The Voice of the Beloved
Song of Songs 2
The bride likens herself and her beloved to flowers among trees, and tells how he comes swiftly over the mountains to call her forth as winter passes and spring appears. She closes with a charge that love not be stirred up or awakened before its own time.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonI AM a flower of the field, and a lily of the valleys.
BrentonI am a flower of the plain, a lily of the valleys.
GreekἘγὼ ἄνθος τοῦ πεδίου, κρίνον τῶν κοιλάδων.
KJVI am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
JPSI am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys.
2
ThomsonAs a lily among thorns, so is my consort among the daughters.
BrentonAs a lily among thorns, so is my companion among the daughters.
GreekὩς κρίνον ἐν μέσῳ ἀκανθῶν, οὕτως ἡ πλησίον μου ἀναμέσον τῶν θυγατέρων.
KJVAs the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
JPSAs a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.
3
ThomsonAs the citron tree among the trees of the forests; so is my dear brother among the youths. In its shade I took great delight and sat, and its fruit was sweet to my taste.
BrentonAs the apple among the trees of the wood, so is my kinsman among the sons. I desired his shadow, and sat down, and his fruit was sweet in my throat.
GreekὩς μῆλον ἐν τοῖς ξύλοις τοῦ δρυμοῦ, οὕτως ἀδελφιδός μου ἀναμέσον τῶν υἱῶν· ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ αὐτοῦ ἐπεθύμησα, καὶ ἐκάθισα, καὶ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ γλυκὺς ἐν λάρυγγί μου.
KJVAs the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
JPSAs an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. Under its shadow I delighted to sit, And its fruit was sweet to my taste.
4
ThomsonO conduct me to the house of wine, and order for me what I love.
BrentonBring me into the wine house; set love before me.
GreekΕἰσαγάγετέ με εἰς οἶκον τοῦ οἴνου, τάξατε ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἀγάπην.
KJVHe brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
JPS—
5
ThomsonStrengthen with perfumes—strew around me citrons, for I am wounded with love.
BrentonStrengthen me with perfumes, stay me with apples: for I am wounded with love.
GreekΣτηρίσατέ με ἐν μύροις, στοιβάσατέ με ἐν μήλοις, ὅτι τετρωμένη ἀγάπης ἐγώ.
KJVStay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
JPS’Stay ye me with dainties, refresh me with apples; For I am love-sick.’
6
ThomsonLet his left hand be under my head, and his right embrace me!
BrentonHis left hand shall be under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
GreekΕὐώνυμος αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὴν κεφαλήν μου, καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ περιλήψεταί με.
KJVHis left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
JPSLet his left hand be under my head, And his right hand embrace me.
7
ThomsonI have adjured you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and virtues of the field, that you stir not up nor awake my love till she please.
BrentonI have charged you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the virtues of the field, that ye do not rouse or wake my love, until he please.
GreekὭρκισα ὑμᾶς θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν δυνάμεσι καὶ ἐν ἰσχύσεσι τοῦ ἀγροῦ· ἐὰν ἐγείρητε καὶ ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην ἕως οὗ θελήσῃ.
KJVI charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
JPS’I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, That ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please.’
8
ThomsonIt is the voice of my dear brother! Lo he cometh, bounding over the mountains—skipping over the hills.
BrentonThe voice of my kinsman! behold, he comes leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.
GreekΦωνὴ ἀδελφιδοῦ μου, ἰδοὺ οὗτος ἥκει πηδῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη, διαλλόμενος ἐπὶ τοὺς βουνούς.
KJVThe voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
JPSHark! my beloved! behold, he cometh, Leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9
ThomsonMy dear brother is like a roe; or a young hart on the mountains of Baithor. Lo! he is behind our wall, looking in at the windows, taking a near view through the lattice.
BrentonMy kinsman is like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Bæthel: behold, he is behind our wall, looking through the windows, peeping through the lattices.
GreekὍμοιός ἐστιν ἀδελφιδός μου τῇ δορκάδι ἢ νεβρῷ ἐλάφων ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη Βαιθήλ· ἰδοὺ οὗτος ὀπίσω τοῦ τοίχου ἡμῶν, παρακύπτων διὰ τῶν θυρίδων, ἐκκύπτων διὰ τῶν δικτύων.
KJVMy beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
JPSMy beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart; Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, He peereth through the lattice.
