Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead. New Living Translation You are beautiful, my darling, beautiful beyond words. Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair falls in waves, like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead. English Standard Version Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead. Berean Standard Bible How beautiful you are, my darling—how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. King James Bible Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. New King James Version Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, Going down from Mount Gilead. New American Standard Bible “How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead. NASB 1995 “How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead. NASB 1977 “<,>How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead. Legacy Standard Bible “Behold, you are beautiful, my darling, Behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have leapt down from Mount Gilead. Amplified Bible “How fair and beautiful you are, my darling, How very beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are like those of a dove; Your hair is like [the shimmering black fleece of] a flock of [Arabian] goats That have descended from Mount Gilead [beyond the Jordan]. Christian Standard Bible How beautiful you are, my darling. How very beautiful! Behind your veil, your eyes are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. Holman Christian Standard Bible M How beautiful you are, my darling. How very beautiful! Behind your veil, your eyes are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. American Standard Version Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are as doves behind thy veil. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, That lie along the side of mount Gilead. Contemporary English Version My darling, you are lovely, so very lovely--as you look through your veil, your eyes are those of a dove. Your hair tosses about as gracefully as goats coming down from Gilead. English Revised Version Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as doves behind thy veil: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that lie along the side of mount Gilead. GOD'S WORD® Translation Look at you! You are beautiful, my true love. Look at you! You are so beautiful. Your eyes behind your veil are like doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats moving down Mount Gilead. Good News Translation How beautiful you are, my love! How your eyes shine with love behind your veil. Your hair dances like a flock of goats bounding down the hills of Gilead. International Standard Version Look at you! You are beautiful, my darling. Look at you! You are so beautiful. Your eyes behind your veil are doves, your hair is like a flock of goats coming down from Mt. Gilead. Majority Standard Bible How beautiful you are, my darling—how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. NET Bible Oh, you are beautiful, my darling! Oh, you are beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are like doves. Your hair is like a flock of female goats descending from Mount Gilead. New Heart English Bible Look, you are beautiful, my love. Look, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is as a flock of goats, that descend from Mount Gilead. Webster's Bible Translation Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. World English Bible Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is as a flock of goats, that descend from Mount Gilead. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBehold, you [are] beautiful, my friend, behold, you [are] beautiful, "" Your eyes [are] doves behind your veil, "" Your hair as a row of the goats that have shone from Mount Gilead, Young's Literal Translation Lo, thou art fair, my friend, lo, thou art fair, Thine eyes are doves behind thy veil, Thy hair as a row of the goats That have shone from mount Gilead, Smith's Literal Translation Behold thee beautiful, my friend, behold thee beautiful; thine eyes doves from behind to thy veil: thy hair as a herd of goats which lay down from mount Gilead. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleHow beautiful art thou, my love, how beautiful art thou! thy eyes are doves' eyes, besides what is hid within. Thy hair is as flocks of goats, which Come up from mount Galaad. Catholic Public Domain Version Groom to Bride: How beautiful you are, my love, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are those of a dove, except for what is hidden within. Your hair is like flocks of goats, which ascend along the mountain of Gilead. New American Bible How beautiful you are, my friend, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. New Revised Standard Version How beautiful you are, my love, how very beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, moving down the slopes of Gilead. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBEHOLD, you are beautiful, my beloved; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves' eyes behind your veil; your hair is like a flock of goats, which come up from mount Gilead. