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(Redirected from Book of Canticles)
The '''Song of Solomon''' or '''Song of Songs''' (Hebrew title , ''Shir ha-Shirim'') is a book of the Hebrew Bible—Tanakh or Old Testament—one of the five ''megillot'' (scrolls). According to Ashkenazi tradition, it is read on the Sabbath that falls during the intermediate days of Passover. In the Sephardi Jewish community it is recited every Friday night.
The Song of Songs is a collection of love poems believed to be symbolic. The imagery is that of a bride and a bridegroom or a husband and wife - a traditional metaphor in Judaism for the relationship between God and the people of Israel. [1]
It is known in the Vulgate as ''Canticum Canticorum'', the "Canticle of Canticles."
[1]
Others play down the religious symbolism and describe it as a long lyric poem about erotic love and sexual desire.[2]
The Song of Songs is one of the shortest books in the Bible, consisting of only 117 verses. [3]
The name of the book comes from the first verse, "The Song of songs, by Solomon."
"Song of songs" is a Hebrew idiom using the same grammatical construction as "holy of holies". This kind of repetition denotes the superlative; that is, the title "song of songs" attests to the greatness of the song. Rabbi Akiba declared, "Heaven forbid that any man in Israel ever disputed that the Song of Songs is holy. For the whole world is not worth the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel, for all the Writings are holy and the Song of Songs is holy of holies. (Mishnah Yadayim 3:5). Similarly, Martin Luther called it ''das Hohelied'' (the high song).[2] This is still its name in German.
Some say the title indicates the antiphonal nature of the song — a song of several songs.
Some people translate the second clause of the title as "which is of Solomon," meaning that the book is authored by Solomon. According to Jewish tradition, Solomon wrote three Biblical books, corresponding to three states in a man's life: Song of Songs, which expresses the lustful vigor of youth; Proverbs, which expresses the wisdom of maturity; and Ecclesiastes, which expresses the cynicism of old age. Others translate the second clause as "which is for Solomon," meaning that the book is dedicated to Solomon. It was common practice in ancient times for an anonymous writer seeking recognition for his work to write eponymously in the name of someone more famous. Some read the book as contrasting the nobility of monogamous love with the debased nature of promiscuous love, and suggest that the book is actually a veiled criticism of Solomon, who, according to 1 Kings 11:3, had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines[3].
Another approach to the authorship is that offered by Rashi [4], consistent with allegorical interpretations, rendering the narrator "he to whom peace belongs", i.e: God. The Hebrew name of Solomon, shlomo, can also be inflected to mean the constructed form of the noun shalom, peace, which through noun declension can be possessive [5]. This means that the author is in fact Solomon, but he narrates the book from the perspective of God, who is conversing with the Jewish people, his allegorical bride.
The text, read without allegory as a celebration of sexual love, alternates between the speeches of a woman and her lover. A series of antiphonal remarks are provided by the "daughters of Jerusalem." The woman's brothers have a few lines near the conclusion of the Song. Most scholars also see some verses as the voice of a narrator.
Scholars vary in their views regarding authorship and composition of the Song. A female writer, a series of editors, or a male writer, other than Solomon, are all popular alternatives. Some have suggested the Song is composed from a collection of originally more independent poetry.
The majority of scholars who believe that Solomon was the author of the work hold that the woman addressed in the Song is his wife Pharaoh's daughter, who is first mentioned at 1 Kings 3:1. One of the points cited for this is the passage at Song 1:9 that states "I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots." At Song 1:5 she is reported to say "I am black" and at Song 4:8-12 the woman is described as "my bride".
Although it is commonly held that an allegorical interpretation justified its inclusion in the Biblical canon, scholarly discussion hasn't reached any consensus yet and leaves other possibilities open. [4] According to Jewish tradition in the Midrash and the Targum, it is an allegory of God's love for the Children of Israel. In keeping with this understanding, it is read by Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews on Sabbath eve, to symbolize the love between the Jewish People and God that is also represented by Sabbath. Most traditional Jews also read the book on the Sabbath of Chol HaMoed of Passover, or on the seventh day of the holiday, when the Song of the Sea is also read.
In a Christian tradition that began with Origen, the Song is regarded as an allegory of the relationship of Christ and the Church, or else Christ and the individual believer (see the Sermons on the Song of Songs by Bernard of Clairvaux). This type of allegorical interpretation was applied later to even passing details in parables of Jesus. It is also heavily used in Sufi poetry.
Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical ''Deus Caritas Est'' (God is Love) of 2006 refers to the ''Song of Songs'' in both its literal and allegorical meaning, stating that erotic love (''eros'') and self-donating love (''agape'') is shown there as the two halves of true love, which is both giving and receiving.
The ''Song of Solomon'' is not quoted by New Testament writers, but is possibly alluded to on a number of occasions.
(Compare Ps. 45; Isa. 54:4-6; 62:4, 5; Jer. 2:2; 3:1, 20; Ezek. 16; Hos. 2:16, 19, 20. Compare also Matt. 9:15; John 3:29; Eph. 5:23, 27, 29; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9; 22:17.)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement, does not recognize the Song of Solomon as authoritative [6], although it is included in the Church's canon and printed in Church-published copies of the Bible.
★ Karen Young made an album, with the Latin title of this book, Canticum Canticorum (also known as Oratorio), with 20 songs that covers the whole book. The choregraphy from Canadian dancer Gioconda Barbuto evocating the Song of Solomon based on this album was captured on a film by Pepita Ferrari.
★ Black Madonnas illustrate a line in the Song of Songs 1:5: "I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem ..." This is inscribed in Latin on some: Nigra sum sed formosa.
★ Kate Bush wrote a song called ''The Song Of Solomon'' which appears on her 1993 album The Red Shoes and contains some lines from The Song Of Solomon: '' 'Comfort me with apples for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me'' this is the song of solomon.' ''
★ The 2005 British film Keeping Mum features selected phrases of the Song of Solomon at an important moment of the story.
★ Israeli musician Idan Raichel wrote a song, called Hinach Yaffa, which is largely based on the Song of Songs.
★ 4Q106, 4Q107, 4Q108, 6Q6 (portions of Song in Dead Sea Scrolls)
★ Hortus conclusus
1. http://www.schechter.org.il/iyounei_chabate.asp?id=61
2.
J Cheryl Exum, ''Song of Songs'', Old Testament Library. (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005), p. 1.
3. http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2006/barminjon_cantata1_jan06.asp
4. Garrett, Duane A. Song of Songs. Word Biblical Commentary 23B. Nashville: Nelson, 2004, 15.
Jewish translations and commentary:
★ Shir Hashirim - Song of Songs - Job (Judaica Press) translation with Rashi's commentary at Chabad.org
★ ''Jewish Encyclopedia'': ''Song of Songs''
Christian translations and commentary:
★ ''Online Bible'' at GospelHall.org
★ ''Song of Solomon'' at Bible Gateway (various versions)
★ Catholic Encyclopedia
★ Summary Interpretation of the Song of Solomon by H. Speckard
★ at Wikible.org
Music for the Song of Solomon:
★ Music for the Song of Solomon at songofsongs.com
★ ''Biblaridion magazine'': Song of Songs: The sister-wife motif in Song of Songs
★ Wedding Music for the Marriage of Heaven and Earth.
Movies that refer to or quote from the Song of Solomon:
★ A ''Malayalam'' (from ''Kerala'', ''India'') movie with the title based on Song of Songs;Chapter 7:12
★ The Wisdom of Crocodiles (Aka:''Immortality'') Paraphrases Song of Solomon 3:6 & 4:3,5,7
★ Keeping Mum (2005) features selected phrases
★ Garrett, Duane A. Song of Songs. Word Biblical Commentary 23B. Nashville: Nelson, 2004.
★ Pope, Marvin H. ''Song of Songs: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary''. Anchor Bible 7C. 2 volumes. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1977.
