the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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World English Bible
Song of Solomon 1:8
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"If you yourself do not know,Most beautiful among women,Go forth on the trail of the flockAnd pasture your young goatsBy the dwellings of the shepherds.
"If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women, Go forth on the trail of the flock And pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds.
If thou knowe not thy selfe (O thou fayrest among women) then go thy way foorth after the footesteppes of the sheepe, and feede thy goates besyde the shepheardes tentes.
If thou know not, thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' booths.
If you do not know, O fairest among women, Follow in the footsteps of the flock, And feed your little goats Beside the shepherds' tents.
If you yourself do not know, most beautiful among women, go in the footsteps of the flock. And feed your kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
You are such a beautiful woman. Surely you know what to do. Go, follow the sheep. Feed your young goats near the shepherds' tents.
If thou know not (O thou fairest among women) goe thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke, and feede thy kiddes beside the shepheards tents.
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.
Yf thou knowe not yi self (o thou fayrest amoge women) tha go yi waye forth after ye fotesteppes of the shepe, as though thou woldest fede yi goates besyde ye shepherdes tentes.
The Man
If you can't find me, loveliest of all women, it's all right. Stay with your flocks. Lead your lambs to good pasture. Stay with your shepherd neighbors."If you do not know [where your lover is], O you fairest among women, Run along, follow the tracks of the flock, And pasture your young goats By 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.
If you have not knowledge, O most beautiful among women, go on your way in the footsteps of the flock, and give your young goats food by the tents of the keepers.
If you don't know, O you fairest among women, Go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
If thou knowest not, O thou fairest among women, go forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents.
The Lover to His Beloved:
If you do not know, O most beautiful of women, simply follow the tracks of my flock, and pasture your little lambs beside the tents of the shepherds.He Speaks: My dearest, if you don't know, just follow the path of the sheep. Then feed your young goats near the shepherds' tents.
[Chorus]
If you do not know, you most beautiful of women, then follow the footprints of the flock and let your kids graze by the shepherds' tents.If thou knowe not, O thou the fairest among women, get thee foorth by the steps of the flocke, and feede thy kiddes by the tents of the shepheards.
If you do not know, O you most beautiful among women, come, follow in the footprints of the flock, and feed your kids beside the shepherds tents.
If you don't know, most beautiful among women, Follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
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.
Young Man
If you don't know, O most beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock, and graze your young goats by the shepherds' tents."If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the path of the flock. And let your young goats eat in the field beside the tents of the shepherds.
If thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherd’s tents.
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.
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 you do not know, O fairest among women, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your kids beside the shepherds' tents.
HEIf thou know not of thyself, most beautiful among women! get thee forth in the footsteps of the flock, and pasture thy kids by the huts of the shepherds. â¦
(1-7) If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your little lambs beside the tents of the shepherds.
He
If you do not know, O most beautiful among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats beside the shepherds' tents."If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women, Go out on the trail of the flock, And pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds.
You are the most beautiful of women. Surely you know to follow the sheep and feed your young goats near the shepherds' tents.
The Man
Don't you know the place, loveliest of women? Go and follow the flock; find pasture for your goats near the tents of the shepherds.M If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats near the shepherds' tents.
A! thou fairest among wymmen, if thou knowist not thi silf, go thou out, and go forth aftir the steppis of thi flockis; and feede thi kidis, bisidis the tabernaclis of scheepherdis.
If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your kids beside the shepherds' tents.
If thou knowest not, O fair among women, Get thee forth by the traces of the flock, And feed thy kids by the shepherds' dwellings!
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
O thou: Song of Solomon 1:15, Song of Solomon 2:10, Song of Solomon 4:1, Song of Solomon 4:7, Song of Solomon 4:10, Song of Solomon 5:9, Song of Solomon 6:1, Song of Solomon 6:4-10, Song of Solomon 7:1-13, Psalms 16:3, Psalms 45:11, Psalms 45:13, Ephesians 5:27, Revelation 19:7, Revelation 19:8
go: Proverbs 8:34, Jeremiah 6:16, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Hebrews 6:12, Hebrews 11:4-40, Hebrews 13:7, James 2:21, James 2:25, James 5:10, 1 Peter 3:6
feed: John 21:15
Reciprocal: Genesis 29:9 - Rachel Exodus 33:13 - show Ruth 2:8 - neither Ruth 2:21 - Thou shalt Ruth 2:22 - It is good Proverbs 2:20 - General Proverbs 13:20 - that Song of Solomon 2:14 - thy countenance Song of Solomon 6:2 - feed Jeremiah 12:16 - my name Jeremiah 50:6 - have forgotten Ezekiel 34:15 - General Luke 12:32 - little John 1:38 - Rabbi John 8:32 - ye shall Acts 17:4 - some Acts 20:28 - all Romans 4:12 - in the steps 1 Peter 2:25 - the Shepherd 1 Peter 5:2 - Feed Revelation 7:17 - feed
Cross-References
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. There was evening and there was morning, one day.
God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.
