Song of Solomon 6:9
New International Version
but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her.

New Living Translation
I would still choose my dove, my perfect one— the favorite of her mother, dearly loved by the one who bore her. The young women see her and praise her; even queens and royal concubines sing her praises:

English Standard Version
My dove, my perfect one, is the only one, the only one of her mother, pure to her who bore her. The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.

Berean Standard Bible
but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.

King James Bible
My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

New King James Version
My dove, my perfect one, Is the only one, The only one of her mother, The favorite of the one who bore her. The daughters saw her And called her blessed, The queens and the concubines, And they praised her.

New American Standard Bible
But my dove, my perfect one, is unique: She is her mother’s only daughter; She is the pure child of the one who gave birth to her. The young women saw her and called her blessed, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

NASB 1995
But my dove, my perfect one, is unique: She is her mother’s only daughter; She is the pure child of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

NASB 1977
But my dove, my perfect one, is unique: She is her mother’s only daughter; She is the pure child of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
She is the only one—my dove, my perfect one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the pure one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her and called her blessed, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

Amplified Bible
But my dove, my perfect one, stands alone [above them all]; She is her mother’s only daughter; She is the pure child of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed and happy, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
But my dove, my virtuous one, is unique; she is the favorite of her mother, perfect to the one who gave her birth. Women see her and declare her fortunate; queens and concubines also, and they sing her praises:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But my dove, my virtuous one, is unique; she is the favorite of her mother, perfect to the one who gave her birth. Women see her and declare her fortunate; queens and concubines also, and they sing her praises: Y

American Standard Version
My dove, my undefiled, is but one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; Yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

Contemporary English Version
You would be my only choice, my flawless dove, the favorite child of your mother. The young women, the queens, and all the others tell how excited you are as they sing your praises:

English Revised Version
My dove, my undefiled, is but one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
but she is unique, my dove, my perfect one. Her mother thinks she is unique. She is pure to the one who gave birth to her. Her sisters saw her and blessed her. Queens and concubines saw her and praised her.

Good News Translation
But I love only one, and she is as lovely as a dove. She is her mother's only daughter, her mother's favorite child. All women look at her and praise her; queens and concubines sing her praises.

International Standard Version
but my dove, my perfect one, is unique. She's unique to her mother, she's pure to the one who gave birth to her. Young women see her and call her blessed, queens and mistresses praise her.

Majority Standard Bible
but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.

NET Bible
But she is unique! My dove, my perfect one! She is the special daughter of her mother, she is the favorite of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and complimented her; the queens and concubines praised her:

New Heart English Bible
My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother's only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; the queens and the secondary wives, and they praised her.

Webster's Bible Translation
My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yes, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

World English Bible
My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother’s only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed. The queens and the concubines saw her, and they praised her.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
One is my dove, my perfect one, "" She [is] one of her mother, "" She [is] the choice one of her that bore her, "" Daughters saw, and pronounce her blessed, "" Queens and concubines, and they praise her.

Young's Literal Translation
One is my dove, my perfect one, One she is of her mother, The choice one she is of her that bare her, Daughters saw, and pronounce her happy, Queens and concubines, and they praise her.

Smith's Literal Translation
She is one, my dove, my perfect one; she is one to her mother, she is the chosen to her bearing her. The daughters saw her and pronounced her happy; the queens and the concubines, and they will praise her.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
One is my dove, my perfect one is but one, she is the only one of her mother, the chosen of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and declared her most blessed: the queens and concubines, and they praised her.

Catholic Public Domain Version
One is my dove, my perfect one. One is her mother; elect is she who bore her. The daughters saw her, and they proclaimed her most blessed. The queens and concubines saw her, and they praised her.

New American Bible
One alone is my dove, my perfect one, her mother’s special one, favorite of the one who bore her. Daughters see her and call her happy, queens and concubines, and they praise her:

New Revised Standard Version
My dove, my perfect one, is the only one, the darling of her mother, flawless to her that bore her. The maidens saw her and called her happy; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
My perfect dove is but one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her and praised her; yea, the queens and the concubines also praised her.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
One is my innocent dove; one she is to her mother, and chosen she is to her who bore her. The daughters saw her and praised her, and the Queens and Concubines, and they praised her
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
My dove, my undefiled, is but one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her happy; Yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
My dove, my perfect one is one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and the queens will pronounce her blessed, yea, and the concubines, and they will praise her.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Together in the Garden
8There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number, 9but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises. 10Who is this who shines like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as the stars in procession?…

Cross References
Proverbs 31:29
“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”

Psalm 45:9
The daughters of kings are among your honored women; the queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of Ophir.

Revelation 19:7-8
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. / She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

Isaiah 62:5
For as a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

2 Corinthians 11:2
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

Revelation 21:2
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ...

John 3:29
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

Genesis 2:23-24
And the man said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man she was taken.” / For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Hosea 2:19-20
So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion. / And I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.”

Jeremiah 31:3-4
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion. / Again I will build you, and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out in joyful dancing.

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

Colossians 1:18
And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

Isaiah 54:5
For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.


