Like Psalms, Proverbs, and Lamentations, with which the Song of Songs is grouped in the Old Testament, the book is entirely poetical in form. Hebrew poetry is rhythmic in both sound and thought. In sound, through the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, the repetition of certain sounds, and the frequent use of alliteration. And rhythmic in thought, in the way in which the book balances ideas and themes in a structured way. Like all Hebrew poetry, the Song of Songs uses word parallelism, a technique whereby similar (or opposite) ideas are offset between the lines of poetry. For example:
1This is Solomon’s song of songs, more wonderful than any other. Young Womana2Kiss me and kiss me again,for your love is sweeter than wine. 3How fragrant your cologne;your name is like its spreading fragrance.No wonder all the young women love you! 4Take me with you; come, let’s run!The king has brought me into his bedroom.Young Women of Jerusalem How happy we are for you, O king.We praise your love even more than wine.Young Woman How right they are to adore you. 5I am dark but beautiful,O women of Jerusalem—dark as the tents of Kedar,dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents. 6Don’t stare at me because I am dark—the sun has darkened my skin.My brothers were angry with me;they forced me to care for their vineyards,so I couldn’t care for myself—my own vineyard. 7Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flock today?Where will you rest your sheep at noon?For why should I wander like a prostitute among your friends and their flocks? Young Man8If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman,follow the trail of my flock,and graze your young goats by the shepherds’ tents. 9You are as exciting, my darling,as a mare among Pharaoh’s stallions. 10How lovely are your cheeks;your earrings set them afire!How lovely is your neck,enhanced by a string of jewels. 11We will make for you earrings of gold and beads of silver. Young Woman12The king is lying on his couch,enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume. 13My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts. 14He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms from the vineyards of En-gedi. Young Man15How beautiful you are, my darling,how beautiful!Your eyes are like doves. Young Woman16You are so handsome, my love,pleasing beyond words!The soft grass is our bed; 17fragrant cedar branches are the beams of our house,and pleasant smelling firs are the rafters.
Footnotes:
a 1:1 The headings identifying the speakers are not in the original text, though the Hebrew usually gives clues by means of the gender of the person speaking.
b 1:7 Hebrew like a veiled woman.
La esposa habla a las hijas de Jerusalén
1 El cantar de los cantares de Salomón.
LA ESPOSA:
2 ¡Que me bese con los besos de su boca!
Porque mejores son tus amores que el vino.
3 Tus ungüentos tienen olor agradable,
tu nombre es como ungüento purificado;
por eso te aman las doncellas.
4 Llévame en pos de ti y corramos juntos.
El rey me ha conducido a sus cámaras.
EL CORO:
Nos regocijaremos y nos alegraremos en ti,
exaltaremos tu amor más que el vino.
Con razón te aman.
LA ESPOSA:
5 Soy morena pero preciosa,
oh hijas de Jerusalén,
como las tiendas de Cedar,
como las cortinas de Salomón.
6 No os fijéis en que soy morena,
porque el sol me ha quemado.
Los hijos de mi madre se enojaron conmigo;
me pusieron a guardar las viñas,
y mi propia viña no guardé.
7 Dime, amado de mi alma:
¿Dónde apacientas tu rebaño ?
¿Dónde lo haces descansar al mediodía?
¿Por qué he de ser yo como una que se cubre con velo
junto a los rebaños de tus compañeros?
EL CORO:
8 Si tú no lo sabes,
¡oh la más hermosa de las mujeres!,
sal tras las huellas del rebaño,
y apacienta tus cabritas
junto a las cabañas de los pastores.
Diálogo entre los esposos
EL ESPOSO:
9 A mi yegua, entre los carros de Faraón,
yo te comparo, amada mía.
10 Hermosas son tus mejillas entre los adornos,
tu cuello entre los collares.
EL CORO:
11 Adornos de oro haremos para ti,
con cuentas de plata.
LA ESPOSA:
12 Mientras el rey estaba a la mesa,
mi perfume esparció su fragancia.
13 Bolsita de mirra es mi amado para mí,
que reposa toda la noche entre mis pechos.
14 Ramillete de flores de alheña es mi amado para mí
en las viñas de En-gadi.
EL ESPOSO:
15 Cuán hermosa eres, amada mía,
cuán hermosa eres.
Tus ojos son como palomas.
LA ESPOSA:
16 Cuán hermoso eres, amado mío,
y tan placentero.
Ciertamente nuestro lecho es de exuberante verdor.
17 Las vigas de nuestras casas son cedros,
nuestros artesonados, cipreses.
