The Song is of course a very important piece both of love poetry and of theology. Not to be warbled in taverns, as Rabbi Akiva warns.
I have used perfection for words related to the כלל root. This simple change avoids the sister - bride glosses that are so famous. It is true that sister/bride is fully justifiable theologically, for if the bridegroom be Christ (for example), we are the body, the bride and indeed the friends, and the kin (brother, sister) of the groom. Pardon me if I have combined and mixed several overlapping New Testament (and Old Testament) metaphors. You should note that the title, role, and presence of Christ (= Messiah, = Anointed, etc) is bigger than the historical human Jesus, though again theologically, he illustrates with perfection the acts of his kin, his bride, his body, and friends. Equally, that same Spirit that informed the Anointed Jesus, also informs our understanding and experience as it did the experience and understanding of the poets of the Tanakh. Nonetheless, my perfect one or some such other doting gloss is just fine in a love poem. Especially when the perfection is bought with such a price.
Perfection is a kind of completeness, or consummation (כלה from כלל) - and note that it can be seen as trouble also since a consuming fire (עשׁ כלה) is part of the mix. Remember the last verse of Zephaniah 1.
| Fn | Min | Max | Syll | |||
| גַּם־כַּסְפָּ֨ם גַּם־זְהָבָ֜ם לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם בְּיוֹם֙ עֶבְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה וּבְאֵשׁ֙ קִנְאָת֔וֹ תֵּאָכֵ֖ל כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־כָלָ֤ה אַךְ־נִבְהָלָה֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֵ֥ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ ס | 18 | Even their silver, even their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh's fury, but in the fire of his jealousy all the land will be devoured. For surely, a consuming vexation he will make for all inhabitants of the land. S | 3e | 4C | 31 17 |
The Gospel includes, of course, the destruction as well as the completeness imagery, a fullness into which all the living are invited.
The word repetition of the Song, chapter 4, shows best if you break the chapter between verses 7 and 8. Verses 1-7 are shown to be bound by beautiful and friend. The second section is dominated by Lebanon, (לבנון, lebanon) a word that is anticipated by frankincense (לבונה, lebonah) in verse 6. So Lebanon is not a distant country but a part of the body of the cherished perfection. Similarly the other geographical names are metaphor. I have shown you the tables below though they are producible by hand with a little effort if you colour the words on the screen with your markers. Don't use permanent ink and don't use the mouse for scrolling. Stickits could work.
Host in verse 5 is not in the Hebrew, but is implied by the sound of the word for gazelle (צבה) and a reminder that the Lord of Hosts (צבא), is in the mix in all of this. Hence no trifling. Let love be genuine.
Repeating roots Verses 1-7
| Song 4 | Fn | Min | Max | Syll | ||