Treasury of Scripture

My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yes, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

my dove

Song of Solomon 2:14
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

Song of Solomon 5:2
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

one

Numbers 23:9
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Psalm 45:9
Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

Galatians 4:26
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

daughters

Deuteronomy 4:6,7
Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people…

Deuteronomy 33:29
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Psalm 126:2
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.

Jump to Previous
Bare Beautiful Blessed Blessing Bore Child Choice Concubines Darling Daughter Daughters Dearest Dove Favorite Flawless Happy Maidens Mother Mother's Perfect Praise Praised Pronounce Pure Queens Servant-Wives Undefiled Unique
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Bare Beautiful Blessed Blessing Bore Child Choice Concubines Darling Daughter Daughters Dearest Dove Favorite Flawless Happy Maidens Mother Mother's Perfect Praise Praised Pronounce Pure Queens Servant-Wives Undefiled Unique
Song of Solomon 6
1. the church professes her faith in Christ
4. Christ shows the graces of the church
10. and his love toward her














But my dove
The term "dove" in Hebrew is "יונתי" (yonati), often symbolizing purity, innocence, and peace. In the context of the Song of Solomon, the dove represents the beloved's gentle and pure nature. Doves were also used in sacrificial offerings, symbolizing a connection to holiness and dedication. This imagery reflects the beloved's spiritual purity and the deep affection the speaker holds for her.

my perfect one
The Hebrew word for "perfect" is "תמתי" (tamati), which conveys completeness and flawlessness. In a conservative Christian perspective, this can be seen as a reflection of the ideal relationship between Christ and the Church, where the Church is made perfect through Christ's love and sacrifice. The beloved's perfection is not just physical but also spiritual, embodying the ideal of divine love.

is unique
The word "unique" in Hebrew is "אחת" (achat), meaning one or singular. This emphasizes the exclusivity and special status of the beloved. In the context of a Christian marriage, it highlights the uniqueness and irreplaceability of the marital bond, mirroring the exclusive relationship between Christ and His Church.

the only daughter of her mother
This phrase underscores the beloved's singularity and cherished status within her family. Historically, being the only daughter would imply a special inheritance and affection. Spiritually, it can be seen as a metaphor for the Church, chosen and cherished by God, set apart from all others.

the favorite of the one who bore her
The term "favorite" suggests a deep, preferential love. In Hebrew, "ברורה" (barurah) implies being chosen or selected. This reflects the idea of divine election, where the Church is favored and chosen by God, not by merit but by grace. It speaks to the intimate and loving relationship God desires with His people.

The maidens see her and call her blessed
The maidens, or "עלמות" (alamot), represent those who witness the beloved's beauty and grace. To be "called blessed" is to be recognized for one's virtues and favor. This public acknowledgment can be seen as the Church's witness to the world, where its beauty and grace, derived from Christ, are evident to all.

the queens and concubines praise her
Queens and concubines, representing women of high status, acknowledge the beloved's superiority. In a historical context, this signifies a recognition of true beauty and virtue that transcends social status. Spiritually, it reflects the Church's exalted position, honored even among the powers and principalities, as it is adorned with the righteousness of Christ.

(9) My dove . . . is but one.--"While the monarch's loves are so many, one is mine, my dove, my perfect one: one, the delight of her mother, the darling of her who bore her." It is impossible not to see in this a eulogy on monogamy, which, in practice, seems always to have been the rule among the Jews, the exceptions lying only with kings and the very rich. The eulogy is made more pronounced by putting an unconscious testimony to the superiority of monogamy into the mouths of the "queens and concubines," who praise and bless this pattern of a perfect wife.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
but my dove,
יוֹנָתִ֣י (yō·w·nā·ṯî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3123: A dove

my perfect
תַמָּתִ֔י (ṯam·mā·ṯî)
Adjective - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8535: Complete, pious, gentle, dear

one,
אַחַ֥ת (’a·ḥaṯ)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

is unique,
אַחַ֥ת (’a·ḥaṯ)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

the favorite
בָּרָ֥ה (bā·rāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1249: Beloved, pure, empty

of the mother
לְאִמָּ֔הּ (lə·’im·māh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 517: A mother, )

who bore her.
לְיֽוֹלַדְתָּ֑הּ (lə·yō·w·laḏ·tāh)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

The maidens
בָנוֹת֙ (ḇā·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

see her
רָא֤וּהָ (rā·’ū·hā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

and call her blessed;
וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֔וּהָ (way·’aš·šə·rū·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person feminine singular
Strong's 833: To be straight, to go forward, be honest, proper

the queens
מְלָכ֥וֹת (mə·lā·ḵō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4436: Queen -- a queen

and concubines
וּפִֽילַגְשִׁ֖ים (ū·p̄î·laḡ·šîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6370: A concubine, a paramour

sing her praises.
וַֽיְהַלְלֽוּהָ׃ (way·hal·lū·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1984: To shine


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OT Poetry: Song of Solomon 6:9 My dove my perfect one is unique (Song Songs SS So Can)
Song of Solomon 6:8
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