Behold you are beautiful, my beloved, behold you are beautiful,43God speaks to Israel and praises her, declaring that He is pleased with her offerings.—Rashi your eyes are like doves44Your characteristics are like the dove which is loyal to its mate. When it is slaughtered it does not fidget but stretches forth her neck submissively. So have you bent your shoulder to bear My yoke and My awe.—Rashi from within your kerchief; your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead.45Even the most common people [whose merit is concealed] among you, are as dearly beloved to Me as Yaakov and his sons who descended the slopes of Mount Gilead when they were pursued by Laban. [Genesis 31:23]—Rashi
Your teeth are like a counted flock which have come up from the washing; all of which are perfect and none are blemished among them.46This is said in reference to the 12,000 men who fought against Midian [Numbers 31:5]; not one of them was ‘blemished’ even with suspicion of lewdness. So chaste were they that they brought offerings of atonement even for evil thoughts they might have had.— Rashi
Like a scarlet thread are your lips, and your speech is comely; like a slice of pomegranate47As numerous as a pomegranate’s seeds are the merits of even the most unworthy among you.—Rashi are your cheeks from within your kerchief.
Your neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model of beauty;48The ‘Tower of David’ refers to the righteous who stand erect as a tower even amid hardship and persecution, without yielding to idolatrous practices. Thus the Sages of Israel serve as a model of behavior for all to behold.—Rashi a thousand shields are hung upon it, all the quivers of the mighty.
Your bosom is like two fawns, twins of a gazelle49According to Rashi שְׁנֵי שָׁדַיךְ , your two breasts, refers to Moshe and Aharon who nursed the nation of Israel in their infant state as a people. They are likened to the twins of a gazelle because they were equal to each other. Others say that it refers to the Written and Oral Torah, which like twins complement one another. who pasture among the roses.
Until the sun spreads and the shadows flee;50See notes to 2:17. I will go to Mount Moriah and to the hill of frankincense.
7
כֻּלָּ֤ךְ יָפָה֙ רַעְיָתִ֔י וּמ֖וּם אֵ֥ין בָּֽךְ:
You are completely beautiful, my beloved, and are without blemish.51When Israel stood at Sinai to accept the Torah, they were all in a state of total perfection. There were no lame, nor blind nor deaf, nor imbeciles, nor lepers, nor those who were unclean.—Midrash
With me [will you come] from Lebanon O bride, with me from Lebanon will you come;52God says to His people, “With Me will you be exiled from the Temple [Lebanon].” (See Targum Onkelos to Deuteronomy 3:25 where he translates וְהַלְבָנוֹן as בֵּית מַקְדָשָׁא .) you will look from the peak of Amana, from the peaks of Senir of Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of leopards.
You captured my heart, my sister, O bride; you captured my heart with but one of your eyes, with one necklace of your necklaces.53The Almighty says to Israel, “You captured My heart with but one of your [many] virtues, with your fulfillment of even one of the precepts that adorn you like a necklace.—Rashi
Your lips drip flowing honey, O bride; honey and milk are under your tongue,54The sweetness of Torah flows from your lips. and the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.55Garments refer to מִדוֹת , character traits, which like garments are not inborn but must be acquired and worn. The fragrance of garments symbolize the impression they make on others. Similarly, one’s מִדוֹת should be fragrant, leaving a pleasing impression on others.— Vilna Gaon
A locked garden is my sister, O bride; a locked up spring, a sealed fountain.56This is said in reference to the modesty of the women in Israel who shun immorality.
Your arid fields are a pomegranate orchard with luscious fruits;57Even the least gifted [the dry ones] among you are like a pomegranate orchard with luscious fruits. henna with spikenard.
Awake, wind from the north and come, wind from the south, blow upon my garden so that its fragrance may flow; let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its luscious fruit.58Israel appeals to the Holy One, blessed is He, to once again dwell in the Temple [His garden] and savor the offerings [the luscious fruits] which we will bring there.
