ReligionSongOfSongs

Religion - Song of Songs

Song of Songs

Prologue:

Song of Songs is said to originate at the beginning of Biblical Times, in
the ages of the all Powerful King Solomon. It must be understood that
the origination of the First Religion "HEBREW" is the belief that came
before the establishment of any other organized religion, and therefore
was sent to us through GOD. Today, their are many religions, most of
which were established in the new testament, with a few coming from the
old testament, which in the instance of Song of Songs, was established in
the original Hebrew Text, and was laid down by GOD to be the
guidelines that the generations that followed would be guided by these
rules, and in later generations and the coming of other religions, the
interpretations of all Bibles would come very close to the interpretations
laid down by the Heavenly Father.

When Adam and Eve was created by God, it was never his intention to
disallow sexual intercourse, because when Adam and Eve were created,
the words of the Lord was to multiply. It was never believed that the
earth would not be populated, but the interpretations of other religions
and their bibles drew their examples from the Original Old Testament,
and then drew into it their own modified interpretations.

Unfortunately, other religions, and even the pagans with their many
Gods, interpreted God's wishes to be the wishes of their own.
Thus today we have wars, disputes, genocidal enforcements, and the
destruction of other races and ethnic groups, especially in the late old
testament and the new testament, which has seen wholesale destructions
of whole races, mostly because of their religious beliefs and
interpretations as well as for economic reasons.

GOD never intended us to maim and kill whole populations, but he did
give all mortal beings a free will, which throughout the ages, was taken
away from many, by other mortal beings who were in power at the time.

In these modern times there is too much hatred of people because of
their race, religion, color, looks, infirmities, and other outlandish
reasons. Hatred, unfortunately begets hatred, which leads to wars and
which ultimately ends with the genocidal destruction of entire races.

What an Outrage This is, and unfortunately it is only getting worst, with
each passing generation, even in the advent of the twenty-first century.

Now we come to the original song which it is strongly believed
came from GOD. It is a song which it is believed first was sung by the
angels, and which was picked up by King Solomon, and even was sung
by a chorus of Angels, when Jesus Christ was first born through the
Virgin Mary and her Husband Joseph.

Song of Songs:

Return, return O Shulamite, return, return that we may look upon
thee.

Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the
moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army carrying banners.

Look not upon me because I am black, because the sun hath looked
upon me.

I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine, he feedeth among the
lillies.

I am the Rose of Sharon, the Lilly of the Valley. As the lilly among
the thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a
fountain sealed.

A fountain of gardens, a well of flowing waters, and streams from
Lebanon.

Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits.

I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine, he feedeth among the
lillies.

He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over
me was love.

I sat down under his shadow and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Thou art all fair my love, there is no spot in thee.

The joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a
cunning workman.

This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of
grapes.

Until the day break and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the
mountains of myrrh and the hill of frankincense.

I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine. I am my beloveds and his
desire is towards me.

Until the day break and the shadows flee away, be thou like a
roe or a young hart, upon the mountains of Bether.

My beloved spoke and said to me: Rise my love, my fair one and
come away.

Let us get up early to the vineyards, let us see if the vine flourish,
whether the tender grape appear and the pomegrantes bud forth:
there I will give you my love.

And our bed is green.

How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! How much better is thy
love than wine!

Song of Songs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tanakh:
(Books common to all Christian and Judaic canons)

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Three Poetic Books
1. Psalms
2. Proverbs
3. Job
Five Megillot
4. Song of Songs
5. Ruth
6. Lamentations
7. Ecclesiastes
8. Esther
Other Books
9. Daniel
10. Ezra-Nehemiah
11. Chronicles

The Song of Songs (Hebrew title שיר השירים, Shir ha-Shirim), is a
book of the Hebrew Bible—Tanakh or Old Testament—one of the
five megillot (scrolls). It can also be known as the Song of Solomon,
Solomon's Song of Songs, or as Canticles, the latter from the
shortened and anglicized Vulgate title Canticum Canticorum,
"Song of Songs" in Latin.[1] It is known as Aisma in the
Septuagint, which is short for ῏Αισμα ᾀσμάτων, Aisma aismatôn,
"Song of Songs" in Greek.[2]

The Song of Songs is interpreted in some traditions as an
allegorical representation of the relationship of God and Israel as
husband and wife.[3] Literally, however, the main characters of the
Song are simply a woman and a man, and the poem suggests
movement from courtship to consummation. It is one of the shortest
books in the Bible, consisting of only 117 verses. 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.

