Translation
THE PEACEFUL MAN TO THE PEACEFUL WOMAN
If you do not know,
most beautiful of women,
go out along the trails
of the flock
Go to footnote numberand graze
Go to footnote numberyour young female goats
Go to footnote numberby the tents of the shepherds.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
THE COMPLETE MAN TO THE COMPLETE WOMAN
If you do not know,
Most beautiful of women,
follow the visible products
of my livelihood; satisfy
that basic need you have by staying within the realm of my enterprises.
Footnotes
1
“Flock,” meaning sheep or goats, was the basic livelihood of the people in that region. Although the text only says “the flock” it is “my flock” that is implied.
2
Grazing means to “satisfy a basic desire.”
Implications for marriage: The wife has a need to know what is going on regarding the finances of the home; she does not want to be left out of the picture. This speaks to her basic need for security and stability; if she is aware of what is going on, she can feel more secure. Apparently, even in the cultures of ancient times, human nature and the needs of women were the same. That basic need may have been ignored much of the time, but this word picture is teaching us that things will go better if that need is not ignored.
3
Goats are a reference to livelihood.
4
These shepherds worked for Solomon, thus they are not acting on their own and not the same as the “friends” or acquaintances mentioned above. The reference to the tents of the shepherds, in this case, is a reference to the realm in which Solomon earned money and furthered himself. It is a picture of the various endeavors in which he was involved.