King James Version

Song of Solomon 1:8

In Song of Solomon 1 of Song of Solomon.

If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

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Hebrew

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אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לֹ֤אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תֵדְעִי֙tedeiknowיָדַעverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “know”, an unfinished actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…לָ֔ךְlakhetoלָ֔ךְpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “to”toהַיָּפָ֖הhayafahthe beautyיָפֶהdefinite article, adjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “the beauty”, the ordinary formH3303beautiful (literally or figuratively)[phrase] beautiful, beauty, comely, fair(-est, one), [phrase] goodly, pleasant, well.בַּנָּשִׁ֑יםbanashimin eachאִשָּׁהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “in each”, the ordinary formH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.צְֽאִיtseibring forthיָצָאverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “bring forth”, a commandH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…לָ֞ךְlakhetoלָ֞ךְpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “to”toבְּעִקְבֵ֣יbeiqvein heelעָקֵבpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “in heel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6119a heel (as protuberant); hence, a track; figuratively, the rear (of an army)heel, (horse-) hoof, last, lier in wait (by mistake for H6120 (עָקֵב)), (foot-) step.הַצֹּ֗אןhatsonthe flockצֹאןdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the flock”, the ordinary formH6629a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)(small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds).וּרְעִי֙ureiand companionרָעָהconjunction, verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “and companion”, a commandH7462to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).גְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְgediyotayikhkidגְּדִיָּהnoun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “kid”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1429a young female goatkid.עַ֖לalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…מִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹתmishkenottabernacleמִשְׁכָּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “tabernacle”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4908a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair of animals, figuratively, the grave; also the Temple); specifically, the Tabernacle (properly, its wooden walls)dwelleth, dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle, tent.הָרֹעִֽיםharoimthe companionרָעָהdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the companion”, a verb used as a describing wordH7462to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

Young’s Literal Translation

If thou knowest not, O fair among women, Get thee forth by the traces of the flock, And feed thy kids by the shepherds' dwellings!

World English Bible

If you don’t know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents.

Darby Translation

If thou know not, thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' booths.

Douay-Rheims

To my company of horsemen, in Pharao’s chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

If thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherds' tents.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐὰν μὴ γνῷς σεαυτὴν ἡ καλὴ ἐν γυναιξὶν, ἔξελθε σὺ ἐν πτέρναις τῶν ποιμνίων, καὶ ποίμαινε τὰς ἐρίφους σου ἐπὶ σκηνώμασι τῶν ποιμένων.