the verse. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [those guards who were going about in the city guarding the walls]

See how you translated the phrase I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem in 2:7.

See how you translated the phrase sick with love am I in 2:5

The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context.

The phrase What is your beloved more than another beloved is repeated for emphasis. This is a common feature of Hebrew poetry, and you may want to begin a new line at the start of each parallel statement. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine them into one. Alternate translation: [What is your beloved more than another beloved, most beautiful among women, that thus you adjure us] or [Most beautiful among women, what is your beloved more than another beloved, that thus you adjure us]

Alternate translation: [What makes the man you love better than other men] or [What is so special about the man you love]

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [Most beautiful among women, what is your beloved more than another beloved]

See how you translated the phrase most beautiful among women in 1:8.

Alternate translation: [with the result that thus you adjure us] or [with the result that you request us to promise that we tell him that] or [that would make you want to thus adjure us]

See how you translated the word adjure in the previous verse.

The words translated here as shimmering and red mean that the man’s skin had a healthy glow and was a reddish-brown color. These two words used together indicate that the man’s skin looked healthy and handsome. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [My beloved has radiant and healthy skin] or [My beloved’s skin glows and is a handsome reddish-brown]

In the Hebrew language ten thousand is the highest number that was used when making comparisons, so the woman uses this number to stand for an uncountable number of people. If you have a similar expression in your culture, you could use it, or if it would be helpful to your readers, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [better than anyone else] or [and there is no one else like him] or [one in a million]

Here the woman is speaking of the man’s head as if it were gold. Because she speaks of the appearance of the man’s hair in the following line, she probably intends in this line to refer to his face. The phrase refined gold indicates that the gold is very valuable. By saying that the man’s head is gold, refined gold, she is probably indicating that he is special and has great worth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [His head is like gold that is refined] or [His face is beautiful and gleams like gold. He is precious and valuable like refined gold] or [His face gleams. He is precious and valuable]

A raven is a large bird with dark black feathers. Ravens are as big as some hawks and are similar in color and appearance to crows but larger. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of bird, you could use the name of a similar bird in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [black like a bird with dark black feathers] or [black like a dark black bird]

The writer is stating that the color of the man’s hair is dark black like the raven. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [his hair is wavy and dark black]

In 1:15 the man said to the woman, “your eyes are doves.” Here the woman uses the word like and compares the man’s eyes to doves that are bathing in milk. The phrase bathing in milk refers to the color of the doves‘ feathers and the man’s eyes. The two phrases beside stream beds of water and sitting beside the pools describe the doves as being by water. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [His eyes are like doves beside stream beds of water that are bathing in milk and sitting beside the pools]

The phrases beside stream beds of water and sitting beside the pools mean basically the same thing. They both describe the doves as being by water. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine them. Alternate translation: [His eyes are like doves beside stream beds of water, bathing in milk] or [His eyes are like doves bathing in milk, sitting by the pools]

Here the writer says that the man’s cheeks are like a garden, or an area in a garden, used for planting spices because his cheeks smell like a bed of spices and are like towers of herbal spices. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [His cheeks smell like a bed of spices and like towers that contain herbal spices]

Here the term translated as bed refers to an area in a garden used for planting. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [like an area for planting spices] or [like a garden bed of spices] or [like planters of spices]

See the Chapter 5 introduction for information regarding an alternate translation of the word that the ULT translates as towers of.

The woman is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [like towers of herbal spices] or [and they are like towers of herbal spices]

Here the woman is speaking of the man’s lips as if they are lilies that are dripping with flowing myrrh because of the sweet smell of both lilies and myrrh, the beauty and softness of lilies, and because the man’s kisses are wet like flowing myrrh. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [His lips are beautiful, fragrant, and soft. His kisses are sweet-smelling and moist]

See how you translated lilies in 2:16.

See how you translated the phrase flowing myrrh in 5:5.