הִנָּ֨ךְ יָפָ֤ה רַעְיָתִי֙ הִנָּ֣ךְ יָפָ֔ה עֵינַ֣יִךְ יוֹנִ֔ים מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵ֑ךְ שַׂעְרֵךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הָֽעִזִּ֔ים שֶׁגָּֽלְשׁ֖וּ מֵהַ֥ר גִּלְעָֽד:
Behold you are beautiful, my beloved, behold you are beautiful,43God speaks to Israel and praises her, declaring that He is pleased with her offerings.—Rashi your eyes are like doves44Your characteristics are like the dove which is loyal to its mate. When it is slaughtered it does not fidget but stretches forth her neck submissively. So have you bent your shoulder to bear My yoke and My awe.—Rashi from within your kerchief; your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead.45Even the most common people [whose merit is concealed] among you, are as dearly beloved to Me as Yaakov and his sons who descended the slopes of Mount Gilead when they were pursued by Laban. [Genesis 31:23]—Rashi
שִׁנַּ֨יִךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר הַקְּצוּב֔וֹת שֶֽׁעָל֖וּ מִן־הָֽרַחְצָ֑ה שֶׁכֻּלָּם֙ מַתְאִימ֔וֹת וְשַׁכֻּלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין בָּהֶֽם:
Your teeth are like a counted flock which have come up from the washing; all of which are perfect and none are blemished among them.46This is said in reference to the 12,000 men who fought against Midian [Numbers 31:5]; not one of them was ‘blemished’ even with suspicion of lewdness. So chaste were they that they brought offerings of atonement even for evil thoughts they might have had.— Rashi
כְּח֤וּט הַשָּׁנִי֙ שִׂפְתוֹתַ֔יִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵ֖ךְ נָאוֶ֑ה כְּפֶ֤לַח הָֽרִמּוֹן֙ רַקָּתֵ֔ךְ מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵֽךְ:
Like a scarlet thread are your lips, and your speech is comely; like a slice of pomegranate47As numerous as a pomegranate’s seeds are the merits of even the most unworthy among you.—Rashi are your cheeks from within your kerchief.
כְּמִגְדַּ֤ל דָּוִיד֙ צַוָּארֵ֔ךְ בָּנ֖וּי לְתַלְפִּיּ֑וֹת אֶ֤לֶף הַמָּגֵן֙ תָּל֣וּי עָלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל שִׁלְטֵ֥י הַגִּבֹּרִֽים:
Your neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model of beauty;48The ‘Tower of David’ refers to the righteous who stand erect as a tower even amid hardship and persecution, without yielding to idolatrous practices. Thus the Sages of Israel serve as a model of behavior for all to behold.—Rashi a thousand shields are hung upon it, all the quivers of the mighty.
שְׁנֵ֥י שָׁדַ֛יִךְ כִּשְׁנֵ֥י עֳפָרִ֖ים תְּאוֹמֵ֣י צְבִיָּ֑ה הָֽרֹעִ֖ים בַּשּֽׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים:
Your bosom is like two fawns, twins of a gazelle49According to Rashi שְׁנֵי שָׁדַיךְ , your two breasts, refers to Moshe and Aharon who nursed the nation of Israel in their infant state as a people. They are likened to the twins of a gazelle because they were equal to each other. Others say that it refers to the Written and Oral Torah, which like twins complement one another. who pasture among the roses.
עַ֤ד שֶׁיָּפ֨וּחַ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְנָ֖סוּ הַצְּלָלִ֑ים אֵ֤לֶךְ לִי֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר הַמּ֔וֹר וְאֶל־גִּבְעַ֖ת הַלְּבוֹנָֽה:
Until the sun spreads and the shadows flee;50See notes to 2:17. I will go to Mount Moriah and to the hill of frankincense.
כֻּלָּ֤ךְ יָפָה֙ רַעְיָתִ֔י וּמ֖וּם אֵ֥ין בָּֽךְ:
You are completely beautiful, my beloved, and are without blemish.51When Israel stood at Sinai to accept the Torah, they were all in a state of total perfection. There were no lame, nor blind nor deaf, nor imbeciles, nor lepers, nor those who were unclean.—Midrash
אִתִּ֤י מִלְּבָנוֹן֙ כַּלָּ֔ה אִתִּ֖י מִלְּבָנ֣וֹן תָּב֑וֹאִי תָּשׁ֣וּרִי | מֵרֹ֣אשׁ אֲמָנָ֗ה מֵרֹ֤אשׁ שְׂנִיר֙ וְחֶרְמ֔וֹן מִמְּעֹנ֣וֹת אֲרָי֔וֹת מֵהַֽרְרֵ֖י נְמֵרִֽים:
With me [will you come] from Lebanon O bride, with me from Lebanon will you come;52God says to His people, “With Me will you be exiled from the Temple [Lebanon].” (See Targum Onkelos to Deuteronomy 3:25 where he translates וְהַלְבָנוֹן as בֵּית מַקְדָשָׁא .) you will look from the peak of Amana, from the peaks of Senir of Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of leopards.
