Footnotes

1. Song of Solomon 8:2 Literally “I would lead you and I would bring you”
2. Song of Solomon 8:2 The combination of the two verbs creates a hendiadys which may be rendered more cogently as “I would surely bring you …”
3. Song of Solomon 8:2 Literally “she will teach me”
4. Song of Solomon 8:2 Literally “I would give you to drink from the wine of the spice”
5. Song of Solomon 8:2 Or “juice”
6. Song of Solomon 8:2 The traditional Hebrew reads the singular “my pomegranate.” However, the plural reading “my pomegranates” is attested in numerous medieval Hebrew manuscripts and is reflected in the ancient versions (Greek Septuagint, Aramaic Targum, Syriac Peshitta). The latter makes the most sense in this context as a euphemistic description of the maiden’s delights
7. Song of Solomon 8:3 Or “embraced”
8. Song of Solomon 8:4 Literally “O daughters of Jerusalem”
9. Song of Solomon 8:4 Or “Why must you … before it pleases?”
10. Song of Solomon 8:4 Or “Do not stir up or awaken the love until it is willing,” or “Do not disturb or interrupt our lovemaking until it is satisfied”