Protestantism
English
¶If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
If thou knowest not, O fair among women, Get thee forth by the traces of the flock, And feed thy kids by the shepherds' dwellings!
If thou know not, thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' booths.
I haue compared thee, O my loue, to the troupe of horses in the charets of Pharaoh.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.
If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed your kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
If you have not knowledge, O most beautiful among women, go on your way in the footsteps of the flock, and give your young goats food by the tents of the keepers.
The Bridegroom
If you do not know, O fairest of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go forth, following the footprints of the flock and feed thy little female goats beside the booths of the shepherds.
¶ If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
Man’s Poetic Praise of His Beloved
If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow ⌞the tracks⌟1 of the flock, and pasture your little lambs2 beside the tents of the shepherds.
- Literally “in the tracks”
- Or “your kids”
If you yourself do not know, most beautiful among women, go in the footsteps of the flock. And feed your kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
If you know not, most beautiful among women, go in the footsteps of the flock; and feed your kids beside the shepherds' tents.
If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
[Lad.] If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Trace thou thy way by the tracks of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents!
¶ If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.
[HE] If thou know not of thyself, most beautiful among women! get thee forth in the footsteps of the flock, and pasture thy kids by the huts of the shepherds. …
If thou knowest not, O thou fairest among women, go forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed your kids beside the shepherds' tents.
Catholicism
English
To my company of horsemen, in Pharao's chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.
O my love, I have compared you to my company of horsemen against the chariots of Pharaoh.1
- 1:13The groom is still speaking, because ‘my love’ is feminine, so he is speaking about her. Also, he has of a company of soldiers with horses, so he must be male. The bride did not have a company of horsemen, for she was mistreated by her brothers and made to tend a vineyard. The company of horsemen the groom commands are not part of the chariots of Pharaoh, rather they are compared versus the chariots of Pharaoh, against whom they fight successfully. The groom is Solomon; these horsemen are his best. +Christ speaks to the Church, comparing the Church to the one elect group of soldiers among many other soldiers, just as the Church is the elect one drawn out of the many pagan nations by God. Therefore, this is the Groom speaking about the Bride. The Church successfully fights against secular society.(Conte)