THE JPS BIBLE COMMENTARY

SONG OF SONGS שיר השירים

The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation

Commentary by MICHAEL FISHBANE

	THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY
	PHILADELPHIA	2015 / 5775

© 2015 by The Jewish Publication Society

English translation of the TANAKH © 1962, 1985, 1989, 1999 by The Jewish Publication Society Masoretic Hebrew text, Codex Leningrad B19A, taken from Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) © 1967/77, 1983, by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart

Synagogue adaptation and revised format © 1962, 1985, 1989, 1999 by The Jewish Publication Society

All rights reserved. Published by the University of Nebraska Press as a Jewish Publication Society book.

Composition by El Ot Ltd. (English text) and Varda Graphics (Hebrew text)

Adapted from the series design by Adrianne Onderdonk Dudden

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Song of Songs = Shir ha-Shirim: the traditional Hebrew text with the new JPS translation / commentary by Michael Fishbane.

pages cm. – (JPS Bible Commentary)

Text in English and Hebrew; commentary in English.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-8276-0741-5 (cloth: alk. paper) – ISBN 978-0-8276-1145-0 (pdf).

1. Bible. Song of Solomon–Commentaries. I. Fishbane, Michael A., author of added commentary. II. Bible. Song of Solomon. Hebrew. 2015. III. Bible. Song of Solomon. English. 2015. IV. Title: Shir ha-Shirim.

BS1485.53.S68 2015

223’.9077–dc23

2014027712

genesis ISBN 0-8276-0326-6

exodus ISBN 0-8276-0327-4

leviticus ISBN 0-8276-0328-2

numbers ISBN 0-8276-0329-0

deuteronomy ISBN 0-8276-0330-4

Five-volume set ISBN 0-8276-0331-2

jonah ISBN 0-8276-0672-9

esther ISBN 0-8276-0699-0

ecclesiastes ISBN 0-8276-0742-3

haftarot ISBN 0-8276-0691-5

ruth ISBN 0-8276-0774-6

song of songs ISBN 0-8276-0741-5

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS / LINCOLN NE

The JPS Torah Commentary

general editor Nahum M. Sarna

literary editor Chaim Potok

The JPS Bible Commentary

the haftarot Michael Fishbane

The Five Megillot and Jonah

general editor Michael Fishbane

In tribute to

Philip (ז״ל) and Clarice Wallock

to the love they share, and to their many contributions to family,

community, and Jewish life

In gratitude to

Carol Hupping

for her extraordinary contributions to JPS

Shelley Wallock and David Lerman

for

Mona

את שאהבה נפשי

“beloved of my soul”

and for

Aderet, Abie, Ora, Tal, and Jacob,

our grandchildren,

with love

CONTENTS

preface

abbreviations and other conventions

INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMENTARY: SONG OF SONGS

Songs of Love

The Language of Love

The Many Poetics of Love in Jewish Tradition

The Song of Songs and Jewish Religious Practice

Reading the Commentary

FULL HEBREW-ENGLISH TEXT OF THE SONG OF SONGS

COMMENTARY TO THE SONG OF SONGS

Four Levels of Commentary: Peshat, Derash, Remez, and Sod

1:1–17 First Words, First Encounters

2:1–17 Love in Its Proper Time

3:1–11 Inner Experience and Shared Joy

4:1–5:1 The Beautiful Maiden, So Praised

5:2–6:3 In Quest of the Marvelous Beloved

6:4–10 The Maiden, Lovely and Luminous...