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How beautiful are thy feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! Thy graceful legs are like jewels, ma’aseh yedei amon (the work of the hands of an artist, see Prov 8:30).

(7:3) Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not wine: thy waist is like a mound of chittim (wheat) encircled by shoshanim (lilies).

(7:4) Thy two breasts are like two fawns that are twins of a gazelle.

(7:5) Thy tzavar (neck) is like a migdal of ivory; thine eyes like the pools of Cheshbon, by the sha’ar (gate) of Bat-Rabbim; thy nose is like the migdal of the Levanon which looketh toward Damascus.

(7:6) Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like royal tapestry; Melech is held captive in its tresses.

(7:7) How fair and how pleasant art thou, O Ahavah, for delights!

(7:8) This thy stature is like a tamar (palm tree), and thy breasts eshkolot (clusters [of fruit]).

(7:9) I said, I will climb up to the tamar, I will take hold of the branches thereof; now also thy breasts shall be as eshkelot hagefen (clusters of the vine), and the scent of thy breath like apples;

(7:10) And the roof of thy mouth like the best yayin of dodi (my beloved), that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.

10 (7:11) I am my beloved’s, and to me goeth forth his teshukah (desire).

11 (7:12) Come, dodi (my beloved), let us go forth into the sadeh; let us lodge in the villages.

12 (7:13) Let us get up early to the kramim (vineyards); let us see if the gefen budded, whether the tender grape appears, and the pomegranates bloom; there will I give thee my love.

13 (7:14) The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our doors are all manner of pleasant fruits, chadashim (new ones) and yeshanim (old ones), which I have stored up and kept for thee, O dodi (my beloved). [T.N. Just as there are different classes of women in the harem—so there are different residences in the book of Esther, for the malkah, for the pilegesh and for the almah or betulah; cf Song 6:8 and Esther chp 2.]

[a]How beautiful your sandaled feet,
    O prince’s(A) daughter!
Your graceful legs are like jewels,
    the work of an artist’s hands.
Your navel is a rounded goblet
    that never lacks blended wine.
Your waist is a mound of wheat
    encircled by lilies.
Your breasts(B) are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle.
Your neck is like an ivory tower.(C)
Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon(D)
    by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon(E)
    looking toward Damascus.
Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.(F)
    Your hair is like royal tapestry;
    the king is held captive by its tresses.
How beautiful(G) you are and how pleasing,
    my love, with your delights!(H)
Your stature is like that of the palm,
    and your breasts(I) like clusters of fruit.
I said, “I will climb the palm tree;
    I will take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine,
    the fragrance of your breath like apples,(J)
    and your mouth like the best wine.

She

May the wine go straight to my beloved,(K)
    flowing gently over lips and teeth.[b]
10 I belong to my beloved,
    and his desire(L) is for me.(M)
11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
    let us spend the night in the villages.[c]
12 Let us go early to the vineyards(N)
    to see if the vines have budded,(O)
if their blossoms(P) have opened,
    and if the pomegranates(Q) are in bloom(R)
    there I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes(S) send out their fragrance,
    and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
    that I have stored up for you, my beloved.(T)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-13 is numbered 7:2-14.
  2. Song of Songs 7:9 Septuagint, Aquila, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew lips of sleepers
  3. Song of Songs 7:11 Or the henna bushes