שיר השירים 1:5

Hebrew Modern Translation

שחורה אני ונאוה בנות ירושלם כאהלי קדר כיריעות שלמה׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Aleppo Codex
שחורה אני ונאוה בנות ירושלם כאהלי קדר כיריעות שלמה

Biblia Hebrica Stuttgartensia (1967/77)
שְׁחוֹרָ֤ה אֲנִי֙ וְֽנָאוָ֔ה בְּנֹ֖ות יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כְּאָהֳלֵ֣י קֵדָ֔ר כִּירִיעֹ֖ות שְׁלֹמֹֽה ׃

Westminster Leningrad Codex
שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְֽנָאוָה בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם כְּאָהֳלֵי קֵדָר כִּירִיעוֹת שְׁלֹמֹֽה ׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

black: Isaiah 53:2, Matthew 10:25, 1 Corinthians 4:10-13, 1 John 3:1

comely: Psalms 90:17, Psalms 149:4, Isaiah 61:10, Ezekiel 16:14, Matthew 22:11, Luke 15:22, Romans 13:14, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 5:26

O ye: Psalms 45:9, Luke 13:34, Galatians 4:26

as the tents: Psalms 120:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:13 - Kedar Judges 6:5 - tents 1 Chronicles 1:29 - Kedar Psalms 45:14 - virgins Psalms 48:11 - daughters Song of Solomon 2:7 - O ye Song of Solomon 2:14 - thy countenance Song of Solomon 3:11 - O ye Isaiah 21:16 - Kedar Jeremiah 8:21 - I am Jeremiah 49:28 - Kedar Ezekiel 27:21 - Kedar Luke 23:28 - daughters

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I [am] black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,.... The church having obtained of Christ, what she wanted, turns to the daughters of Jerusalem, the same perhaps with the virgins her companions; they seem to be young converts, it may be not yet members of the visible church, but had a great respect for the church, and she for them; and who, though they had but a small knowledge of Christ her beloved, yet were desirous of knowing more of him, and seeking him with her; see Song of Solomon 3:9; to these she gives this character of herself, that she was "black" in herself x, through original sin and actual transgression; in her own eyes, through indwelling sin, and many infirmities, spots, and blemishes in life; and in the eyes of the world, through afflictions, persecutions, and reproaches, she was attended with, and so with them the offscouring of all things: "but comely" in the eyes of Christ, called by him his "fair one", the "fairest among women", and even "all fair", Song of Solomon 1:8; through his comeliness put upon her, the imputation of his righteousness to her; through the beauties of holiness upon her; through, the sanctifying influences of his Spirit; and, being in a church state, walking in Gospel order, attending to the commands and ordinances of Christ; and so beautiful as Tirzah, and comely as Jerusalem, Song of Solomon 6:4; and upon all accounts "desirable" y to Christ, and to his people, as the word may be rendered;

as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon: each of which are thought by some to refer to both parts of her character; and suppose that the tents of Kedar, though they might look poor on the outside, were full of wealth and riches within; and Solomon's curtains, or hangings, might have an outward covering not so rich and beautiful as they were on the inside; but rather the blackness of the church is designed by the one, and her comeliness by the other. With respect to her blackness, she compares herself to the tents of Kedar, to the inhabitants of those tents, who were of a black or swarthy complexion; Kedar signifies the name of a man whose posterity these were, that dwelt in tents, even of Kedar the second son of Ishmael, and who inhabited some part of Arabia; and, their employment being to feed cattle, moved from place to place for the sake of pasturage, and so dwelt in tents, which they could easily remove, and hence were called Scenites; and the tents they dwelt in being made of hair cloth, and continually exposed to the sun and rain, were very black, and yet a number of them made a fine appearance, as Dr. Shaw relates z; though black, yet were beautiful to behold; he says,

"the Bedouin Arabs at this day live in tents called "hhymes", from the shelter which they afford the inhabitants; and "beet el shaar", that is, "houses of hair", from the materials or webs of goats' hair whereof they were made; and are such hair cloth as our coal sacks are made of; the colour of them is beautifully alluded to, Song of Solomon 1:5; for nothing certainly can afford (says he) a more delightful prospect than a large extensive plain, whether in its verdure, or even scorched up by the sunbeams, than, these movable habitations pitched in circles upon them; of which (he says) he has seen from three to three hundred.''

And for her comeliness the church compares herself either to the curtains of Solomon, about his bed, or to the rich hangings of tapestry in the several apartments of his palace, which no doubt were very costly and magnificent.

x "Nigra per naturam, formosa per gratiam", Aug. de Tempore, serm. 201. p. 354. tom. 10. "Fusca per culpam, decora per gratiam", Ambros. in Psal. cxviii. octon. 2. col. 881. tom. 2. y נאוה "optabilis", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Mercerus; so Aben Ezra. z Travels, p. 220. edit. 2. See Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28. Solin. Polyhist. c. 46.

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 goats’ hair coverings, rough and weather-stained, “but 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 “dark” or “black.” Possibly “tents of Kedar” stand here poetically for shepherds’ 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 “glared upon me”) with his burning eye. The second word rendered “looked” 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 mother’s children, - Or, sons; a more affectionate designation than “brothers,” and implying the most intimate relationship.

Angry - This anger was perhaps but a form of jealous care for their sister’s 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., “Pursuest thy occupation as a shepherd;” 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: “thy flock” 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 1:5. I am black, but comely — This is literally true of many of the Asiatic women; though black or brown, they are exquisitely beautiful. Many of the Egyptian women are still fine; but their complexion is much inferior to that of the Palestine females. Though black or swarthy in my complexion, yet am I comely - well proportioned in every part.

As the tents of Kedar — I am tawny, like the tents of the Arabians, and like the pavilions of Solomon, probably covered by a kind of tanned cloth. The daughters of Jerusalem are said to represent the synagogue; the bride, the Church of Christ. It is easy to find spiritual meanings: every creed will furnish them.