Song of Solomon 5:9

Translations

Modern

How is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful among women? How is your beloved better than another, that you charge us so?

Traditional

What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?

Literal

How is your beloved above any beloved, O beautiful one among the women? How is your beloved above any beloved, that thus you adjure us?

Latin

Qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, o pulcherrima mulierum? qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, quia sic adjurasti nos?

Original

Hebrew

English

How is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful among women? How is your beloved better than another, that you charge us so?

Notes

Song of Solomon 5:8–9

The woman asks the young women of Jerusalem to help find her lover. They ask her to describe him, leading to the second descriptive poem (wasf) of the Song (see study note on Song of Solomon 4:1–5:1).

Song of Solomon 5:2–6:3

One verse earlier, the couple fully enjoys their intimate union. Now the woman feels the pain of separation. In the dramatic interpretation, the woman has been separated from the man twice before and has searched for him (Song of Solomon 1:4–7; 3:1–4). This last time, the separation occurs in her dreams—it is only a nightmare. Her dream seems to continue to Song of Solomon 6:3, given the natural flow of questions and answers between the woman and the young women of Jerusalem.
If the Song is a collection of poems, these poems explore love rather than recounting actual events. This poem reminds us that an intimate relationship is not always easy or perfectly satisfying.

Theme notes and profiles

Human Sexuality

Related verses

Song of Solomon 6:1
Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Which way has he turned? We will seek him with you.
Song of Solomon 1:8
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.
Song of Solomon 6:9–10
…but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.
Psalm 45:13
All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold.
Psalm 87:3
Glorious things are ascribed to you, O city of God. Selah
Isaiah 53:2
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
Matthew 16:13–17
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
2 Corinthians 4:3–6
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Matthew 21:10
When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

Glossary

Perfume Song of Solomon

Topics

Love to Christ: His Personal Excellence is Deserving of

Song of Solomon 5:9

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