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Behold, you are beautiful my intimate one, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are of a dove; outside of your silence, your hair is like a flock of goats that goes up from Mount Gelad OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are as doves behind thy veil; Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that trail down from mount Gilead. Brenton Septuagint Translation Behold, thou art fair, my companion; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are doves, beside thy veil: thy hair is as flocks of goats, that have appeared from Galaad. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Solomon Admires His Bride1How beautiful you are, my darling— how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. 2Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheep coming up from the washing; each has its twin, and not one of them is lost.… Cross References Psalm 45:11 and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord. Proverbs 5:19 A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever. Isaiah 62:5 For as a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. Genesis 29:17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. 1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. 1 Corinthians 11:15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. Revelation 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. / She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. Isaiah 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion. Matthew 25:1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ... John 3:29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 2 Corinthians 11:2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. Revelation 21:2 I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Genesis 24:16 Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again. Treasury of Scripture Behold, you are fair, my love; behold, you are fair; you have doves' eyes within your locks: your hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. thou art fair Song of Solomon 4:9,10 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck… Song of Solomon 1:15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes. Song of Solomon 2:10,14 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away… thou hast Song of Solomon 5:12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Philippians 2:3-5 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves… thy hair Song of Solomon 5:11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. Song of Solomon 6:5,7 Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead… Song of Solomon 7:5 Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries. appear from Numbers 32:1,40 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; … Jump to Previous Appear Beautiful Darling Descend Descending Dove Doves Eyes Fair Flock Friend Gilead Goats Hair Love Mount Moving Rest Row Shone Side Slopes Trail Veil WithinJump to Next Appear Beautiful Darling Descend Descending Dove Doves Eyes Fair Flock Friend Gilead Goats Hair Love Mount Moving Rest Row Shone Side Slopes Trail Veil WithinSong of Solomon 4 1. Christ sets forth the graces of the church8. He shows forth his love to her 16. The church prays to be made fit for his presence How beautiful you are, my darling—how very beautiful! The phrase "How beautiful you are" is a declaration of admiration and love. In Hebrew, the word for "beautiful" is "יָפָה" (yapha), which conveys not only physical beauty but also a sense of goodness and pleasantness. This expression of beauty is repeated for emphasis, highlighting the deep affection and admiration the speaker has for the beloved. The term "my darling" is translated from "רַעְיָתִי" (ra'ayati), which is a term of endearment, indicating a close, intimate relationship. This reflects the covenantal love that mirrors the relationship between Christ and His Church, emphasizing the purity and depth of divine love. Your eyes are like doves behind your veil Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead (1) Locks.--Heb., tsammah, only besides in Song of Solomon 6:7 and Isaiah 47:2. The derivation, and the existence of cognate Arabic words, leave no doubt that it means veil. So, in Isaiah 47:2, the LXX. understood it, though here they have given the strange and meaningless translation, "out of thy silence," which the Vulg. has still further mystified into "from that which lies hid within," a rendering which has been a fruitful source of moral allusion to the more hidden beauties of the soul. If the veil was worn in ancient times in Palestine, as by Eastern ladies now, covering the lower part of the face, but allowing the eyes to be seen, the description is very appropriate. That appear.