----
The '''Song of Solomon''' or '''Song of Songs''' (Hebrew title , ''Shir ha-Shirim'') is a book of the Hebrew Bible—Tanakh or Old Testament—one of the five ''megillot'' (scrolls). According to Ashkenazi tradition, it is read on the Sabbath that falls during the intermediate days of Passover. In the Sephardi Jewish community it is recited every Friday night.
The Song of Songs is a collection of love poems believed to be symbolic. The imagery is that of a bride and a bridegroom or a husband and wife - a traditional metaphor in Judaism for the relationship between God and the people of Israel. [1]
It is known in the Vulgate as ''Canticum Canticorum'', the "Canticle of Canticles."
[1]
Others play down the religious symbolism and describe it as a long lyric poem about erotic love and sexual desire.[2]
The Song of Songs is one of the shortest books in the Bible, consisting of only 117 verses. [3]
| Contents |
| Title |
| Authorship |
| Characters |
| Interpretation and use |
| The Song of Songs in music and art |
| See also |
| References |
| External links |
| Literature |
Title
The name of the book comes from the first verse, "The Song of songs, by Solomon."
"Song of songs" is a Hebrew idiom using the same grammatical construction as "holy of holies". This kind of repetition denotes the superlative; that is, the title "song of songs" attests to the greatness of the song. Rabbi Akiba declared, "Heaven forbid that any man in Israel ever disputed that the Song of Songs is holy. For the whole world is not worth the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel, for all the Writings are holy and the Song of Songs is holy of holies. (Mishnah Yadayim 3:5). Similarly, Martin Luther called it ''das Hohelied'' (the high song).[2] This is still its name in German.
Some say the title indicates the antiphonal nature of the song — a song of several songs.
Authorship
Some people translate the second clause of the title as "which is of Solomon," meaning that the book is authored by Solomon. According to Jewish tradition, Solomon wrote three Biblical books, corresponding to three states in a man's life: Song of Songs, which expresses the lustful vigor of youth; Proverbs, which expresses the wisdom of maturity; and Ecclesiastes, which expresses the cynicism of old age. Others translate the second clause as "which is for Solomon," meaning that the book is dedicated to Solomon. It was common practice in ancient times for an anonymous writer seeking recognition for his work to write eponymously in the name of someone more famous. Some read the book as contrasting the nobility of monogamous love with the debased nature of promiscuous love, and suggest that the book is actually a veiled criticism of Solomon, who, according to 1 Kings 11:3, had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines[3].
Another approach to the authorship is that offered by Rashi [4], consistent with allegorical interpretations, rendering the narrator "he to whom peace belongs", i.e: God. The Hebrew name of Solomon, shlomo, can also be inflected to mean the constructed form of the noun shalom, peace, which through noun declension can be possessive [5]. This means that the author is in fact Solomon, but he narrates the book from the perspective of God, who is conversing with the Jewish people, his allegorical bride.
Characters
The text, read without allegory as a celebration of sexual love, alternates between the speeches of a woman and her lover. A series of antiphonal remarks are provided by the "daughters of Jerusalem." The woman's brothers have a few lines near the conclusion of the Song. Most scholars also see some verses as the voice of a narrator.
Scholars vary in their views regarding authorship and composition of the Song. A female writer, a series of editors, or a male writer, other than Solomon, are all popular alternatives. Some have suggested the Song is composed from a collection of originally more independent poetry.
The majority of scholars who believe that Solomon was the author of the work hold that the woman addressed in the Song is his wife Pharaoh's daughter, who is first mentioned at 1 Kings 3:1. One of the points cited for this is the passage at Song 1:9 that states "I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots." At Song 1:5 she is reported to say "I am black" and at Song 4:8-12 the woman is described as "my bride".
Interpretation and use
Although it is commonly held that an allegorical interpretation justified its inclusion in the Biblical canon, scholarly discussion hasn't reached any consensus yet and leaves other possibilities open. [4] According to Jewish tradition in the Midrash and the Targum, it is an allegory of God's love for the Children of Israel. In keeping with this understanding, it is read by Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews on Sabbath eve, to symbolize the love between the Jewish People and God that is also represented by Sabbath. Most traditional Jews also read the book on the Sabbath of Chol HaMoed of Passover, or on the seventh day of the holiday, when the Song of the Sea is also read.