Contents:

1 Title
2 Authorship
2.1 Solomon
2.1.1 Solomon as author
2.1.2 Solomon as audience
2.2 God
3 Characters
4 Interpretation and use
4.1 Jewish tradition
4.2 Kabbalah
4.3 Christian tradition
4.4 Messianic interpretation
4.5 Other interpretations
5 References in art, literature and music
6 References in film
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
10 Literature
11 Recording

Title:

Depiction of the royal couple in a twelfth-century manuscriptThe
name of the book comes from the first verse, "The Song of songs,
which is Solomon's."

"Song of songs" is a Hebrew grammatical construction denoting
the superlative; that is, the title attests to the greatness of the
song, similar to "the lord of lords", "the king of kings" or "holy of
holies" (used of the inner sanctuary of the Jerusalem temple).
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). This is still its name in German, Swedish
and in Dutch.

Some interpret the Hebrew construction differently, a song of
several songs, and argue for a degree of independence between
sections within the Song.[who?]

Authorship:

Solomon:

Solomon as author:

Some people translate the first clause of the title as "which is of
Solomon," meaning that the book is authored by Solomon. Rabbi
Hiyya the Great said Solomon first wrote Proverbs, then The Song
of Songs, and afterward Ecclesiastes. Rabbi Jonathan said Solomon
first wrote The Song of Songs, then Proverbs, then Ecclesiastes.
The Talmud, however, states the order of the canon, listing
Proverbs first, then Ecclesiastes, and then The Song of Songs.

Solomon as audience:

Others translate the first clause as "which is for Solomon,"
meaning that the book is dedicated to Solomon.[who?] 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.

God:

Another approach to the authorship is that offered by Rashi,
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. 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 an unknown narrator.

Views vary regarding authorship and composition of the Song.
Various unidentified people have suggested that the Song is
composed from a collection of originally more independent poetry.
But, this is not possible, as the song originated from God, and was
first sung by a chorus of Angels, and then given to King Solomon, so
the "Song of Songs" would be sung and interpreted throughout the
ages, with very little changes from the original verses.

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 on the Song of Songs and leaves
other possibilities open. However, the original interpretation as
provided by God, still stands today, with only minor alterations.

Jewish tradition:

According to Jewish tradition in the Midrash and the Targum, the
book 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 Song 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.

Kabbalah:

The Song of Songs is perhaps the most important Biblical text for
the Kabbalah. Following the writing and dissemination of the Book
of the Zohar in the 14th and 15th centuries, Jewish mysticism took
on a strongly erotic element, and the Song of Songs came to be
regarded as an example of sacred erotica. In Zoharic Kabbalah,
God is represented by a system of ten sephirot, or spheres, each
symbolizing a different aspect of God, who is perceived as both
male and female. The Shechina, or indwelling of God on earth, was
identified with the sephira Malchut, which is female in essence, and
symbolizes both the Jewish people and the female sexual organs.
Malchut was, in turn, identified with the woman in the Song of
Songs. Her beloved was identified with the sephira Yesod, which
represents God's foundation and the phallus or male essence. The
text thus became a description of an act of divine eroticism,
symbolizing--depending on the interpreter--the creation of the
world, the passage of the Sabbath, the covenant with Israel, or the
coming of the Messianic age. "Lecha Dodi" a 16th century
liturgical song with strong Kabbalistic and messianic symbolism,
contains many passages, including its opening words, taken directly
from the Song of Songs.

Christian tradition:

The Song of Songs is not directly quoted by New Testament
writers, but is alluded to on a number of occasions. A few examples
are Revelation 3:20, which quotes the Greek LXX of Song 5:2;
John 12:2, 3, which is an allusion to Song 1:12; and John 7:38,
which is a reference to the Greek LXX of Song 4:15. Scholars are
continuing to discover more and more allusions to the Song in the
Greek New Testament.

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 which is the outcome
of abundant patristic and early medieval commentary). This type
of allegorical interpretation was applied later to even passing
details in parables of Jesus. Other prominent and accessible
commentaries are those of Apponius and Nilus of Ancyra (Sources
Chrétiennes) and Gregory of Nyssa and Rupert of Deutz (Fontes
Christiani).

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.

Messianic interpretation:

It has been suggested that the book is a messianic text, in that the
lover can be interpreted as the Messiah. It could refer to the
Messiah because it often speaks of the Davidic king, Solomon.
Nathan’s prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 showed that the promised
Messiah would issue from the progeny of David. Each Davidic king
was viewed as a potential Messiah, so the Song’s speaking of the
Temple-builder Solomon would bring to readers’ minds their
Messianic hopes. When the Song references “mighty men” (3:7), it
brings to mind David and his mighty men (2 Samuel 23). Describing
the lover as “ruddy” (5:10) again brings to mind David (c.f. 1
Samuel 16:12). The Aramaic Jewish targums also interpreted the
lover as the awaited Messiah. All these references to kingship, to
shepherding, to David, and to Solomon, bring to mind the expected
Messiah.