10
ThomsonMy dear brother addressing me saith: Arise my love, my fair one, my dove!
BrentonMy kinsman answers, and says to me, Rise up, come, my companion, my fair one, my dove.
GreekἈποκρίνεται ἀδελφιδός μου, καὶ λέγει μοι, ἀνάστα, ἐλθὲ ἡ πλησίον μου, καλή μου, περιστερά μου.
KJVMy beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
JPSMy beloved spoke, and said unto me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11
ThomsonFor lo! the winter is past—the rain is over: is gone.
BrentonFor, behold, the winter is past, the rain is gone, it has departed.
GreekὍτι ἰδοὺ ὁ χειμὼν παρῆλθεν, ὁ ὑετὸς ἀπῆλθεν, ἐπορεύθη ἑαυτῷ.
KJVFor, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
JPSFor, lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone;
12
ThomsonThe flowers appear on the earth—the pruning season is come. The voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
BrentonThe flowers are seen in the land; the time of pruning has arrived; the voice of the turtle-dove has been heard in our land.
GreekΤὰ ἄνθη ὤφθη ἐν τῇ γῇ, καιρὸς τῆς τομῆς ἔφθακε, φωνὴ τῆς τρυγόνος ἠκούσθη ἐν τῇ γῇ ἡμῶν.
KJVThe flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
JPSThe flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing is come, And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13
ThomsonThe fig tree hath put forth its green figs: the vines are in bloom—they have shed a fragrance. Arise, come my beloved, my fair one, my dove.
BrentonThe fig-tree has put forth its young figs, the vines put forth the tender grape, they yield a smell: arise, come, my companion, my fair one, my dove; yea, come.
GreekἩ συκὴ ἐξήνεγκεν ὀλύνθους αὐτῆς, αἱ ἄμπελοι κυπρίζουσιν, ἔδωκαν ὀσμήν· ἀνάστα, ἐλθὲ ἡ πλησίον μου, καλή μου, περιστερά μου, καὶ ἐλθὲ.
KJVThe fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
JPSThe fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, And the vines in blossom give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14
ThomsonYes, come thou dove of mine: in the shelter of the rock near the wall. Shew me thy face and let me hear thy voice: for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance comely.
BrentonThou art my dove, in the shelter of the rock, near the wall: shew me thy face, and cause me to hear thy voice; for thy voice is sweet, and thy countenance is beautiful.
GreekΣὺ περιστερά μου, ἐν σκέπῃ τῆς πέτρας, ἐχόμενα τοῦ προτειχίσματος· δεῖξόν μοι τὴν ὄψιν σου, καὶ ἀκούτισόν με τὴν φωνήν σου, ὅτι ἡ φωνή σου ἡδεῖα, καὶ ἡ ὄψις σου ὡραῖα.
KJVO my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
JPSO my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.’
15
ThomsonCatch for us the little foxes, that spoil vines: for our vines are in blossom.
BrentonTake us the little foxes that spoil the vines: for our vines put forth tender grapes.
GreekΠιάσατε ἡμῖν ἀλώπεκας μικροὺς ἀφανίζοντας ἀμπελῶνας· καὶ αἱ ἄμπελοι ἡμῶν κυπρίζουσαι.
KJVTake us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
JPS’Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in blossom.’
16
ThomsonMy dear brother is mine and I am his: he is feeding among the lillies.
BrentonMy kinsman is mine, and I am his: he feeds his flock among the lilies.
GreekἈδελφιδός μου ἐμοὶ, κᾀγὼ αὐτῷ· ὁ ποιμαίνων ἐν τοῖς κρίνοις.
KJVMy beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
JPSMy beloved is mine, and I am his, That feedeth among the lilies.
17
ThomsonTill the day blow fresh and the shades be removed. Return—Be, O my dear brother, like a roe, or a young hart on the caverned mountains.
BrentonUntil the day dawn, and the shadows depart, turn, my kinsman, be thou like to a roe or young hart on the mountains of the ravines.
GreekἝως οὗ διαπνεύσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα, καὶ κινηθῶσιν αἱ σκιαί· ἀπόστρεψον, ὁμοιώθητι σὺ ἀδελφιδε μου τῷ δόρκωνι ἢ νεβρῷ ἐλάφων ἐπὶ ὄρη κοιλωμάτων.
KJVUntil the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
JPSUntil the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.