The Hebrew in Song of Songs 5:10 that is translated as “radiant” in English is translated in Elhomwe as “pleasing to the eye” because the term for “radiance” (or: “white”) also can mean “holy” and caused confusion. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
complete verse (Song of Solomon 5:10)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Song of Solomon 5:10:
- Kupsabiny: “My beloved is beautiful and he is true man!
He surpasses ten thousand men.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation) - Newari: “My dear is more handsome and healthy than ten thousand others.
My beloved is very bright and his cheeks are red.” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “My beloved (is) handsome and ruddy/reddish. He (is) only one among the ten thousand.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “The man who loves me is handsome and healthy,
outstanding among/better than 10,000/an uncountable number of other men.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Translation commentary on Song of Songs 5:10
As noted above, verses 10-16 are the young woman’s response to the question just asked. Following the same pattern as the young man’s speech in 4.1-6, this one lists the man’s various physical charms. In this way the young woman indicates why she finds him more attractive than all others. We note a kind of inclusio or bracket around this unit, with the word beloved occurring in the first and last verses.
In the following description of her lover, many terms are used that are found elsewhere describing kings such as David. The reason for choosing such vocabulary is clear; it shows that the young woman thinks her lover is as great as the royal heroes of the past.
My beloved is all radiant and ruddy: the Hebrew term for radiant can mean “dazzle,” or describe something as “bright,” “shining.” Although in Lam 4.7 the same word is used to describe milk, it probably does not carry that sense here. Pope indicates that it is used widely of a person who is healthy and fit. Thus radiant or “looks healthy” is a better rendering. It is much more appropriate than Good News Translation “handsome,” which means he is what some people consider good-looking and attractive.
Ruddy is linked with the adjective “red.” Whether redness indicates good health or here describes cosmetics applied to the skin are matters discussed in some commentaries. However, its association with the adjective “radiant” leads us to believe that the person looks healthy. It is a term used to describe David in 1 Sam 16.12. Translators should take care to use adjectives that can apply to a grown man. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible gives “pale and pink,” but this hardly fits the circumstance. Good News Translation “handsome and strong” seems very general. We can translate as “My lover is radiant and healthy” or “My lover looks healthy and fit.”
Distinguished among ten thousand: the passive participle distinguished has been linked with a term meaning “see.” The ancient versions related it to a military unit, but modern translations understand it to refer to a person’s supremacy. Thus New English Bible has “a paradigm,” and New American Bible “he stands out.” The latter is probably closer to its sense here, so we can say “he is outstanding.” See also the discussion of this root in 6.4.
Among ten thousand: this expression uses the largest number known in Hebrew and is a metaphor for a number that is uncountable. Thus the young woman is suggesting that her lover is outstanding above every other male. Good News Translation “one in ten thousand” is idiomatic, but we do not have to retain the literal numeral of the Hebrew. We can also say “he is one in a million,” or “he stands out above everyone else,” or “he has no equal.”
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 .
SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 5:10
5:10–16 The woman responded to the women of Jerusalem
In 5:10–16 the woman gave the women a poetic description of her beloved. It is similar to 4:1–7 where the man praised her beauty. In both descriptions the first verse is a general statement, and the following verses give more specific descriptions. Since the woman also used the descriptions to imply her feelings for the man, she often used hyperboles.
Praise songs like this usually begin by describing the person’s head and conclude by describing his legs and feet. However, after the women described the man’s legs, she concluded by again describing his mouth in 5:16a.
5:10a
My beloved is dazzling and ruddy: The clause My beloved is dazzling and ruddy probably refers to the man’s whole body, not to one particular part. The statement indicates that the man’s skin showed that he was healthy. Languages have different ways to describe a person’s skin and his good health. It is important to use a natural way in your language to praise a person’s skin or his healthy appearance.
Some other ways to translate 5:10a are:
My beloved is radiant and healthy
-or-
My lover glows with good health
-or-
He is handsome and healthy (Contemporary English Version)
My beloved: The words My beloved here in 5:10a and in 5:16c form an inclusio.
dazzling and ruddy: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as dazzling means “bright” or “shining.” It is used in 5:11–15 to describe the metals, liquids, and jewels that the woman mentioned. When the word describes skin, as it does here, it indicates that the skin glows. (The word dazzling does not mean “white” here.)
The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ruddy probably indicates that the man’s complexion was healthy and well-tanned from being in the sun. Such ruddy skin indicates excellent health.
The words dazzling and ruddy both imply that the man was in excellent health; he was handsome and young. Use natural ways in your language for a woman to describe these qualities in her beloved. Some other ways to translate them are:
My beloved is clear-skinned and ruddy (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
My beloved is dazzling, and his skin is beautiful.
-or-
My lover is handsome and strong (Good News Translation)
5:10b
outstanding among ten thousand: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as outstanding indicates here that the man is “superior” to all other young men. The number ten thousand is the highest number that is used for comparisons in Hebrew poetry. It is not used in a literal way here, but simply indicates a very large number. The woman meant that no other man could compare to him—he was superior to all of them! Many languages have a figurative expression like this (such as “one in a million” in English).
Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:
he is the best among ten thousand others.
-or-
he is more desirable than all other young men.
-or-
no other man is ⌊excellent⌋ like him.
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