| הִנָּ֨ךְ יָפָ֤ה רַעְיָתִי֙ הִנָּ֣ךְ יָפָ֔ה עֵינַ֣יִךְ יוֹנִ֔ים מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵ֑ךְ שַׂעְרֵךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הָֽעִזִּ֔ים שֶׁגָּלְשׁ֖וּ מֵהַ֥ר גִּלְעָֽד | 1 | Just look at you, beautiful, my friend. Just look at you, beautiful, your eyes doves from within your headscarf, your hair like a troop of she-goats curled up on the hillside of Gilead. | 3e | 4C | 23 15 | |
| שִׁנַּ֙יִךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הַקְּצוּב֔וֹת שֶׁעָל֖וּ מִן־הָרַחְצָ֑ה שֶׁכֻּלָּם֙ מַתְאִימ֔וֹת וְשַׁכֻּלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין בָּהֶֽם | 2 | Your teeth are like a troop of shorn sheep that have ascended from the wash, such that all of them are bearing twins, and there is not one among them bereaved. | 3e | 4B | 16 13 | |
| כְּח֤וּט הַשָּׁנִי֙ שִׂפְתֹתַ֔יִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵ֖יךְ נָאוֶ֑ה כְּפֶ֤לַח הָֽרִמּוֹן֙ רַקָּתֵ֔ךְ מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵֽךְ | 3 | Like the thread of scarlet are your lips and your words lovely, like a slice of the pomegranate your temple from within your headscarf. | 3e | 4C | 15 16 | |
| כְּמִגְדַּ֤ל דָּוִיד֙ צַוָּארֵ֔ךְ בָּנ֖וּי לְתַלְפִּיּ֑וֹת אֶ֤לֶף הַמָּגֵן֙ תָּל֣וּי עָלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל שִׁלְטֵ֥י הַגִּבּוֹרִֽים | 4 | Like the tower of David your neck, built for an arsenal, the thousand shields hang on it, all the escutcheons of the valiant. | 3e | 4C | 14 16 | |
| שְׁנֵ֥י שָׁדַ֛יִךְ כִּשְׁנֵ֥י עֳפָרִ֖ים תְּאוֹמֵ֣י צְבִיָּ֑ה הָרוֹעִ֖ים בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים | 5 | Your two breasts and like two twin faun of the gazelle host, that pasture among the lilies. | 3d | 4B | 16 7 | |
| עַ֤ד שֶׁיָּפ֙וּחַ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְנָ֖סוּ הַצְּלָלִ֑ים אֵ֤לֶךְ לִי֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר הַמּ֔וֹר וְאֶל־גִּבְעַ֖ת הַלְּבוֹנָֽה | 6 | C | Till the day respires and the shadows withdraw, I will myself come to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hillock of frankincense. | 3e | 4C | 13 14 |
| כֻּלָּ֤ךְ יָפָה֙ רַעְיָתִ֔י וּמ֖וּם אֵ֥ין בָּֽךְ | 7 | You are all beautiful, my friend, and there is no spot in you. | 3e | 4C | 11 | |
| אִתִּ֤י מִלְּבָנוֹן֙ כַּלָּ֔ה אִתִּ֖י מִלְּבָנ֣וֹן תָּב֑וֹאִי תָּשׁ֣וּרִי ׀ מֵרֹ֣אשׁ אֲמָנָ֗ה מֵרֹ֤אשׁ שְׂנִיר֙ וְחֶרְמ֔וֹן מִמְּעֹנ֣וֹת אֲרָי֔וֹת מֵֽהַרְרֵ֖י נְמֵרִֽים | 8 | With me from Lebanon, perfection, with me from Lebanon you will come. You will scrutinize from the head of Amana, from the head of Senir and Hermon, from lions' dens, from the mountains of leopards. | 3e | 4C | 15 27 | |
| לִבַּבְתִּ֖נִי אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה לִבַּבְתִּ֙ינִי֙ בְּאַחַ֣ת מֵעֵינַ֔יִךְ בְּאַחַ֥ד עֲנָ֖ק מִצַּוְּרֹנָֽיִךְ | 9 | You have ravished my heart, my sister, perfection. You have ravished my heart with one glance from your eyes, with one pendant from your neck. | 3e | 4B | 9 21 | |
| מַה־יָּפ֥וּ דֹדַ֖יִךְ אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה מַה־טֹּ֤בוּ דֹדַ֙יִךְ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן וְרֵ֥יחַ שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְ מִכָּל־בְּשָׂמִֽים | 10 | How beautiful is your caress, my sister, perfection. How much better is your caress than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than all spices. | 3e | 4C | 11 20 | |
