New Living Translation
Song of Songs 5:8
8Make this promise, O women of Jerusalem— If you find my lover, tell him I am weak with love.
Song of Songs 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.
- New International Version (NIV)Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you— if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I am lovesick!
Context of Song of Songs 5:8
6I opened to my lover, but he was gone! My heart sank. I searched for him but could not find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply. 7The night watchmen found me as they made their rounds. They beat and bruised me and stripped off my veil, those watchmen on the walls. Make this promise, O women of Jerusalem— If you find my lover, tell him I am weak with love. 9Why is your lover better than all others, O woman of rare beauty? What makes your lover so special that we must promise this? 10My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others!
Read all of Song of Songs 5Song of Songs 5:8 word by word
הִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּנ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אִֽם־תִּמְצְאוּ֙ אֶת־דּוֹדִ֔י מַה־תַּגִּ֣ידוּ ל֔וֹ שֶׁחוֹלַ֥ת אַהֲבָ֖ה אָֽנִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I chargeשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- you, O daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- if ye findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- my belovedדּוֹדdôd dôd · belovedH1730
- that ye tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- sickחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: illH2470
- of loveאַהֲבָה'ahăbâh · loveH160
Commentaries on Song of Songs 5:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8I am sick of love - "I am exceedingly concerned for his absence; and am distressed on account of my thoughtless carriage towards him." The latter clause may be well translated, "What should ye tell him?" Why, "that I am sick of love." This ends the transactions of the third day and night.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2-8Verses 2-8 Churches and believers, by carelessness and security, provoke Christ to withdraw. We ought to notice our spiritual slumbers and distempers. Christ knocks to awaken us, knocks by his word and Spirit, knocks by afflictions and by our consciences; thus, Rev. 3:20. When we are unmindful of Christ, still he thinks of us. Christ's love to us should engage ours to him, even in the most self-denying instances; and we only can be gainers by it. Careless…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8I am sick with love: The woman's trauma symbolizes her lovesickness (compare Song of Solomon 2:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. She turns from the unsympathizing watchmen to humbler persons, not yet themselves knowing Him, but in the way towards it. Historically, His secret friends in the night of His withdrawal (Lu 23:27, 28). Inquirers may find ("if ye find") Jesus Christ before she who has grieved His Spirit finds Him again. tell--in prayer (Jas 5:16). sick of love--from an opposite cause (So 2:5) than through excess of delight at His presence; now excess of pain at His…Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 8I adjure you [You] heathens, Nebuchadnezzar’s men, who saw Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah submitting themselves to the fiery furnace, and Daniel to the lions’ den because of prayer, and Mordecai’s generation in the days of Haman...Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Song of Songs 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries