Humanitext Reader

Septuagint · Song of Songs §1.1-1.17

Expressions of Mutual Love and Praise of Beauty

Passage 1 of 8 · Greek

Summary

The lovers exchange expressions of longing and praise; the woman speaks of her appearance and seeks the shepherd, while the man extols her beauty.

§1.1ΑΣΜΑ ἀσμάτων, ὅ ἐστιν τῷ Σαλωμών.
The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.
§1.2Φιλησάτω με ἀπὸ φιλημάτων στόματος αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἀγαθοὶ μαστοί σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον,
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.
§1.3§³καὶ ὀσμὴ μύρων σου ὑπέρ πάντα τὰ 3 ἀρώματα· μύρον ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομά σου. διὰ τοῦτο νεάνιδες ἠγάπησάν σε,
§³And the scent of your ointments is above all spices; your name is ointment poured forth; therefore the maidens have loved you.
§1.4εἴλκυσάν σε· ὀπίσω σου εἰς ὀσμὴν μύρσων σου δραμομεν.
They drew you; we will run after the scent of your ointments.
εἰσήνεγκέν με ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον αὐτοῦ. ἀγαλλιασώμεθα καὶ εὐφρανθῶμεν ἐν σοί· ἀγαπήσομεν μαστούς σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον· εὐθύτης ἠγάπησέν σε.
The king has brought me into his chamber; let us exult and be glad in you; we will love your love more than wine; uprightness has loved you.
§1.5Μέλαινά εἰμι καὶ καλή, θυγατέρες Ἰσραήλ, ὡς σκηνώματα Κηδάρ, ὡς δέρρις Σαλωμών.
I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Israel, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
§1.6μὴ βλέψητέ με, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι μεμελανωμένη, ὅτι παρέβλεψέν με ὁ ἥλιος·
Do not look upon me, because I am darkened, because the sun has looked down upon me.
υἱοὶ μητρός μου ἐμαχέσαντο ἐν ἐμοί, ἔθεντό με φυλάκισσαν ἐν ἀμπελῶσιν· ἀμπελῶνα ἐμὸν οὐκ ἐφύλαξα.
My mother's sons fought against me; they made me a keeper in the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not kept.
§1.7ἀπάγγειλόν μοι, ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου. ποῦ ποιμαίνεις, ποῦ κοιτάζεις ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ, μή ποτε γένωμαι ὡς περιβαλλομένη ἐπʼ ἀγέλας ἑταίρων σου.
Tell me, you whom my soul has loved, where you shepherd, where you rest your flock at noon, lest I should become like one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions.
§1.8Ἐὰν μὴ γνῷς σεαυτήν, ἡ καλὴ ἐν γυναιξίν, ἔξελθε οὺ ἐν πτέρναις τῶν ποιμνίων, καὶ ποίμαινε τὰς ἐρίφους σου ἐπὶ σκηνώμασιν τῶν ποιμένων.
If you do not know yourself, O beautiful among women, go forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and shepherd your kids by the tents of the shepherds.
§1.9Τῇ ἵππῳ μου ἐν ἅρμασιν Φαραὼ ὡμοἰωσά σε, ἡ πλησίον μου.
To my mare in the chariots of Pharaoh I have compared you, my love.
§1.10τί ὡραιώθησαν σιαγόνες σου ὡς τρυγόνες, τράχηλός σου ὡς ὁρμίσκοις
How beautiful are your cheeks like turtledoves, your neck like necklaces!
§1.11ὁμοιώματα χρυσίου ποιήσομέν σοι μετὰ στιγμάτων τοῦ ἀργυρίου.
We will make for you ornaments of gold with studs of silver.
§1.12Ἕως οὗ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν ἀνακλίσει αὐτοῦ, νάρδος μου ἔδωκεν ὀσμὴν αὐτοῦ.
While the king was at his table, my spikenard gave forth its fragrance.
§1.13ἀπόδεσμος τῆς στακτῆς ἀδελφιδός μου ἐμοί.
A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, resting between my breasts.
§1.14ἐν ἀμπελῶσιν Ἐνγαδδεί.
In the vineyards of En-gedi.
§1.15Ἰδοὺ εἶ καλή, ἡ πλησίν μου. ἰδοὺ εἶ καλή· ὀφθαλμοί σου περιστεραί.
Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves.
§1.16Ἰδοὺ εἶ καλός. ἀδελφιδός μου. καί γε ὡραῖος· πρὸς κλίνῃ ἡμῶν σύσκιος.
Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, and indeed lovely; our bed is shaded.
§1.17δοκοὶ σἴκων ἡμῶν κέδροι, φατνώματα ἡμῶν κυπάρισσοι.
The beams of our houses are cedars, our panels are cypresses.

Notes

  1. 1.1τῷ Σαλωμών — The dative `τῷ` denotes possession or authorship, mirroring the Hebrew preposition `l-` (belonging to, or by) in a literal translation.
  2. 1.2μαστοί σου — The Greek `μαστοί` literally means 'breasts', but in the Septuagint (LXX), it serves as a translation for the Hebrew `dōdīm` meaning 'caresses' or 'love', denoting acts of love rather than just a physical attribute.
  3. 1.4εὐθύτης ἠγάπησέν σε — The abstract noun `εὐθύτης` ('uprightness') serving as the subject is interpreted either as a collective noun meaning 'the upright ones' or adverbially as 'rightly'. Here it is treated as a collective concept acting as the subject.
  4. 1.7περιβαλλομένη — The middle participle `περιβαλλομένη` literally means 'one who veils herself'. This can imply a fear of being mistaken for a prostitute (who wore veils in that cultural context) or simply 'one who wanders' searching for her beloved.

Cite this passage

Septuagint, Song of Songs §1.1-1.17. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg031.humanitext-grc1:1.1-1.17

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.