In the New Testament, Jesus later claimed his identity as Messiah
when he presented himself as greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:
42) because, as the builder of the Temple, Solomon was an
“obvious messianic model”.

The king's garden (for example 5:1) can be viewed in the light of
the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8-25), bringing to mind the Messiah
who was expected to restore Israel to an Edenic state. The lovers
are portrayed as having overcome the alienation produced by the
Fall. The state of woman whose “desire shall be for your husband”
(Genesis 3:16) has even been reversed: “his desire is for me” (7:
10).

Other interpretations:

Historians have noted that the Song of Songs closely resembles the
Egyptian love poetry of its time.

Feminist theologians have interpreted the Song of Songs as a
positive representation of sexuality and egalitarian gender
relations within the Bible.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest
denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement, does not
recognize the book as authoritative, although it is included in the
Church's canon and printed in Church-published copies of the Bible.

References in art, literature and
music:

The title of Lillian Hellman's 1939 play, The Little Foxes, comes
from Chapter 2, verse 15 of the Song of Songs.

The Spiritual Canticle by St. John of the Cross is heavily influenced
by the Song of Songs.

The "Song of Solomon" - 1977 novel by Toni Morrison, published
1978.

Black Madonnas illustrates 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.

J.S. Bach's Cantata No. 140, while mainly based on the Parable of
the Ten Virgins, also uses words and imagery from the Song of
Songs.

La Sulamite by Emmanuel Chabrier, with words by Jean Richepin
is based on the Song of Songs.

Karen Young made an album, with the Latin title of this book,
Canticum Canticorum (also known as Oratorio), with twenty songs
drawn from the whole book. The choreography from Canadian
dancer Gioconda Barbuto based on this album was captured on film
by Pepita Ferrari.

In the Jehovah's Witness song book, song number eleven is entitled
"The Shullamite Remnant" and is based on the Song of Songs,
quoting some of the verses verbatim, including Song of Songs 8:6, 7.
Israeli pop superstar Ofra Haza recorded the song entitled "שיר
אהבה" (Love Song) on her 1988 album "Shaday". The song, sung a
cappella, is a direct quotation of Song of Songs 8:6-7.

Kate Bush wrote a song called The Song Of Solomon, containing
lines from the book, which appears on her 1993 album The Red
Shoes.

Gothic rock band Christian Death on their 1987 LP "The
Scriptures" featured a track entitled "Song of Songs" which is
almost a literal translation of the book in modern English.
British electric folk band Steeleye Span on their 1977 album Storm
Force Ten featured a tracked entitled "Awake, Awake" which is
based on the Song of Songs.

Israeli musician Idan Raichel recorded the song "הינך יפה" (Thou
Art Beautiful) for his 2002 debut album The Idan Raichel Project.
The song is largely based on a cross-section of verses assembled
from the Song of Songs.

Flos Campi by the English composer Ralph Vaughan-Williams is
based on the book.

Sinéad O'Connor’s ”Dark I Am Yet Lovely” on Theology (2007) is
a treatment of the Song.

The text of Daniel Pinkham's Wedding Cantata is taken from the
Song of Songs.

Leeds band Pale Saints recorded a song called Song of Solomon on
their 1994 album Slow Buildings.

Birmingham singer Stephen Duffy had a hit song Kiss Me whose
refrain was a rewording of lines from the first chapter of the Song
of Songs ("Kiss me with your mouth/your love is better than wine").

Brion Gysin used the King James translation of the Songs of Songs
in the cut-up poem The Poem of Poems (1958-1961).

The song of Solomon and how she sang it to me is sung by David
Tibet on his Current 93 1996 untitled split EP, commonly known as
the Seven Seals album.

In Geoffrey Chaucer's, 'The Canterbury Tales', there are
numerous references. The most notable of these is in The Miller's
Tale in Absolon's attempted wooing of Alisoun.

Eliza Gilkyson has set lines from chapter 2 to original music and
recorded it as "Rose of Sharon" on her Redemption Road CD
(1996).

Robert Burns's poem "The Bonniest Lass" from the collection The
Merry Muses of Caledonia refers to it as "the smuttiest sang that
e'er was sung".

John Zorn's "Shir Ha-Shirim" premiered in February 2008. The
piece is inspired by the Song of Songs and is performed by an
amplified quintet of female singers with female and male narrators
performing the "Song of Solomon". A performance at the
Guggenheim Museum in November 2008 featured choreography
for paired dancers from the Khmer Arts Ensemble by Sophiline
Cheam Shapiro.

