2:1–7 The man and woman praised each other
Lines 2:1–7 are the end of the first poetic section in the Song. In them, the man and woman praised each other. He brought her to his banquet room and embraced her. In 2:7 she cautioned the women of Jerusalem not to awaken love before the right time.
2:1 The woman compared herself to common flowers
2:1a
I am a rose of Sharon:
The statement I am a rose of Sharon is a metaphor. The woman compared herself to a flower on the plains of Sharon. There are three ways to interpret this statement:
(1) She was being humble. She implied that she was only an ordinary girl, and she had a common beauty like many other girls. For example:
I am only a wild flower in Sharon… (Good News Translation)
(2) She was being proud or self-confident. She implied that she was unusually beautiful. For example:
I am the rose of Sharon. (New Jerusalem Bible)
(3) The statement does not indicate clearly whether she was humble or proud. For example:
I am a rose of Sharon. (New International Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). She implied that she was pretty like a common flower, but she was not unusually beautiful. In 2:2 the man responded by reassuring her that she was indeed very beautiful and not common. The discussion in 1:5–6 also suggests that the woman was humble about her appearance. Some other ways to translate 2:1a are:
I am only a wild flower in Sharon… (Good News Translation)
-or-
I am a meadow flower from Sharon… (NET Bible)
-or-
I am an asphodel in Sharon… (New English Bible)
rose: The exact meaning of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates rose is uncertain. Many English versions translate it as “rose,” but nearly all Bible scholars agree that the flower was not a rose. Roses were unknown in ancient Israel. The Hebrew word more likely refers to a “crocus,” “asphodel” or “narcissus.” Some ways to translate the word are:
• Use a general term for a common flower that grows naturally without being cultivated. For example:
wildflower
-or-
meadow flower
• Use a specific word that refers to a beautiful wildflower that grows in your area. Some examples of wildflowers that grow in Israel are:
crocus
-or-
asphodel
-or-
narcissus
Here the woman described herself in a humble way, so it is probably best not to use a flower that is grown for its special beauty.
Sharon: Sharon was the name of a large level plain in Israel. It was located between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains. In some languages it may be helpful to indicate what the name Sharon refers to. For example:
⌊ the plain of⌋Sharon
You may also choose to include a footnote with more information. For example:
The name Sharon refers to a large plain beside the coast. It is a well-watered and fertile land, and many wild flowers grow there.
2:1b
In this part of the verse the woman gave another example of a common wild flower to which she compared herself. In some languages it may be more natural to connect 2:1a and 2:1b with a conjunction.
a lily of the valley: There is an ellipsis here. In the phrase a lily of the valley the woman gave another example of a wild flower that she was like. The full form is “⌊I am⌋ a lily of the valley.” This lily is a common flower that is usually red or purple.
Here the phrase is a metaphor like the one in 2:1a. The woman used it to indicate that she was as ordinary as one of the many lilies that grow in the valleys. Some other ways to translate the metaphor are:
• Use a simile. For example:
⌊ I am⌋like a lily of the valley.
-or-
like a lily growing in the valley.
• Indicate how the woman was like a lily of the valley. For example:
as ⌊common as⌋ a lily in the valley.
Translate the metaphor in a natural way in your language.
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