The description of the carriage continues.

He made its posts of silver: the sedan chair had four corner posts to support the roof or canopy. These were not made of solid silver but were of wood overlaid with silver (compare Exo 26.32). On the word silver see comments on 1.11.

Its back of gold: our difficulty here lies in the term back. The Hebrew noun occurs only here, though the root has already been used in 2.5 (“refresh me”). Its basic sense seems to be something that is spread out, perhaps a cloth. The Syriac translation has “its carpets.” Good News Translation suggests “cloth.” There is some support for a translation “bolster” or “pillow,” probably in the form of a head rest, as in New English Bible. On the other hand King James Version used “bottom,” and New American Bible uses “roof,” which is similar to Jerusalem Bible “canopy.” Snaith, however, states that there is no reason why the term should not refer to the solid “back” of a seat.

Given this wide variety of scholarly opinion, our solution will be to begin with the basic meaning of “spread” and translate back as “its base.” “Carpet” may be given as the footnote. If translators find this solution acceptable, then of gold will have to be translated “overlaid with gold.” If the decision is to use a term like “carpet” or “cloth,” then we shall have to say “embroidered with gold” or “… with threads of gold.”

Its seat of purple: seat here is a term also used for cushions (Lev 15.9 “saddle”), so either “seat” or “cushions” is acceptable. The adjective purple indicates that they are made from purple cloth, the royal fabric. Many languages will not have a word for purple. We can say “dark red” or perhaps add another adjective, “royal…” or “deep red.”

It was lovingly wrought within causes interpreters numerous difficulties. Literally the phrase is “its interior is fitted out [with] love.” Lovingly is a noun (“love”) in the Hebrew text but is treated as an adverb in the majority of translations; for example, Good News Translation “lovingly woven.” New Revised Standard Version uses the phrase “inlaid with love,” which is similar to New Jerusalem Bible, while Revised English Bible omits it altogether. Pope thinks the term “love” identifies love scenes painted on the interior walls of the carriage. Driver suggested that lovingly is related to an Arabic term meaning “leather” and New English Bible accepts this, saying “its lining was of leather.” Some other versions, including Jerusalem Bible have “ebony,” a dark wood, while New American Bible thinks it refers to “ivory.”

Wrought or “worked” is a Hebrew passive participle meaning “fit together,” “joined together,” “built.” It possibly means “fitted out” in the sense of being decorated. One commentator suggests “inlaid.”

Translation will inevitably be a problem with such wide and varied opinions. A footnote can indicate that the Hebrew text is difficult to understand, and offer another translation. We may wish to say “decorated with leather [or, ivory].” “Inlaid with love” is possible, though we consider it less likely.

We can say:

• Its interior was lovingly decorated.

• Love scenes decorated its interior.

We can also use the other option, but with a footnote:

• Its interior was decorated with ivory.*
Footnote: *Hebrew unclear; some versions read “with love.”

By the daughters of Jerusalem: this clause also causes many problems for interpreters. We are surprised to find the daughters of Jerusalem suddenly on the scene. Up till now, and indeed throughout the text, they serve more like observers rather than actors. We note that the word for daughters in the Hebrew text has a prefix, the preposition m-, translated as “by” in several versions (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Further we note that the printed Hebrew text places this phrase on a separate line, suggesting it may be connected to what follows in verse 11 rather than to what goes before.

There are several possible ways of dealing with the problem. We can follow the versions cited above, despite the rather awkward wording. This leaves us with a translation such as:

• Its interior was lovingly decorated by the women of Jerusalem.

Or, in active voice:

• The women of Jerusalem had decorated the inside with love scenes.

Another possibility, however, is to treat the m- as the last letter of the previous word “love”; in the text. This would change the word “love” to “ivory”; or possibly “ebony.” This last solution has the advantage of placing “daughters of Jerusalem” at the beginning of verse 11, forming a neat chiastic structure.

As noted above, daughters appears on a separate line in the Hebrew text, a fact which we believe supports this last analysis. The translator should choose one solution or the other and note the alternative in a footnote. We recommend either of the following:

• He made the posts of silver;
The curtains were embroidered in gold.
The cushion was deep purple,
And the interior was lovingly decorated
By the women of Jerusalem.

• He had the supports made in silver,
The back of the chair in gold.
The seat was a royal purple,
All inlaid in ivory.*

Daughters of Jerusalem, (11) come out ….
Footnote: * Hebrew obscure. Some versions have “decorated with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.”

Note that in this last proposal “daughters of Jerusalem” is placed in verse 11. To avoid confusion the two verses can be combined, that is, put under one numbering (10-11).

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Song of Songs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1998. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .