Revised Literal Translation

Song of Songs 1

1The songשִׁ֥ירshirH7892of songsהַשִּׁירִ֖יםha.shi.RimH7892, which isSolomon’sלִשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃lish.lo.MohH8010.

2Let him kissיִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙yi.sha.Ke.niH5401me with the kissesמִנְּשִׁיק֣וֹתmi.ne.shi.KotH5390of his mouthפִּ֔יהוּPi.huH6310:for thy loveדֹּדֶ֖יךָdo.Dei.khaH1730isbetterטוֹבִ֥יםto.VimH2896than wineמִיָּֽיִן׃mi.Ya.yinH3196.

3Because of the savourלְרֵ֙יחַ֙le.Rei.achH7381of thy goodטוֹבִ֔יםto.VimH2896ointmentsשְׁמָנֶ֣יךָshe.ma.Nei.khaH8081thy nameשְׁמֶ֑ךָshe.Me.khaH8034is asointmentשֶׁ֖מֶןShe.menH8081poured forthתּוּרַ֣קtu.RakH7324,therefore do the virginsעֲלָמ֥וֹתa.la.MotH5959loveאֲהֵבֽוּךָ׃'a.he.Vu.khaH157thee.

4Drawמָשְׁכֵ֖נִיma.she.Khe.niH4900me, we will runנָּר֑וּצָהna.Ru.tzahH7323afterאַחֲרֶ֣יךָ'a.cha.Rei.khaH310thee: the kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428hath broughtהֱבִיאַ֨נִיhe.vi.'A.niH935me into his chambersחֲדָרָ֗יוcha.da.RavH2315:we will be gladנָגִ֤ילָהna.Gi.lahH1523and rejoiceוְנִשְׂמְחָה֙ve.nis.me.ChahH8055in thee, we will rememberנַזְכִּ֤ירָהnaz.Ki.rahH2142thy loveדֹדֶ֙יךָ֙do.Dei.khaH1730more than wineמִיַּ֔יִןmi.Ya.yinH3196:the uprightמֵישָׁרִ֖יםmei.sha.RimH4339loveאֲהֵבֽוּךָ׃ ס'a.he.Vu.khaH157thee.

5I amblackשְׁחוֹרָ֤הshe.cho.RahH7838,but comelyוְֽנָאוָ֔הve.na.VahH5000,O ye daughtersבְּנ֖וֹתbe.NotH1323of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םye.ru.sha.LimH3389,as the tentsכְּאָהֳלֵ֣יke.'o.ho.LeiH168of Kedarקֵדָ֔רke.DarH6938,as the curtainsכִּירִיע֖וֹתki.ri.'otH3407of Solomonשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃she.lo.MohH8010.

6Lookתִּרְא֙וּנִי֙tir.'U.niH7200not upon me, because I amblackשְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶתshe.char.Cho.retH7840,because the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121hath lookedשֶׁשֱּׁזָפַ֖תְנִיshe.she.za.Fat.niH7805upon me: my mother’sאִמִּ֣י'i.MiH517childrenבְּנֵ֧יbe.NeiH1121were angryH2787with me; they madeשָׂמֻ֙נִי֙sa.Mu.niH7760me the keeperנֹטֵרָ֣הno.te.RahH5201of the vineyardsהַכְּרָמִ֔יםha.ke.ra.MimH3754; butmine own vineyardכַּרְמִ֥יkar.MiH3754have I not keptנָטָֽרְתִּי׃na.Ta.re.tiH5201.

7Tellהַגִּ֣ידָהha.Gi.dahH5046me, O thou whom my soulנַפְשִׁ֔יnaf.ShiH5315lovethשֶׁ֤אָהֲבָה֙she.'a.ha.vahH157,where thou feedestתִרְעֶ֔הtir.'EhH7462,whereH349thou makest thy flockto restתַּרְבִּ֣יץtar.BitzH7257at noonבַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִםba.tzo.ho.Ra.yimH6672:forשַׁלָּמָ֤הsha.la.MahH4100why should I be as one that turneth asideכְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔הke.'O.te.YahH5844by the flocksעֶדְרֵ֥י'ed.ReiH5739of thy companionsחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃cha.ve.Rei.khaH2270?