--Marg., that eat of; Heb., galash: only here and in the corresponding passage, Song of Solomon 6:5. The word has had a variety of most contradictory interpretations. The Authorised Version follows the LXX., and has the support of Ewald's great authority. The marginal eat of rests only on the existence of cognates in Syriac and Arabic = obtained, collected (see Lee's Heb. Dict.), which would rather point to such a rendering as, "which they obtain from mount Gilead." The Vulg., qu? ascenderunt, is followed by some commentators, though the bulk give the exactly opposite: "come down," or "run down," or "hang down from." In such a difficulty only the context can decide, and any translation suggesting the dark hair flowing in masses round the shoulders is allowable. At the same time, from a tendency of the author to accumulate, and sometimes to confuse, his figures (Song of Solomon 4:12; Song of Solomon 4:15, Song of Solomon 5:12-13), probably here it is the long, soft, delicate, generally black hair of the Oriental goat which is compared to that of the lady, as well as the general appearance presented by the whole flock suspended on the mountain side. . . . Verse 1. - Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as doves behind thy veil; thine hair is as a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Mount Gilead. We commence, at this verse, the loving converse of the bridegroom with the bride, which we must suppose is heard as they travel together in the bridal procession. The words of adoring affection are chiefly spoken by the bridegroom, as is natural in the circumstances, and the reference to the journey, and its consummation in ver. 8, make it certain that the intention is to carry us in thought to the palanquin and the breathings of first love in bridal joy. The poetry is exquisite and truly Eastern, while yet absolutely chaste and pure. The praise of the eyes is common in all erotic poetry. Her eyes gleam, in colour, motion, and lustre, like a pair of doves from behind the veil; showing that the bride is thought of as travelling. The bride was always deeply veiled (see Genesis 24:65), as the Roman bride wore the velum flamineum. The LXX. have mistaken the meaning, rendering, ἐκτὸς τῇς σιωπήσεώς. The veil might typify silence or reserve, but the word is tsammah, which is from a root "to veil," and is righty rendered by Symmachus κάλυμμα. The hair was long and dark, and lay down the shoulders uncovered and free, which added much to the graceful attraction of the bride. In later times it was customary for the hair to be adorned with a wreath of myrtle or roses, or a golden ornament representing Jerusalem. The goats in Syria and the neighbouring countries are mostly black or dark brown, while the sheep are white. Delitzsch says, "A flock of goats encamped upon a mountain (rising up, to one looking from a distance, as in a steep slope and almost perpendicularly), and as if hanging down lengthwise on its sides, presents a lovely view adorning the landscape." It would be especially lovely amid the romantic scenery of Gilead. The, verb rendered "lie along" is otherwise taken by the LXX., ἀπεκαλύφησαν, and by the Vulgate ascenderunt. The rabbis differ from one another in their renderings. One says, "which, look, down;" another, "make bare," "quit," or "descend;" another, "are seen." The modern translators vary. Luther says, "shorn;" Houbigant, "hang down;" Kleuken and Ewald, "shows itself;" Gesenius and others, "lie down;" Ginsburg, "rolling down," "running down." Our Revised Version gives, lie along, which is a very probable meaning. The reference is to the luxuriance and rich colour of the hair. Gilead would be a recollection of the bride's native place.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Howהִנָּ֨ךְ (hin·nāḵ) Interjection | second person feminine singular Strong's 2005: Lo! behold! beautiful [you are], יָפָ֤ה (yā·p̄āh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 3303: Fair, beautiful my darling! רַעְיָתִי֙ (ra‘·yā·ṯî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 7474: A female associate How הִנָּ֣ךְ (hin·nāḵ) Interjection | second person feminine singular Strong's 2005: Lo! behold! very beautiful! יָפָ֔ה (yā·p̄āh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 3303: Fair, beautiful Your eyes עֵינַ֣יִךְ (‘ê·na·yiḵ) Noun - cdc | second person feminine singular Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain are [like] doves יוֹנִ֔ים (yō·w·nîm) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 3123: A dove behind מִבַּ֖עַד (mib·ba·‘aḏ) Preposition-m Strong's 1157: In up to, over against, at, beside, among, behind, for your veil. לְצַמָּתֵ֑ךְ (lə·ṣam·mā·ṯêḵ) Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular Strong's 6777: (woman's) veil Your hair שַׂעְרֵךְ֙ (śa‘·rêḵ) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular Strong's 8181: Hair is like a flock כְּעֵ֣דֶר (kə·‘ê·ḏer) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5739: An arrangement, muster of goats הָֽעִזִּ֔ים (hā·‘iz·zîm) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 5795: Female goat streaming down שֶׁגָּלְשׁ֖וּ (šeg·gā·lə·šū) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1570: To recline Mount מֵהַ֥ר (mê·har) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country Gilead. גִּלְעָֽד׃ (gil·‘āḏ) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1568: Gilead -- a region in Palestine, also the name of several Israelites Links Song of Solomon 4:1 NIVSong of Solomon 4:1 NLT Song of Solomon 4:1 ESV Song of Solomon 4:1 NASB Song of Solomon 4:1 KJV Song of Solomon 4:1 BibleApps.com Song of Solomon 4:1 Biblia Paralela Song of Solomon 4:1 Chinese Bible Song of Solomon 4:1 French Bible Song of Solomon 4:1 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Song of Solomon 4:1 Behold you are beautiful my love (Song Songs SS So Can) |
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