In a Christian tradition that began with Origen, the Song is regarded as an allegory of the relationship of Christ and the Church, or else Christ and the individual believer (see the Sermons on the Song of Songs by Bernard of Clairvaux). This type of allegorical interpretation was applied later to even passing details in parables of Jesus. It is also heavily used in Sufi poetry.
Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical ''Deus Caritas Est'' (God is Love) of 2006 refers to the ''Song of Songs'' in both its literal and allegorical meaning, stating that erotic love (''eros'') and self-donating love (''agape'') is shown there as the two halves of true love, which is both giving and receiving.
The ''Song of Solomon'' is not quoted by New Testament writers, but is possibly alluded to on a number of occasions.
(Compare Ps. 45; Isa. 54:4-6; 62:4, 5; Jer. 2:2; 3:1, 20; Ezek. 16; Hos. 2:16, 19, 20. Compare also Matt. 9:15; John 3:29; Eph. 5:23, 27, 29; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9; 22:17.)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement, does not recognize the Song of Solomon as authoritative [6], although it is included in the Church's canon and printed in Church-published copies of the Bible.
The Song of Songs in music and art
★ Karen Young made an album, with the Latin title of this book, Canticum Canticorum (also known as Oratorio), with 20 songs that covers the whole book. The choregraphy from Canadian dancer Gioconda Barbuto evocating the Song of Solomon based on this album was captured on a film by Pepita Ferrari.
★ Black Madonnas illustrate a line in the Song of Songs 1:5: "I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem ..." This is inscribed in Latin on some: Nigra sum sed formosa.
★ Kate Bush wrote a song called ''The Song Of Solomon'' which appears on her 1993 album The Red Shoes and contains some lines from The Song Of Solomon: '' 'Comfort me with apples for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me'' this is the song of solomon.' ''
★ The 2005 British film Keeping Mum features selected phrases of the Song of Solomon at an important moment of the story.
★ Israeli musician Idan Raichel wrote a song, called Hinach Yaffa, which is largely based on the Song of Songs.
See also
★ 4Q106, 4Q107, 4Q108, 6Q6 (portions of Song in Dead Sea Scrolls)
★ Hortus conclusus
References
1. http://www.schechter.org.il/iyounei_chabate.asp?id=61
2.
J Cheryl Exum, ''Song of Songs'', Old Testament Library. (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005), p. 1.
3. http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2006/barminjon_cantata1_jan06.asp
4. Garrett, Duane A. Song of Songs. Word Biblical Commentary 23B. Nashville: Nelson, 2004, 15.
External links
Jewish translations and commentary:
★ Shir Hashirim - Song of Songs - Job (Judaica Press) translation with Rashi's commentary at Chabad.org
★ ''Jewish Encyclopedia'': ''Song of Songs''
Christian translations and commentary:
★ ''Online Bible'' at GospelHall.org
★ ''Song of Solomon'' at Bible Gateway (various versions)
★ Catholic Encyclopedia
★ Summary Interpretation of the Song of Solomon by H. Speckard
★ at Wikible.org
Music for the Song of Solomon:
★ Music for the Song of Solomon at songofsongs.com
★ ''Biblaridion magazine'': Song of Songs: The sister-wife motif in Song of Songs
★ Wedding Music for the Marriage of Heaven and Earth.
Movies that refer to or quote from the Song of Solomon:
★ A ''Malayalam'' (from ''Kerala'', ''India'') movie with the title based on Song of Songs;Chapter 7:12
★ The Wisdom of Crocodiles (Aka:''Immortality'') Paraphrases Song of Solomon 3:6 & 4:3,5,7
★ Keeping Mum (2005) features selected phrases
Literature
★ Garrett, Duane A. Song of Songs. Word Biblical Commentary 23B. Nashville: Nelson, 2004.
★ Pope, Marvin H. ''Song of Songs: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary''. Anchor Bible 7C. 2 volumes. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1977.
----
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