Here the woman is speaking of the man’s arms as if they were rods of gold mounted with topaz because rods of gold were powerful, had an attractive color and a finely rounded shape; and topaz would have made the rods of gold more beautiful. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [His arms are powerful, nicely rounded, and beautiful like rods of gold mounted with topaz]

The word that the ULT translates as arms could: (1) refer to arms in which case you can use the ULT’s translation. (2) refer to “hands.” Alternate translation: [His hands are]

A topaz is a beautiful gemstone used in jewelry and also to decorate other things. Bible scholars are not certain exactly what stone topaz refers to. Many different stones have been proposed such as topaz, chrysolite, beryl and others. If your readers are familiar with these types of stone, you could use one of them, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [with beautiful stones] or [with jewels]

Here the woman is speaking of the man’s belly as if it was a plate of ivory covered with sapphires. By making this comparison, she is saying that the man’s belly looks especially attractive since ivory and sapphires were not only rare and costly but also quite beautiful. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [his belly is beautiful and precious] or [his belly is handsome]

Alternate translation: [his stomach is]

The word ivory refers to the tusks of an elephant. Ivory is a white color and is very beautiful and costly. If your readers would not be familiar with ivory, you could explain this term in a footnote.

The word sapphires refers to beautiful blue gemstones. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of stone, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [with blue gemstones] or [with beautiful blue gemstones]

Here the woman is speaking of the man’s thighs as if they were pillars of alabaster set on bases of refined gold because the man’s legs are strong and majestic looking. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [His thighs are strong and majestic like pillars of alabaster set on bases of gold]

The word the ULT translates as thighs most likely refers to the entirety of a person’s legs, so you could translate this term as “legs” as in the UST.

The word translated as alabaster can refer to either alabaster or marble, types of strong stone that are nice looking and used to make large columns, statues, and other things. If your readers would not be familiar with alabaster or marble, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [marble] or [stone]

The woman is saying that the man’s appearance is like Lebanon, as choice as the cedars because he is tall, strong, and outstanding in comparison to other men, just as the cedars of Lebanon are better than all other trees. Lebanon was famous for its cedar trees which were considered to be superior. The word choice here means “excellent quality.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning explicitly. Alternate translation: [His appearance is tall and strong and stately. He is outstanding among other men] or [His appearance is majestic. He is strong and tall and better than other men]

Here, mouth could refer to: (1) the man’s kisses. Alternate translation: [His kisses are most sweet]; (2) the man’s words. Alternate translation: [His speech is most sweet] or [The words from his mouth are most sweet]

Alternate translation: [and every part of him is very desirable]

See how you translated the phrase daughters of Jerusalem in 1:5.

The questions Where did he go, your beloved and Where did he turn, your beloved have basically the same meaning. This question is asked twice, in slightly different ways, for emphasis and poetic effect. This type of repetition is a common feature of Hebrew poetry, and it would be good to retain this repetition if possible. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the phrases into one. Alternate translation: [Where did he go, your beloved, most beautiful woman among women? Let us seek him with you] or [Most beautiful woman among women, where did he turn your beloved? Let us seek him with you]

Alternate translation: [Where did your beloved go … Where did your beloved turn]

See how you translated the phrase most beautiful woman among women in 1:8.

Alternate translation: [Which way did your beloved go]

The women of Jerusalem are leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the context if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [tell us, so that we can seek him with you] or [tell us, and let us seek him with you]

Here the woman resumes the “garden” metaphor that was used in 4:12–5:1 by again referring to her body as a garden. The phrase graze in the gardens and glean lilies are both metaphors for the man enjoying the woman’s body. If you used the word “like” to translate 4:12–5:1, you should continue to use it here, or if it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [My beloved went to me. I am like a garden where beds of spices grow. He came to me in order to enjoy my body like a gazelle enjoys grazing in gardens and like a person enjoys gleaning lilies]

The phrase to the beds of spices explains where in the garden the man went down to. This phrase is not describing a separate location from the garden (woman). If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [My beloved went down to the beds of spices in his garden] or [My beloved went to me who is like his spice garden]

Your language may say “gone” rather than went in a context such as this. Use whichever is more natural. Alternate translation: [has gone down]

See how you translated the similar phrase bed of spices in 5:13.

Here the phrase in the gardens refers to the woman just like the phrase his garden does earlier in the verse. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information. Alternate translation: [in his gardens] or [in his garden]

See how you translated the similar phrase “My beloved belongs to me and I belong to him” in 2:16.

See how you translated the similar phrase “the man grazing among the lilies” in 2:16.

The man is saying that the woman is like the city of Tirzah and like the city of Jerusalem because both of these cities were beautiful. These lines are parallel, and both mean basically the same thing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternately, you could combine the lines if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [You are beautiful, my darling, like the beautiful city of Tirzah, lovely like the lovely city of Jerusalem] or [You are beautiful and lovely, my darling, like the cities of Tirzah and Jerusalem]