לִבַּבְתִּ֖נִי אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה לִבַּבְתִּ֨נִי֙ בְּאַחַ֣תּ מֵֽעֵינַ֔יִךְ בְּאַחַ֥ד עֲנָ֖ק מִצַּוְּרֹנָֽיִךְ:
You captured my heart, my sister, O bride; you captured my heart with but one of your eyes, with one necklace of your necklaces.53The Almighty says to Israel, “You captured My heart with but one of your [many] virtues, with your fulfillment of even one of the precepts that adorn you like a necklace.—Rashi
מַה־יָּפ֥וּ דֹדַ֖יִךְ אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה מַה־טֹּ֤בוּ דֹדַ֙יִךְ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן וְרֵ֥יחַ שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְ מִכָּל־בְּשָׂמִֽים:
How beautiful is your love my sister, O bride; how superior is your love to wine, and the fragrance of your oils to all perfumes.
נֹ֛פֶת תִּטֹּ֥פְנָה שִׂפְתוֹתַ֖יִךְ כַּלָּ֑ה דְּבַ֤שׁ וְחָלָב֙ תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנֵ֔ךְ וְרֵ֥יחַ שַׂלְמֹתַ֖יִךְ כְּרֵ֥יחַ לְבָנֽוֹן:
Your lips drip flowing honey, O bride; honey and milk are under your tongue,54The sweetness of Torah flows from your lips. and the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.55Garments refer to מִדוֹת , character traits, which like garments are not inborn but must be acquired and worn. The fragrance of garments symbolize the impression they make on others. Similarly, one’s מִדוֹת should be fragrant, leaving a pleasing impression on others.— Vilna Gaon
גַּ֥ן | נָע֖וּל אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה גַּ֥ל נָע֖וּל מַעְיָ֥ן חָתֽוּם:
A locked garden is my sister, O bride; a locked up spring, a sealed fountain.56This is said in reference to the modesty of the women in Israel who shun immorality.
שְׁלָחַ֨יִךְ֙ פַּרְדֵּ֣ס רִמּוֹנִ֔ים עִ֖ם פְּרִ֣י מְגָדִ֑ים כְּפָרִ֖ים עִם־נְרָדִֽים:
Your arid fields are a pomegranate orchard with luscious fruits;57Even the least gifted [the dry ones] among you are like a pomegranate orchard with luscious fruits. henna with spikenard.
נֵ֣רְדְּ | וְכַרְכֹּ֗ם קָנֶה֙ וְקִנָּמ֔וֹן עִ֖ם כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י לְבוֹנָ֑ה ֚מֹר וַֽאֲהָל֔וֹת עִ֖ם כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֥י בְשָׂמִֽים:
Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes with all the major spices.
מַעְיַ֣ן גַּנִּ֔ים בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֑ים וְֽנֹזְלִ֖ים מִן־לְבָנֽוֹן:
You are a garden spring, a well of living waters; and flowing streams from Lebanon.
ע֤וּרִי צָפוֹן֙ וּב֣וֹאִי תֵימָ֔ן הָפִ֥יחִי גַנִּ֖י יִזְּל֣וּ בְשָׂמָ֑יו יָבֹ֤א דוֹדִי֙ לְגַנּ֔וֹ וְיֹאכַ֖ל פְּרִ֥י מְגָדָֽיו:
Awake, wind from the north and come, wind from the south, blow upon my garden so that its fragrance may flow; let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its luscious fruit.58Israel appeals to the Holy One, blessed is He, to once again dwell in the Temple [His garden] and savor the offerings [the luscious fruits] which we will bring there.