John Steinbeck named one of the main characters in The Grapes of
Wrath "Rose of Sharon," a reference to "Song of Solomon" 2:1:
"I am a rose of Sharon."

The song 'Glass' by Bat For Lashes features a quote from the
Songs.

References in film:

Nammukku paarkkaan munthiri thoppukal, a Malayalam (from
Kerala, India) movie, has its title based on the Song of Songs;
Chapter 7:12.

The Wisdom of Crocodiles, (a.k.a. Immortality), paraphrases Song
of Songs 3:6 & 4:3,5,7.

The Woman in the Window (1944), Professor Richard Wanley pulls
this book off a shelf in the gentleman's club and sits to read it after
his friends leave early in the film.

Keeping Mum (2005) features selected phrases.

In Miller's Crossing (1990), Tom Reagen mentioned it sarcastically
to Verna Bernbaum.

In El crimen del Padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro)
(2002), a Mexican film (script by Vicente Leñero, based on the
homonymus novel written in 1875 by José Maria de Eça de
Queiroz) about a love relationship between a priest and a woman,
father Amaro recites it to his secret lover.

In Once Upon a Time in America (1984), a Sergio Leone film,
Deborah Gelly (Elizabeth McGovern) recites it to 'Noodles'
(Robert DeNiro).

In "The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines" (2006), a
made for TV film starring Noah Wyle.

References:

^ newadvent.org

^ Rahlfs (ed.), Septuaginta, Volume 2, (Stuttgart: de:Deutsche
Bibelgesellschaft, 1979), p. 260.

^ Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies - Home page

^ Garrett, Duane A. Song of Songs. Word Biblical Commentary
23B. Nashville: Nelson, 2004, 15.

^ Pope Benedict XVI. (2005). Encyclical Letter: Deus Caritas Est
(Part 1, Section 6). Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

^ James Hamilton, “The Messianic Music of the Song of Songs”,
Westminster Theological Journal 68 (2006): 333.

^ Ibid., 336.

^ Sigmund Mowinckel, He That Cometh, (New York: Abingdon
Press, 1954), 283.

^ N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, (Minneapolis:
Fortress Press, 1996), 535.

^ Francis Landy, “The Song of Songs and the Garden of Eden”
Journal of Biblical Literature 98:4 (December 1979): 524.

^ James Hamilton, op. cit., 344.

^ Fox, M.V. The Song of Songs and Ancient Egyptian Love Songs.
University of Wisconsin Press, 1985.

^ Carr, David. The Erotic Word. Oxford University Press January
2005.

^ Bible Dictionary: Song of Solomon.

^ Herz, Gerhard (1972). Bach: Cantata No. 140. W.W. Norton and
Company.

^ Allan, J. Reviews: Live - John Zorn Abron Arts Centre Amplifier
Magazine, February 22, 2008.

^ Smith, S. An Unlikely Pairing on Common Ground NY Times,
November 27, 2008.

External links:

Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Song of SolomonJewish 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:

Spices in the Song of Solomon: Song of Songs, Shir Hashirim
Flora and Fauna in the Song of Solomon: Song of Songs, Shir
Hashirim.

Online Bible at GospelHall.org.

Song of Songs at Bible Gateway (various versions).

Catholic Encyclopedia.

Summary Interpretation of the Song of Solomon by H. Speckard

Literature:

Garrett, Duane A. Song of Songs. Word Biblical Commentary 23B.
Nashville: Nelson, 2004.

Linafelt, Tod. "Biblical Love Poetry (...and God)". Journal of the
American Academy of Religion 70 (2) 2002.

Pope, Marvin H. Song of Songs: A New Translation with
Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Bible 7C. 2 volumes.
Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1977.

Theo Kobusch, Metaphysik, C. Metaphysik als Exegese des
Hohenliedes, in Der Neue Pauly, Band 15, La-Ot, Stuttgart
Weimar 2001.

Ariel Bloch and Chana Bloch, translators. The Song of Songs: A
New Translation, With an Introduction and Commentary.

Afterword by Robert Alter, Random House, 1995, ISBN 978-
0520213302.

Recording:

Canticum Canticorum. Eloge De L'amour. La Cantique Des
Cantiques à la Renaissance, Capilla Flamenca, 2004 (Eufoda 1359).

Audio Reading of the Song of Solomon by Rafi Metz [in Hebrew]
This article incorporates text from the public domain Easton's
Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

Preceded by:

Job Hebrew Bible Followed by Ruth.

Preceded by "Ecclesiastes Protestant Old Testament Followed by
Isaiah".

Roman Catholic Old Testament Followed by Book of Wisdom.

Eastern Orthodox Old Testament.

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