The verse begins with the Hebrew preposition l-, a problem for some of the ancient versions. The Septuagint regarded it as the conjunction “and,” while the Syriac thought it meant “because.” In fact the preposition here seems to function as a particle that points to something and means “as for…” or “with reference to….” Many languages will have a similar way of introducing sentences to indicate that they are offering a comment, such as “As for your anointing oils, they are fragrant.” Alternatively the preposition can be left untranslated as Revised Standard Version has done.

Your anointing oils are fragrant: Revised Standard Version has rendered the word “good” in Hebrew as fragrant. This obscures the fact that the word “good” links this verse back to the previous verse, forming a chiastic structure.

We can translate “Your fragrance, how delightful it is” or “The scent of your perfume is so good.”

The close relationship between oil and love can be seen in a verse like 4.10. Throughout Song of Songs fragrant spices and oils are used as metaphors for the lover or loved one (see 1.2). Their use is not limited to the fragrant oils and perfumes used on the body. This is the reason Good News Translation has chosen to translate here with “there is a fragrance about you,” which can be speaking of either a fragrance applied to the body, or the “fragrance” or pleasantness of a person’s presence.

Your name is oil poured out: several comments can be made about this phrase. First, there is the continuing repetition of sh and m sounds in the Hebrew text: shemaneka “your oils”; shemen “oil”; shemek “your name.” Secondly, there is a wordplay between the two similar sounding words oil and name, as in Eccl 7.1.

In the culture and language of the Hebrews, a name is more than the sound by which we identify a person or object; it includes the nature of the person or thing so identified, together with their reputation. From this perspective the young woman praises her lover by referring to his reputation in the community. This means that Good News Translation “the sound of your name” is rather limited, as name has a much more profound meaning. If name has the same range of meaning as in Hebrew, a more literal translation may be acceptable. But where this is not the case, we need to make this idea clear. We can say “your renown,” “your fame,” or even “you.”

Oil poured out: the young man’s name is compared to oil. The meaning of the accompanying Hebrew word turaq is uncertain. As noted in the introduction, scholars may at times suggest a slight change in the Hebrew text to help make sense of an otherwise incomprehensible passage. Many translations follow the Septuagint and propose changing (or emending) the word turaq to a form meaning “poured out” (Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible). If this is the meaning, the expression probably means his fame is well known. His name or his fame spreads like poured-out oil. Contemporary English Version says “the very mention of your name is like spreading perfume.”

However, some scholars (Pope and Fox, among others) interpret turaq as referring to a special kind of oil, coming from a place called Turaq. One rendering of the Hebrew sentence is “ ‘Oil of Turaq’ is your name.” The meaning would be that the young man is as well known as this famous perfume, in which case we can say “You are as famous as the fragrant Turaq oil,” or “you are as well known as the famous oil from Turaq.” If necessary a footnote can be added.

Therefore the maidens love you: because of his wonderful “fragrance,” it is understandable that the young woman will think he is attractive to all women, so she flatters him (and thus indirectly flatters herself for being his lover). Therefore gives the reason for his wide appeal. We will almost certainly have to make this connection clear in translation. We can say “that is why,” or even “so it is not surprising that….”

The maidens may well be identical to the “daughters of Jerusalem” in 1.5, or the “they” referred to in verse 4. Maiden is a young woman who has reached the age when she can marry; it says nothing about her actual married state or her virginity. The plural form maidens may carry the sense of “all women” or “any woman,” including the young woman herself.

Love you is used with the general sense that every woman “would be attracted to” the young man.

For translation we suggest:

• The scent of your perfume is so fragrant,
You are as famous as the oil of Turaq.
No wonder all the young women are attracted to you.

• The fragrance of your perfume is so sweet,
Mention of your name is like spreading perfume.
No woman could resist you.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Song of Songs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1998. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .