This is a comparative study, primarily from the standpoint of literature, but with some historical and critical elements. In the twenty-one versions compared are the following treatments:

• allegory
• descriptive poetry
• narrative poetry
• narrative prose
• poetic idyl
• poetical drama

The last verse of the book, 8: 14, is included with each version. It is written in the same structure as in the particular version. Examine it from this standpoint.

Examples of figurative language are given. Then, there are comments from various sources. Finally, my personal evaluation from the standpoints of literature and inspiration are given.

8: 14 --
Away quickly, my lover,
and be like a gazelle or a young deer
on the mountain of spices.

8: 14 --
Come quickly, my beloved, and resemble thou
      A gazelle, or a young stag,
            Upon the mountains of spices!

8: 14 --
Come away quickly, my beloved,
      Run like a gazelle or a young stag
            on the mountains of spices.

8: 14 --
Go away with your love, and be like a Gazelle,
      Or the Fawn of the Deer, on the sweet-scented hills!

8: 14 --
Make haste, my beloved, and be
thou like a roe or a young hart upon
the mountains of spices.

8: 14 --
Come quickly, my beloved, and be like
a gazelle or young deer upon the
mountains of spice.

8: 14 --
Make haste, my beloved,
      And upon thou like a roe or a young hart
      Upon the nountains of spices.

8: 14 --
Be swift, my lover,
      like a gazelle or a young stag
      on the mountains of spices!

8: 14 --
"Hurry, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle or a young stag
On mountains of spice."

8: 14 --
      Come quickly, my lover, beloved,
and be like a gazelle,
or like a young hart upon mountains of spices.

8: 14 --
Hurry, my lover,
      be like a gazelle
or a young deer
      on the mountains where spices grow.

8: 14 --
      Come into the open, my beloved,
and show yourself like a gazelle or a young wild goat
      on the spice-bearing mountains.

8: 14 --
Come away, my lover,
      and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
      on the spice-laden mountains.

8: 14 --
Haste away, my love,
be like a gazelle,
a young stag,
on the spice-laden mountains.

8: 14 --
"Hurry, my love. Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spices."

The rendering of this version is the same as for the New English Bible, except that the first speech of the bride begins with 1: 2 instead of 1: 1.

8: 14 --
Come into the open, my beloved,
and show yourself like a gazelle or a young stag
on the spice-bearing mountains.

A heading appears at the top of each page.

8: 14 --
      Make haste, my beloved,
And be thou like to a roe
      or to a young hart
Upon the mountains of spices.

8: 14 --
"Hasten, my beloved,
      be like a gazelle,
Or a young stag,
      upon the mountains of spices!"

The names and divisions are the same as for The Emphasized Bible, except that 2: 1 is not named.

8: 14 --
Come quickly, my beloved, and resemble thou a gazelle or young stag, upon the mountains of balsam-trees.

NOTE: This version is an abbreviated form of the King James Version. The folowing verses have been omitted:
1: 4 (part), 7 (part), 11, 12, 14.
2: 14 (part).
3: 5-11.
4: 8, 10.
5: 3.
6: 4 (part), 5 (part), 6, 7, 11-13.
7: 13.
8: 1-5, 7 (part), 8-13.

8: 14 --
Make haste, my beloved,
and be thou like a roe
      or to a young deer upon the mountain of spices.

8: 14 --
Come to me, my lover, like a gazelle,
      like a young stag on the mountains
            where spices grow.

In keeping with good literature, The Song of Songs has numerous examples of figurative language. A few types of figures of speech, their definitions, and some examples used are given. Definitions are as they are explained in Harbrace College Handbook. The examples appear in the Modern Reader's Bible.

Simile:
An explicit comparison between two things of a different kind or quality, usually introduced by like or as.
Being a love song, this writing is rich with similies. A series of them appear in 7: 1-9. One is -- "This thy stature is like to a palm tree, ... ."

Metaphor:
An implied comparison.
An example is in 2: 1 -- "I am a rose in Sharon, a lily of the valleys."

Personification:
The endowing of inanimate objects or qualities with personality or human attributes.
An example is in 5: 2 -- "I was asleep, but my heart waked: It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, ... ."

Hyperbole:
A deliberate overstatement or fanciful exaggeration.
An example is in 2: 8 -- "Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills."

In 8: 6 is a line which contains both personification and a simile -- "Jealousy is cruel as the grave."