| נֹ֛פֶת תִּטֹּ֥פְנָה שִׂפְתוֹתַ֖יִךְ כַּלָּ֑ה דְּבַ֤שׁ וְחָלָב֙ תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנֵ֔ךְ וְרֵ֥יחַ שַׂלְמֹתַ֖יִךְ כְּרֵ֥יחַ לְבָנֽוֹן | 11 | d | Your lips drop honeycomb, perfection. Honey and milk are under your tongue, and the fragrance of your apparel, like the fragrance of Lebanon. | 3d | 4C | 11 23 |
| גַּ֥ן ׀ נָע֖וּל אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה גַּ֥ל נָע֖וּל מַעְיָ֥ן חָתֽוּם | 12 | f | A garden bolted, my sister, perfection, a billow shod, a spring sealed. | 3e | 4B | 8 7 |
| שְׁלָחַ֙יִךְ֙ פַּרְדֵּ֣ס רִמּוֹנִ֔ים עִ֖ם פְּרִ֣י מְגָדִ֑ים כְּפָרִ֖ים עִם־נְרָדִֽים | 13 | Your shoots are a paradise of pomegranates, with quality fruits, henna with spikenard. | 3e | 4B | 15 7 | |
| נֵ֣רְדְּ ׀ וְכַרְכֹּ֗ם קָנֶה֙ וְקִנָּמ֔וֹן עִ֖ם כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י לְבוֹנָ֑ה מֹ֚ר וַאֲהָל֔וֹת עִ֖ם כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֥י בְשָׂמִֽים | 14 | B | Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all preeminent spices. | 3e | 4C | 18 12 |
| מַעְיַ֣ן גַּנִּ֔ים בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֑ים וְנֹזְלִ֖ים מִן־לְבָנֽוֹן | 15 | A spring of gardens, a well of waters living, and flowing from Lebanon. | 3e | 4B | 9 7 | |
| ע֤וּרִי צָפוֹן֙ וּב֣וֹאִי תֵימָ֔ן הָפִ֥יחִי גַנִּ֖י יִזְּל֣וּ בְשָׂמָ֑יו יָבֹ֤א דוֹדִי֙ לְגַנּ֔וֹ וְיֹאכַ֖ל פְּרִ֥י מְגָדָֽיו | 16 | C | Be roused, north wind, and come, south wind. Blow upon my garden. Let its spices flow. Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its quality fruits. | 3e | 4C | 19 15 |
| Word / Gloss | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 1 | VSS | Stem | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| הנך just look at you |
░
| 1 | הנה | |||||||||||
| יפה beautiful |
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| 1 | יפה | |||||||||||
| רעיתי my friend |
░
| 1 | רעה | |||||||||||
| הנך just look at you |
░
| 1 | הנה | |||||||||||
| יפה beautiful |
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| 1 | יפה | |||||||||||
| מבעד from within |
░
| 1 | בעד | |||||||||||
| לצמתך your headscarf |
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| 1 | צמה | |||||||||||
| כעדר like a troop of |
░
| 1 | עדר | |||||||||||
| מהר on the hillside of |
░
| 1 | הר | |||||||||||
| כעדר are like a troop of |
░
| 2 | עדר | |||||||||||
| שׁכלם that all of them |
░
| 2 | כל | |||||||||||
| מתאימות are bearing twins |
░
| 2 | תאם | |||||||||||
| אין there is not |
░
| 2 | אין | |||||||||||
| מבעד from within |
░
| 3 | בעד | |||||||||||
| לצמתך your headscarf |
░
| 3 | צמה | |||||||||||
| כל all |
░
| 4 | כל | |||||||||||
| שׁני two |
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| 5 | שׁנה | |||||||||||
| כשׁני like two |
░
| 5 | שׁנה | |||||||||||
| תאומי twin of |
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| 5 | תאם | |||||||||||
| הרועים that pasture |
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| 5 | רעה | |||||||||||
| הר the mountain of |
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| 6 | הר | |||||||||||
| כלך you all |
░
| 7 | כל | |||||||||||
| יפה are beautiful |