There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
If thou know not,.... Or, "seeing thou knowest not" m; the saints in this imperfect state know but in part, are ignorant of many things, and in some measure of themselves; for though they know much of the sinfulness and deceitfulness of their hearts, yet they know not all; and of their imperfection and weakness, yet not the whole of it; and some render the words, "if thou know not to thee", or, "for thyself", as Ainsworth; or "know [not thyself]" n, as others; hence Ambrose o observes, that "nosce teipsum" was not originally from the Pythian oracle; Solomon had it before that, and he from Moses, Deuteronomy 4:9; Saints have not a perfect knowledge of Christ and his truths, and are sometimes at a loss to know where he is, his word is purely preached, and his ordinances faithfully administered;
O thou fairest among women; these are not the words of the daughters of Jerusalem, as some think, who were not capable of giving her the following advice and directions; but of Christ himself, to whom the church applied for it; who, though black in her own eyes, and in the eyes of others, yet was fair, surpassingly fair, fairer than all others in his eye, even notwithstanding her late sinfulness and negligence; which shows the invariableness of his love; who directs her as follows;
go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock; not "from the footsteps" p; as if it was an exhortation to depart from false teachers, their doctrine and worship, and the abettors of them, she was tempted to turn aside to; but the "footsteps" are the rule and mark by which she was to go, and on which she was to keep her eye, and steer her course by, in seeking after Christ: for by "the flock" is meant the flock of Christ; and by the "footsteps" of it the ways and ordinances in which saints walk in obedience to Christ; and who are to be followed so far as they follow him; their steps are to be trod in; and this is the readiest and most likely way to find Christ, even where saints meet together, the word is preached, and ordinances administered;
and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents; the faithful ministers of the word, who are Christ's undershepherds, have their mission and commission from him, and are qualified by him to feed his flocks, and do feed them by the pure administration of the word and ordinances; and by the tents are meant the places of public worship, where they usually preach the Gospel, and administer ordinances. The allusion is to the tents of shepherds pitched for the convenience of feeding their flocks; and "by" or "near" q these the church is directed to "feed [her] kids", young converts weak in the faith; men of "little faith", as Aben Ezra interprets it; called "kids" or young goats, lascivious r, and of an ill smell; because of sin in them, of an ill smell to themselves and others; and of whom the world have an ill opinion; and such on all accounts need encouragement from the church and ministers. It was common in the eastern countries, as Philo says s of the Arabs, not for men only to keep flocks, but women also, and young virgins; and not the common people only, but nobles; of women keeping flocks see
Genesis 29:9; This verse and Song of Solomon 1:7 show this song to be a pastoral; since the bridegroom and bride, the principal persons in it, are represented in it as a shepherd and shepherdess.
m ×× "quandoquidem", Junius Tremellius, Piscator. n So the Septuagint, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions. o Hexaemeron. l. 6. c. 6. & in Psal. cxviii. octon. 2. p. 883. p So Junius & Tremellius. q "Juxta", V. L. Piscator, Michaelis apud, Mercerus, Cocceius. r "Hoedi petulci", Virgil. Georgic. l. 4. v. 10. "Lasciva capella", Bucol. Eclog. 2. v. 64. Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 15. v. 12. s De Vita Mosis, l. 1. p. 610. Vid. Joseph. Antiqu. l. 2. c. 11. s. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
This section is made by the Targumist and other Jewish interpreters to adumbrate the condition of Israel in the wilderness; by some Christian expositors, that of the Gentile Church on her first conversion.
Song of Solomon 1:5
I am black ... - Dark-hued, as the tents of Kedar with their black goatsâ hair coverings, rough and weather-stained, âbut comely (beautiful) as the rich hangings which adorn the pavilion of Solomon. Kedar was the name of an Arab tribe Genesis 25:13; Psalms 120:5. The word itself signifies âdarkâ or âblack.â Possibly âtents of Kedarâ stand here poetically for shepherdsâ tents in general Isaiah 60:7.
Song of Solomon 1:6
Look not upon me - In wonder or scorn at my swarthy hue. It was acquired in enforced but honest toil: the sun hath scanned me (or âglared upon meâ) with his burning eye. The second word rendered âlookedâ is a word twice found in Job Job 20:9; Job 28:7, and indicates in the latter place the piercing glance of a bird of prey.
My motherâs children, - Or, sons; a more affectionate designation than âbrothers,â and implying the most intimate relationship.
Angry - This anger was perhaps but a form of jealous care for their sisterâs safety (compare Song of Solomon 8:12). By engaging her in rustic labors they preserved her from idleness and temptation, albeit with a temporary loss of outward comeliness.
Mine own vineyard - A figurative expression for herself or her beauty.
Song of Solomon 1:7
whom my soul loveth - A phrase recurring several times. It expresses great intensity of affection.
Feedest - i. e., âPursuest thy occupation as a shepherd;â so she speaks figuratively of the Son of David. Compare Song of Solomon 2:16; Song of Solomon 6:3; Psalms 23:1.
Rest - Or, lie down; a term properly used of the couching of four-footed animals: âthy flockâ is here therefore easily understood. Compare Ezekiel 34:14-15; Psalms 23:2; Jeremiah 50:6.
As one that turneth aside - Or, goeth astray like an outcast.
Song of Solomon 1:8
The chorus, and not the king, are the speakers here. Their meaning seems to be: If thy beloved be indeed a shepherd, then seek him yonder among other shepherds, but if a king, thou wilt find him here in his royal dwelling.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Song of Solomon 1:8. If thou know not — This appears to be the reply of the virgins. They know not exactly; and therefore direct the bride to the shepherds, who would give information.
