Why does the LXX translate דֹּדֶ֖יךָ as μαστοί in Song of Songs 1:2?












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Song of Songs 1:2



Hebrew: יִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיקֹ֣ות פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־טֹובִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן׃



KJV: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.



LXX: φιλησάτω με ἀπὸ φιλημάτων στόματος αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀγαθοὶ μαστοί σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον



Brenton Septuagint Translation: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine.




Why might the LXX translators have chosen to render דֹּדֶ֖יךָ as μαστοί σου, when this seems to be an inaccurate translation?



I have observed the following interesting points which might be "clues"




  • דֹּדֶ֖יךָ is gramatically plural (which is why Young's Literal Translation says "better are thy loves than wine.")

  • דּוֹד doesn't just mean "love." It can also mean "uncle" or "beloved".


What's interesting is that forms of דּוֹד appear throughout Song of Songs but the LXX doesn't always translate them in the same way. (compare 1:2 with 7:11, for instance)










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    3















    Song of Songs 1:2



    Hebrew: יִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיקֹ֣ות פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־טֹובִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן׃



    KJV: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.



    LXX: φιλησάτω με ἀπὸ φιλημάτων στόματος αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀγαθοὶ μαστοί σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον



    Brenton Septuagint Translation: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine.




    Why might the LXX translators have chosen to render דֹּדֶ֖יךָ as μαστοί σου, when this seems to be an inaccurate translation?



    I have observed the following interesting points which might be "clues"




    • דֹּדֶ֖יךָ is gramatically plural (which is why Young's Literal Translation says "better are thy loves than wine.")

    • דּוֹד doesn't just mean "love." It can also mean "uncle" or "beloved".


    What's interesting is that forms of דּוֹד appear throughout Song of Songs but the LXX doesn't always translate them in the same way. (compare 1:2 with 7:11, for instance)










    share|improve this question

























      3












      3








      3








      Song of Songs 1:2



      Hebrew: יִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיקֹ֣ות פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־טֹובִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן׃



      KJV: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.



      LXX: φιλησάτω με ἀπὸ φιλημάτων στόματος αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀγαθοὶ μαστοί σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον



      Brenton Septuagint Translation: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine.




      Why might the LXX translators have chosen to render דֹּדֶ֖יךָ as μαστοί σου, when this seems to be an inaccurate translation?



      I have observed the following interesting points which might be "clues"




      • דֹּדֶ֖יךָ is gramatically plural (which is why Young's Literal Translation says "better are thy loves than wine.")

      • דּוֹד doesn't just mean "love." It can also mean "uncle" or "beloved".


      What's interesting is that forms of דּוֹד appear throughout Song of Songs but the LXX doesn't always translate them in the same way. (compare 1:2 with 7:11, for instance)










      share|improve this question














      Song of Songs 1:2



      Hebrew: יִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיקֹ֣ות פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־טֹובִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן׃



      KJV: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.



      LXX: φιλησάτω με ἀπὸ φιλημάτων στόματος αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀγαθοὶ μαστοί σου ὑπὲρ οἶνον



      Brenton Septuagint Translation: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine.




      Why might the LXX translators have chosen to render דֹּדֶ֖יךָ as μαστοί σου, when this seems to be an inaccurate translation?



      I have observed the following interesting points which might be "clues"




      • דֹּדֶ֖יךָ is gramatically plural (which is why Young's Literal Translation says "better are thy loves than wine.")

      • דּוֹד doesn't just mean "love." It can also mean "uncle" or "beloved".


      What's interesting is that forms of דּוֹד appear throughout Song of Songs but the LXX doesn't always translate them in the same way. (compare 1:2 with 7:11, for instance)







      hebrew word-study translation-philosophy septuagint song-of-songs






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          The consonantal text, דדיך, can be read דַּדַּיִך, from דַּד "nipple" (Ezekiel 23:3,8,21). This was the reading used in translating דדיך as μαστοί σου.



          The meaning "beloved" is consistently spelled דּוֹד in Song of Songs. The lack of the letter ו in this and all other cases in the book (1:4, 4:10, 7:13) renders all of them ambiguous between "love" and "nipple."






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          • And now I'm fascinated to learn how many other double entendres I'm missing in the Hebrew text.
            – chrylis
            4 mins ago











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          1 Answer
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          1 Answer
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          active

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          active

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          active

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          3














          The consonantal text, דדיך, can be read דַּדַּיִך, from דַּד "nipple" (Ezekiel 23:3,8,21). This was the reading used in translating דדיך as μαστοί σου.



          The meaning "beloved" is consistently spelled דּוֹד in Song of Songs. The lack of the letter ו in this and all other cases in the book (1:4, 4:10, 7:13) renders all of them ambiguous between "love" and "nipple."






          share|improve this answer























          • And now I'm fascinated to learn how many other double entendres I'm missing in the Hebrew text.
            – chrylis
            4 mins ago
















          3














          The consonantal text, דדיך, can be read דַּדַּיִך, from דַּד "nipple" (Ezekiel 23:3,8,21). This was the reading used in translating דדיך as μαστοί σου.



          The meaning "beloved" is consistently spelled דּוֹד in Song of Songs. The lack of the letter ו in this and all other cases in the book (1:4, 4:10, 7:13) renders all of them ambiguous between "love" and "nipple."






          share|improve this answer























          • And now I'm fascinated to learn how many other double entendres I'm missing in the Hebrew text.
            – chrylis
            4 mins ago














          3












          3








          3






          The consonantal text, דדיך, can be read דַּדַּיִך, from דַּד "nipple" (Ezekiel 23:3,8,21). This was the reading used in translating דדיך as μαστοί σου.



          The meaning "beloved" is consistently spelled דּוֹד in Song of Songs. The lack of the letter ו in this and all other cases in the book (1:4, 4:10, 7:13) renders all of them ambiguous between "love" and "nipple."






          share|improve this answer














          The consonantal text, דדיך, can be read דַּדַּיִך, from דַּד "nipple" (Ezekiel 23:3,8,21). This was the reading used in translating דדיך as μαστοί σου.



          The meaning "beloved" is consistently spelled דּוֹד in Song of Songs. The lack of the letter ו in this and all other cases in the book (1:4, 4:10, 7:13) renders all of them ambiguous between "love" and "nipple."







          share|improve this answer














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          edited 5 hours ago

























          answered 5 hours ago









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          • And now I'm fascinated to learn how many other double entendres I'm missing in the Hebrew text.
            – chrylis
            4 mins ago


















          • And now I'm fascinated to learn how many other double entendres I'm missing in the Hebrew text.
            – chrylis
            4 mins ago
















          And now I'm fascinated to learn how many other double entendres I'm missing in the Hebrew text.
          – chrylis
          4 mins ago




          And now I'm fascinated to learn how many other double entendres I'm missing in the Hebrew text.
          – chrylis
          4 mins ago


















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