שיר השירים 1:6

Hebrew Modern Translation

אל תראוני שאני שחרחרת ששזפתני השמש בני אמי נחרו בי שמני נטרה את הכרמים כרמי שלי לא נטרתי׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Aleppo Codex
אל תראוני שאני שחרחרת ששזפתני השמש בני אמי נחרו בי שמני נטרה את הכרמים כרמי שלי לא נטרתי

Biblia Hebrica Stuttgartensia (1967/77)
אַל־תִּרְא֙וּנִי֙ שֶׁאֲנִ֣י שְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶת שֶׁשֱּׁזָפַ֖תְנִי הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ בְּנֵ֧י אִמִּ֣י נִֽחֲרוּ־בִ֗י שָׂמֻ֙נִי֙ נֹטֵרָ֣ה אֶת־הַכְּרָמִ֔ים כַּרְמִ֥י שֶׁלִּ֖י לֹ֥א נָטָֽרְתִּי ׃

Westminster Leningrad Codex
אַל־תִּרְאוּנִי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׁחַרְחֹרֶת שֶׁשֱּׁזָפַתְנִי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ בְּנֵי אִמִּי נִֽחֲרוּ־בִי שָׂמֻנִי נֹטֵרָה אֶת־הַכְּרָמִים כַּרְמִי שֶׁלִּי לֹא נָטָֽרְתִּי ׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Look: Ruth 1:19-21

because: Job 30:30, Jeremiah 8:21, Lamentations 4:8, Mark 4:6, Acts 14:22

my mother's: Psalms 69:8, Jeremiah 12:6, Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:22, Matthew 10:25, Matthew 10:35, Matthew 10:36, Luke 12:51-53, Galatians 4:29

keeper: Song of Solomon 8:11, Song of Solomon 8:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:20 - planted Genesis 29:2 - there Song of Solomon 6:13 - What Isaiah 66:5 - Your Jonah 4:8 - and the sun Revelation 7:16 - the sun

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Look not upon me,.... Meaning not with scorn and disdain because of her meanness; nor as prying into her infirmities to expose her; nor with joy at her trials and afflictions; neither of these can be supposed in the daughters of Jerusalem addressed by her: but rather, not look on her as amazed at her sufferings, as though some strange thing had befallen her; not at her blackness only, on one account or another, lest they should be stumbled; but at her beauty also;

because I [am] black; or "blackish" somewhat black a, but not so black as might be thought, or as she was represented: the radicals of the word being doubled, some understand it as diminishing; but rather it increases the signification; see Psalms 14:2; and so it may be rendered "very black" b, exceeding black; and this she repeats for the sake of an opportunity of giving the reason of it, as follows;

because the sun hath looked upon me; and had burnt her, and made her black; which effect the sun has on persons in some countries, and especially on such who are much abroad in the fields, and employed in rural services c; as she was, being a keeper of vineyards, as in this verse, and of flocks of sheep, as in the following. This may be understood of the sun of persecution that had beat upon her, and had left such impressions on her, and had made her in this hue, and which she bore patiently; nor was she ashamed of it; nor should she be upbraided with it, nor slighted on account of it, see Matthew 13:6;

my mother's children were angry with me; by whom may be meant carnal professors, members of the same society, externally children of the same mother, pretend to godliness, but are enemies to it: these were "angry" with the church for holding and defending the pure doctrines of the Gospel; for keeping the ordinances as they were delivered; and for faithful reproofs and admonitions to them and others, for their disagreeable walk: and these grieved the church, and made her go mourning, and in black; and more blackened her character and reputation than anything else whatever: though it may be understood of any carnal men, who descend from mother Eve, or spring from mother earth, angry with the church and her members preciseness in religion; and particularly violent persecutors of her, who yet would be thought to be religious, may be intended;

they made me the keeper of the vineyards; this is another thing that added to her blackness, lying abroad in the fields to keep the "vineyards" of others, by which may be meant false churches, as true ones are sometimes signified by them; and her compliance with their corrupt worship and ordinances, which was not voluntary, but forced; they made me, obliged her, and this increased her blackness; as also what follows;

[but] mine own vineyard have I not kept; which made her blacker still; her church state, or the spiritual affairs of her own, her duty and business incumbent on her d, were sadly neglected by her: and this sin of hers she does not pretend to extenuate by the usage of her mother's children; but ingenuously confesses the fault was her own, to neglect her own vineyard and keep others, which was greatly prejudicial to her, and was resented by Christ; upon which it seems he departed from her, since she was at a loss to know where he was, as appears from the following words. With the Romans, neglect of fields, trees, and vineyards, came under the notice of the censors, and was not to go unpunished e.

a שחרחרת "paululum denigrata", Pagninus, Mercerus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius so Ainsworth and Aben Ezra. b "Valde fusca", Bochart; "prorsus vel valde, et teta nigra", Marckius, Michaelis. c "Perusta solibus pernicis uxor", Horat. Epod. Ode 2. v. 41, 42.

αλιοκαυστον Theocrit. Idyll. 10. v. 27. d So Horace calls his own works "Vineta", Epist. l. 2. Ep. 1. v. 220. e A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 4. c. 12.

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 1:6. Because the sun hath looked upon me — The bride gives here certain reasons why she was dark complexioned. "The sun hath looked upon me." I am sunburnt, tanned by the sun; being obliged, perhaps, through some domestic jealously or uneasiness, to keep much without: "My mother's children were angry; they made me keeper of the vineyards." Here the brown complexion of the Egyptians is attributed to the influence of the sun or climate.

My mother's children were angry with me — Acted severely. The bringing of a foreigner to the throne would no doubt excite jealousy among the Jewish females; who, from their own superior complexion, national and religious advantages, might well suppose that Solomon should not have gone to Egypt for a wife and queen, while Judea could have furnished him with every kind of superior excellence.