Song of Solomon 1

Song of Solomon · Chapter 1

Song of Solomon 1:8

1The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.3Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.4Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.5I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.6Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.7Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?8If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.9I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.10Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.11We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.12While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.13A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.14My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.15Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.16Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.17The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
8If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.If you do not know, O fairest of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds.If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
ifאִם־'im-H0518A
if

אִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

notלֹ֤אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

you knowתֵדְעִי֙te-de-'IH3045
to know

יָדַע (ya.da) 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) …

O beautiful [one]הַיָּפָ֖הhai-ya-FAHH3303
beautiful

יָפֶה (ya.pheh) fair, beautiful, handsome

among the womenבַּנָּשִׁ֑יםba-na-SHIMH0802G
woman

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)

go outצְֽאִי־tze-'i-H3318G
to come out: come

יָצָא (ya.tsa) : come/go_out/escape 1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart 1a2) to go forth (to a place) 1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something) 1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result) 1a5) to come out of 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out 1b2) to bring out of 1b3) to lead out 1b4) to deliver 1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

in [the] footprints ofבְּעִקְבֵ֣יbe-'ik-VEIH6119
heel

עָקֵב (a.qev) 1) heel, rear, footprint, hinder part, hoof, rear of a troop, footstep 1a) heel 1b) mark of heel, footprint 1c) hinder part, rear

the flockהַצֹּ֗אןha-TZONH6629G
flock

צֹאן (tson) 1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks 1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats) 1b) of multitude (simile) 1c) of multitude (metaphor)

and pastureוּרְעִי֙u-re-'IH7462B
to pasture

רָעָה (ra.ah) 1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tend, pasture 1a1a) to shepherd 1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig) 1a1c) of people as flock (fig) 1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst) 1a2) to feed, graze 1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal) 1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig) 1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)

young goats yourגְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְge-di-yo-TA-yikhH1429
kid

גְּדִיָּה (ge.diy.yah) kids, young female goats

atעַ֖ל'alH5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

[the] dwelling places ofמִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹתmish-ke-NOTH4908
habitation

מִשְׁכַּן (mish.kan) abode (of God) Aramaic of mish.kan (מִשְׁכָּן "tabernacle" H4908)

the shepherdsהָרֹעִֽים׃ סha-ro-'IMH7462B
to pasture

רָעָה (ra.ah) 1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tend, pasture 1a1a) to shepherd 1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig) 1a1c) of people as flock (fig) 1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst) 1a2) to feed, graze 1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal) 1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig) 1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.