Protestantism
English
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.1
- thy…: Heb. thy loves
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; For thy love is better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; For thy love is better than wine.
Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointment powred out: therefore the virgins loue thee.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your love is better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth--for thy love is better than wine.
Oh! if he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! for thy love [is] better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
⌞May1 you kiss me⌟2 ⌞passionately with your lips⌟,3 for your love is better than wine.4
- In the maiden’s soliloquy, she thinks about her beloved in her thoughts (“May he kiss me!”), then poetically speaks to him as if he were in her presence (“for your love is better than wine”). To avoid confusion, the translation uses the second-person form throughout vv. 2–4
- Literally “May he kiss me”
- Literally “with the kisses of his mouth”
- The shift from the third person “he … his” to the second person “you … your” in vv. 2–4 should not be interpreted as suggesting two different referents, that is, one male whom the maiden is addressing as “you,” and another to whom she refers as “he.” Rather, this shift is a poetic device (called “grammatical differentiation”) that is not uncommon in Hebrew poetry (e.g., Gen 49:4; Deut 32:15; Psa 23:2–5; Isa 1:29; 42:20; 54:1; Jer 22:24; Amos 4:1; Mic 7:19; Lam 3:1; Song 4:2; 6:6). This shift is characteristic of a soliloquy, a dramatic or literary form in which a character reveals her thoughts without addressing a listener who is actually present (e.g., 2 Sam 19:4). In this case, the maiden’s private thoughts about her beloved (v. 2a) shift to an imaginary address to her beloved (vv. 2b–4a)
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth; for Your loves are better than wine.
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth; for Your loves are better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.
[M.] O that he would kiss me with one of the kisses of his mouth! For thy love is better than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.1
- thy…: Heb. thy loves.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
[SHE] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! [THEY] For better are thy caresses than wine:
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.1
- thy...: Heb. thy loves
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your love is better than wine.
Catholicism
English
Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.
fragranced with the finest perfumes.1 Bride to Groom: Your name is oil that has been poured out; therefore, the maidens have loved you.
- 1:2Now the groom is speaking about his bride’s breasts and perfume, which symbolize her feminine beauty, both outer and inner. Therefore, this must be the groom speaking about the bride. Although ‘unguentis’ is usually translated as ‘ointments,’ in this context it clearly refers to perfumes. In ancient times, oils and resins were used for their fragrant smell. +Jesus Christ admires His Church, which is so much more than the Sacraments and Blessings which He gives to Her. The fragrances are the prayers and sacrifices of the faithful. Her breasts nourish those who are infants in the faith with teachings of Truth. She raises holy children for God.(Conte)