William Whiston: (Dissertation IV)
"This further appears by Josephus' entire omission of the book of Canticles [Song of Solomon], and I think only of that book in the whole Old Testament, now extant, earlier than Nehemiah; which yet is in all our Masorete, Septuagint, and other copies, though it can make no just pretence to the title of a sacred book, as I have proved elsewhere. Nor is this other than a character that Josephus used no later copy than that of Nehemiah; there being not the least sign that the Jews so early admitted that strange book into their canon, though it appears some of them, at least, did so when the Septuagint version was made, about two hundred years afterward. I mean this if their later copies be in that case like the original ones."

New American Bible (NAB): (the introduction)
"The Song of Songs meaning the greatest of songs, contains in exquisite poetic form the sublime portrayal and praise of the mutual love of the Lord and his people. The Lord is the Lover and his people are the beloved. The poem is not an allegory in which each remark ... has a higher meaning. It is a parable in which the true meaning of mutual love comes from the poem as a whole."
In regard to the author, the same source makes the following statement: "Although the peom is attributed to Solomon in the traditional title, the language and the style of the work, among other considerations, point to a time after the end of the Babylonian Exile (538 B.C.) as that in which an unknown poet composed this masterpiece."

The Word Made Fresh (WMF): (editorial comment at the beginning)
"It is not for me to try to justify this book being in the Bible. It is written for a purpose, for some day and age. It doesn't do much for me, but at least try it -- it might be just the thing for you."

Inspired Version (IV): (at the end of Ecclesiastes)
The MS. of the Inspired Version states that 'The Songs of Solomon are not inspired writings.'"

The Dartmouth Bible (TDB): (the introduction)
"..., at the time of its inclusion, the more discerning minds already held the opinion ... that the poetry was the work of several authors living in different periods. Some now believe that the book reached its final form in the third century B.C. or even later. When the Song of Songs was considered for admission to the canon, it gave occasion for sharp debate."
The editors describe five types of explanations to this writing. These are as follows: allegorical, natural, anthropological, sociological, and the literary.

New Berkeley Version (NBV): (the introduction)
"These Songs speak the love-language of a young woman and her lover. Their frankness and intimacy express the joyful exultation of that love which sanctifies marriage. ... No Jew younger than thirty was allowed to read this book. It was admitted into the canon of the Old Testament because it was decided that it allegorizes the love of God for Israel."

New Jerusalem Bible (NJB): (the introduction)
"Traditionally it has long been understood as an allegory of the love of God for his people. But in origin it is surely a collection of purely secular love-songs, celebrating the God-given love of the Lover for his Beloved and the Beloved for her Lover. ... It is post-exilic, probably fifth or fourth century, in the tradition of Egyptian and Syrian love-poetry.

New English Bible (NEB): (in a footnote)
The Hebrew text implies, by its pronouns, different speakers, but does not indicate them; they are given, however, in two MSS. of Septuagint."

If the approach of the King James Version be correct, this is a good example of an allegory. The New American Bible suggests, not only allegorical instances, but also that the writing is really a parable. Interpreting that the love of the Messiah for the church of the future is shown denotes replacement theology. Not all King James Version publications has the headings shown above. Listed above are other types of literary writings and several examples of figurative language.

From the standpoint of literature, this is a superb writing. However, from the standpoint of divine inspiration, there is a difference of opinion. That it was composed by a person who was inspired to create literature is not questioned. However, that this creation was inspired of God is open to question.

The New American Bible states a valid argument in regard to the covenant between Yahweh and Israel as a marriage, citing Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. However, I would like to mention a point not discussed by others. I refer to verse 6: 8 in which the poet refers to having threescore queens, fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. This black-skinned girl (1: 5) stands out over all the rest. 1 Kings 11: 3-8, records the number of wives and concubines which Solomon had and that these women turned him away from Yahweh. Man is to have one wife (Genesis 2: 24; Deuteronomy 17: 17). A person is not to commit adultery (Exodus 20: 14; Deuteronomy 5: 18). Solomon was guilty in both cases. Since Yahweh instituted these laws, why would He use the example of one who disobeyed them to show His love for the church? Does He have one church or many which He loves?

There are many opinions about the meaning of The Song of Solomon. This probably will not change before Yahshua comes for His people. For me, this book has merit as a work of literature, but not as an inspired work of Yahweh.