Song of Songs, Chapter Two, verse one: I [am] the rose of Sharon, [and] the lily of the valleys.
It’s probably worth noting that the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is named after the bible verse; the translation predates the modern plant’s naming. Rose here is entirely made up, but we are probably talking about a bulb-flower of some kind. Sharon is an area known for fertility and excellence. The interesting thing here is that there is almost no flower imagery anywhere else in scripture. Almost all the uses of lily or flower or blossom or anything of that nature are references to decorations or ornaments, mostly in the mishkan specs. Nobody else is referred to as being like a flower, nor are there flowers in references to fertility (of the land or the people) or beauty or wealth. I can imagine good reasons for that, but this is clearly different. Just another way in which this book seems very out-of-place.
Chapter Two, verse two: As the lily among thorns, so [is] my love among the daughters.
By the way, verse one was clearly the Bride, although it wasn’t absolutely clear whether she was speaking to her boyfriend or to the Daughters of Jerusalem. This verse is the Guy, speaking not to the Gal but to, well, the Daughters? This is probably as good a place as any to bring up the idea that the verses in this book are taken from wedding songs, and I imagine the Bride and Groom (an actual bride and groom, I mean, at an actual wedding) standing up in front at the reception party, singing about each other, alternating lines perhaps, with a chorus of bridesmaids behind them. I don’t know that this actually was a tradition, but honestly I quite like it as a tradition, in a folksy participatory way. Making the couple tailor traditional forms to the actual attributes of their new spouses, in more or less raunchy or poetic styles, according to their taste and how late in the proceedings the singing starts. Of course, this doesn’t gibe with the idea of marriage as an essentially economic contract in these patriarchal cultures, but then neither does this whole poem, does it?
Chapter Two, verse three: As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so [is] my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit [was] sweet to my taste.
Your Humble Blogger grew up in the desert, but I wouldn’t have thought apple trees were famous for spreading lots of shade. Of course, I wouldn’t have thought there would have been apple trees amongst the figs and date palms, and if there were, surely they would have more shade than those. And, um fruit?
Chapter Two, verse four: He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me [was] love.
It seems to me that banner over me as a translation is paying too much attention to the flag, where degel doesn’t really mean the cloth but the thing from which the flag flies. His standard of love? That’s a little closer. His flagpole of love? That sounds just about ... wait, I’ve got it. His love pole was over me. That’s it.
Chapter Two, verse five: Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I [am] sick of love.
Or perhaps I am pining for love, or weak with love. The root chalah means sickness but is also connected to the words for to writhe chul but also to defile chalal. A pun?
Also, is she speaking to him or to her girlfriends? And, strangely, spread apples on me. That’s just weird.
Chapter Two, verse six: His left hand [is] under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
Whew. And, yes, embrace, as in clasp or hug or whatnot. No euphemisms, here, nor any necessary, don’t you think?
Chapter Two, verse seven: I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, till he please.
Shhhhhhhh. He’s sleeping. Isn’t he cute when he sleeps? Aw. Now you girls stay quiet out here, I’m going back inside and we may be a while.
chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek,
-Vardibidian.