8If thou knowתֵדְעִי֙te.de.'IH3045not, O thou fairestהַיָּפָ֖הhai.ya.FahH3303among womenבַּנָּשִׁ֑יםba.na.ShimH802,go thy way forthצְֽאִי־tze.'i-H3318by the footstepsבְּעִקְבֵ֣יbe.'ik.VeiH6119of the flockהַצֹּ֗אןha.TzonH6629,and feedוּרְעִי֙u.re.'IH7462thy kidsגְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְge.di.yo.Ta.yikhH1429beside the shepherds’הָרֹעִֽים׃ סha.ro.'ImH7462tentsמִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹתmish.ke.NotH4908.

9I have comparedדִּמִּיתִ֖יךְdi.mi.TikhH1819thee, O my loveרַעְיָתִֽי׃ra'.ya.TiH7474,to a company of horsesלְסֻסָתִי֙le.su.sa.TiH5484in Pharaoh’sפַרְעֹ֔הfar.'OhH6547chariotsבְּרִכְבֵ֣יbe.rikh.VeiH7393.

10Thy cheeksלְחָיַ֙יִךְ֙le.cha.Ya.yikhH3895are comelyנָאו֤וּna.VuH4998with rowsבַּתֹּרִ֔יםba.to.RimH8447of jewels,thy neckצַוָּארֵ֖ךְtza.va.RekhH6677with chainsבַּחֲרוּזִֽים׃ba.cha.ru.ZimH2737of gold.

11We will makeנַעֲשֶׂה־na.'a.seh-H6213thee bordersתּוֹרֵ֤יto.ReiH8447of goldזָהָב֙za.HavH2091with studsנְקֻדּ֥וֹתne.ku.DotH5351of silverהַכָּֽסֶף׃ha.Ka.sefH3701.

12While the kingשֶׁ֤הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙she.ha.Me.lekhH4428sittethat his tableבִּמְסִבּ֔וֹbim.si.BoH4524,my spikenardנִרְדִּ֖יnir.DiH5373sendeth forthנָתַ֥ןna.TanH5414the smellרֵיחֽוֹ׃rei.ChoH7381thereof.

13A bundleצְר֨וֹרtze.RorH6872of myrrhהַמֹּ֤ר׀ha.MorH4753ismy wellbelovedדּוֹדִי֙do.DiH1730unto me; he shall lieיָלִֽין׃ya.LinH3885all night betwixt my breastsשָׁדַ֖יsha.DaiH7699.

14My belovedדּוֹדִי֙do.DiH1730is unto me asa clusterאֶשְׁכֹּ֨ל'esh.KolH811of camphireהַכֹּ֤פֶר׀ha.Ko.ferH3724in the vineyardsבְּכַרְמֵ֖יbe.khar.MeiH3754of En–gediH5872.

15Behold, thou artfairיָפָה֙ya.FahH3303,my loveרַעְיָתִ֔יra'.ya.TiH7474; behold, thou artfairיָפָ֖הya.FahH3303; thou hastdoves’יוֹנִֽים׃yo.NimH3123eyesעֵינַ֥יִךְ'ei.Na.yikhH5869.

16Behold, thou artfairיָפֶ֤הya.PehH3303,my belovedדוֹדִי֙do.DiH1730,yea, pleasantנָעִ֔יםna.'ImH5273:also our bedעַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ'ar.Se.nuH6210isgreenרַעֲנָנָֽה׃ra.'a.na.NahH7488.

17The beamsקֹר֤וֹתko.RotH6982of our houseבָּתֵּ֙ינוּ֙ba.Tei.nuH1004arecedarאֲרָזִ֔ים'a.ra.ZimH730, andour raftersרַהִיטֵ֖נוּra.chi.te.nuH7351of firבְּרוֹתִֽים׃be.ro.TimH1266.

Commentaries on Song of Songs 1