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| 7 | יפה | |||||||||||
| רעיתי my friend |
░
| 7 | רעה | |||||||||||
| אין there is no |
░
| 7 | אין |
Verses 8-16
| Word / Gloss | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | VSS | Stem | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| מלבנון from Lebanon |
░
| 8 | לבנון | ||||||||||||||||||
| כלה perfection |
░
| 8 | כלל | ||||||||||||||||||
| מלבנון from Lebanon |
░
| 8 | לבנון | ||||||||||||||||||
| תבואי you will come |
░
| 8 | בוא | ||||||||||||||||||
| מראשׁ from the head of |
░
| 8 | ראשׁ | ||||||||||||||||||
| מראשׁ from the head of |
░
| 8 | ראשׁ | ||||||||||||||||||
| לבבתני you have ravished my heart |
░
| 9 | לבב | ||||||||||||||||||
| אחתי my sister |
░
| 9 | אח | ||||||||||||||||||
| כלה perfection |
░
| 9 | כלל | ||||||||||||||||||
| לבבתני you have ravished my heart |
░
| 9 | לבב | ||||||||||||||||||
| באחת with one |
░
| 9 | אח | ||||||||||||||||||
| מעיניך glance from your eyes |
░
| 9 | עין | ||||||||||||||||||
| מה how |
░
| 10 | מה | ||||||||||||||||||
| דדיך is your caress |
░
| 10 | דוד | ||||||||||||||||||
| אחתי my sister |
░
| 10 | אח | ||||||||||||||||||
| כלה perfection |
░
| 10 | כלל | ||||||||||||||||||
| מה how much |
░
| 10 | מה | ||||||||||||||||||
| דדיך is your caress |
░
| 10 | דוד | ||||||||||||||||||
| וריח the fragrance of |
░
| 10 | ריח | ||||||||||||||||||
| מכל from all |
░
| 10 | כל | ||||||||||||||||||
| בשׂמים spices |
░
| 10 | בסם | ||||||||||||||||||
| כלה perfection |
░
| 11 | כלל | ||||||||||||||||||
| וריח the fragrance of |
░
| 11 | ריח | ||||||||||||||||||
| כריח like the fragrance of |
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| 11 | ריח | ||||||||||||||||||
| לבנון Lebanon |
░
| 11 | לבנון | ||||||||||||||||||
| גן a garden |
░
| 12 | גן | ||||||||||||||||||
| נעול hedged |
░
| 12 | נעל | ||||||||||||||||||
| אחתי my sister |
░
| 12 | אח | ||||||||||||||||||
| כלה perfection |
░
| 12 | כלל | ||||||||||||||||||
| נעול hedged |
░
| 12 | נעל | ||||||||||||||||||
| מעין a spring |
░
| 12 | עין | ||||||||||||||||||
| פרי fruits |
░
| 13 | פרי | ||||||||||||||||||
| מגדים quality |
░
| 13 | מגד | ||||||||||||||||||
| נרדים spikenard |
░
| 13 | נרד | ||||||||||||||||||
| נרד spikenard |
░
| 14 | נרד | ||||||||||||||||||
| כל all |
░
| 14 | כל | ||||||||||||||||||
| כל all |
░
| 14 | כל | ||||||||||||||||||
| ראשׁי preeminent |
░
| 14 | ראשׁ | ||||||||||||||||||
| בשׂמים spices |
░
| 14 | בסם | ||||||||||||||||||
| מעין a spring of |
░
| 15 | עין | ||||||||||||||||||
| גנים gardens |
░
| 15 | גן | ||||||||||||||||||
| ונזלים and flowing |
░
| 15 | נזל | ||||||||||||||||||
| לבנון Lebanon |
░
| 15 | לבנון | ||||||||||||||||||
| ובואי and come |
░
| 16 | בוא | ||||||||||||||||||
| גני my garden |
░
| 16 | גן | ||||||||||||||||||
| יזלו let flow |
░
| 16 | נזל | ||||||||||||||||||
| בשׂמיו its spices |
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| 16 | בסם | ||||||||||||||||||
| יבא let come |
░
| 16 | בוא | ||||||||||||||||||
| דודי my beloved |
░
| 16 | דוד | ||||||||||||||||||
| לגנו to his garden |
░
| 16 | גן | ||||||||||||||||||
| פרי fruits |
░
| 16 | פרי | ||||||||||||||||||
| מגדיו its quality |
░
| 16 | מגד |
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