Translation
THE PEACEFUL WOMAN TO THE PEACEFUL MAN
Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze
Go to footnote numberyour flock
Go to footnote numberand where you rest
Go to footnote numberyour sheep
Go to footnote numberat midday.
Go to footnote numberWhy should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks
Go to footnote numberof your friends?
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
THE COMPLETE WOMAN TO THE COMPLETE MAN
My Love, please let me participate in your efforts to satisfy your desire to earn a living,
and find a peaceful place for your livelihood even during the most difficult times. I don’t want to be like a
flirtatious woman of loose morals showing interest in the livelihood of other men.
Footnotes
1
To graze meant to “satisfy one’s basic needs.”
2
A flock represented one’s livelihood. This is because that culture was largely a herding culture; sheep and flocks were the most basic form of making a living for non-city dwellers. In Solomon’s case he had flocks, but they were not his only source of income. However, that does not matter, she was using a common word picture for the people of that day and we strive to understand it as they would have.
3
In this context “rest” meant attaining a state of personal, or inward peace.
4
Sheep, like flocks, were the most basic form of earning a living. A man is naturally geared toward working and providing for his family. When the wife can support him in that, instead of pulling in a different direction, it will be a big boost to their marriage relationship.
5
Midday was when the sun was the hottest; if the sun was a sign of hardship or even punishment, midday was a sign of extreme hardship.
6
“Flocks” meant livelihood.
7
“Friends” in this case simply means “acquaintances.”
Implications for marriage: The deep need a woman feels, i.e. to be cherished and treasured, will demonstrate itself in many ways. It is the husband’s responsibility to learn from his wife how she interprets his words and actions and learn what helps meet that need and what does not. A wife should not be drawn to other men to have her basic needs met, and it is the husband’s responsibility, and his alone, to find the means for meeting that basic need.