Censoring Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon, a book in the Bible, is a beautiful love song that's pretty spicy in its original Hebrew version. But here's the kicker: many English translations of it have toned down its sensuality, probably because of cultural or personal beliefs of the translators. These translations tiptoe around the overt sensuality with a careful ballet of linguistic twists and turns, attempting to create a more culturally palatable narrative. There is also the tendency to reframe this poem as a veiled metaphor for God's love, rather than a straightforward exploration of love.

[NikkiBdraws]

"Lodged between my breasts" sounds like when you're eating and food falls down your shirt. That quote went from sensual to sad night alone real fast.

[UdderlyEvelyn]

I am in no way religious but absolutely love hearing about these odd Bible translation choices and/or errors.

[kiel]

Love how the Vulgate translation changed it from romance between two lovers to a woman who loves her sachet of myrrh lmao

[tttITA]

I once studied at a baptist school. In religion class, we would have to chose a bible verse to read in the beggining of every class, and there was this girl who would constant chose very specially selected Songs of Solomon verses. There was also this girl who once chose the very catholic Lord's Prayer passage... that was funny.

[OctagonalSquare]

The irony of the only word that is something most people would find sexual “breasts” not being censored is pretty hilarious. It’s like bleeping bull instead of shit

[Thegamingoblin]

Song of songs is the horniest text known to man. The original text is very hot and heavy for something so ancient

[KeyClavis]

I had a very devout uncle who always insisted that those who dined at his table read aloud their favorite passage from the Bible. Mom had warned me so I memoreized an appropriate choice. I chose the first four lines of Song of Solomon. I made it a dramatic reading and my audience was wide eyed (except my mom, who was trying very hard not to laugh) and open mouthed. My aunt blushed so hard I thought she was going to have a heart attack.

Uncle never asked me to do it again.

[suvi]

the absolute cognitive dissonance between believing the bible is the true uncorrupted word of god and censoring anything you don't like.

[achininishadi]

I was 7 years old when I first read the Bible. So, I always used to say the Bible was my first sex education. Considering how prudish my family background is, my parents would have banned me the Bible if she knew the "inappropriate" things I read in bible

[ZEN_RZ]

And we wonder why Solomon had 1000 lovers
Bro was the Wise King of Rizz

[nbell]

I heard a radio interview with the Blochs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National back in the early(?) 90s. I had long forgotten their names, so I thank you, it was a marvellous (and sometimes funny) interview and now I can find their book! 😊

[jasonayres]

Good to see you're keeping abreast of the situation.

Hey, I'm not lying.
Ah, lodged..ah.
Oh, this could take all night.

[RatRoth]

Watching this at the lunch table wasn't comfortable hearing that much "breasts" near my mom...

[Mrbleuskyzz]

It’s so funny when things like books or movie will try to censor something and inadvertently make it sound worse

[fcbarcelona]

Thank you very much for this knowledge. Pastors get angry when you tell them the translations are different

[ruthannemarie]

As a Christian I demand an actuate translation of song of Solomon! Thank for for the book recommendation I’ll read it with my husband someday🤣

[adelehare]

not a biblical scholar, but i definitely think a lot of strong language in the bible got lost in translation. not just sexual stuff, but i think some of the harsh language in Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and even Paul’s epistles might be best translated with a good curse word here and there. Translators definitely had strong motives to heavily sanitize it, considering it would be read to children

[MENTALTAKEDOWN]

*My favorite to point out is that there’s no commandment “thou shall not kill”. That being said there is one that says “thou shall not murder”.*
It’s kinda important to distinguish that way you can defend yourself

[jellybelly]

The thing a lot of Christians get wrong is that that book has anything to do with our relationship with Christ, it’s showing the struggle of a relationship where you want each other badly, but you hold yourself back for the pure marriage bed, and when you do get there it’s blissful, it’s everything it needs to be. there’s a lot of example in that book for a physical relationship with your chosen mate on how to do it in a way that pleases God.
My husband and I studied it together before we were married, it brought a lot of good conversation that’s helped us a lot in our marriage

[Catssonova]

Honestly, while some translations do avoid mentioning "all night" or change the focus of the word, even the KJV or New KJV do it kind of alright if you recall the literary traditions of early modern English "A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts."


The use of the pronoun clearly dictates that it is an individual, and the switching of the focal point of the initial noun is handled with a somewhat Shakespearean tone.

I'm sure the translation in that book is incredible though.