Love in the Key of Delight 34

Love in the Key of Delight 34 May 17, 2007

The man, with his love back with him, extols her physical beauty once again.

Her feet:
7:1 How graceful are your feet in sandals,
O queenly maiden!
Her thighs:
Your rounded thighs are like jewels,
the work of a master hand.
Her navel:
2 Your navel is a rounded bowl
that never lacks mixed wine.
Her belly:
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
encircled with lilies.
Her breasts:
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
Her neck:
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Her eyes:
Your eyes are pools in Heshbon,
by the gate of Bath-rabbim.
Her nose:
Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon,
overlooking Damascus.
Her head:
5 Your head crowns you like Carmel,
and your flowing locks are like purple;
a king is held captive in the tresses.
Let’s start over he says with the big picture:
6 How fair and pleasant you are,
O loved one, delectable maiden!
Her breasts:
7 You are stately as a palm tree,
and your breasts are like its clusters.
And now he imagines or describes his enjoyment of her:
8 I say I will climb the palm tree
and lay hold of its branches.
Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
and the scent of your breath like apples,
9 and your kisses like the best wine
that goes down smoothly,
gliding over lips and teeth.
Commentary ruins the poetry.


Browse Our Archives