¹ tc Theodotion and the Vulgate lack the phrase “and as iron breaks in pieces.”

¹ tn Heb “its appointed time.” The translation is contextually motivated to avoid lack of clarity.

² tn Heb “they do not know”; KJV “they are all ignorant”; NIV “they all lack knowledge.”

⁵ tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”

¹ tn The term לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) here represents thinking by means of metonymy (i.e., the mind stands for what the mind does). The overstatement, “lacking the ability to think,” means lacking discernment, wisdom, good sense. Cf. NAB “is a fool”; NIV “lacks judgment”; NKJV “lacks understanding,” NCV, NRSV “has no sense.”

² sn That is, the sins characteristic of youths, who lack moral discretion and wisdom.

¹ tc The MT lacks “and” here, but see the LXX and Vulgate.

¹ tc The MT lacks “of Zattu.” The translation adopted above follows the LXX in including the words.

¹ tc The MT lacks “Bani.” It is restored on the basis of certain LXX MSS.

¹ tc Some mss of the Old Greek lack vv. 1-20.

¹ tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation lacks the word “all.”

¹ tc Several medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack this word.

⁴ tn Heb “and they removed his head.” The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate lack these words.

² tc Most LXX mss lack the words “drew it from its sheath.”

¹ tc Much of the ms evidence for the LXX lacks vv. 17-19.

¹ tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX lacks the phrase “of Laish.”

⁴ tn Heb “a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”

² tc Part of the Greek ms tradition lacks the words “of Judah.”

³ tn The phrase אַל־יֶחְסַר (ʾal yekhsar) has traditionally been taken as an imperfect: “it never lacks mixed wine” (M. H. Pope, Song of Songs [AB], 619); “which wanteth not liquor” (KJV); “in which liquor is never lacking” (RSV); “that never lacks mixed wine” (JB); “with no lack of wine” (NEB); “that shall never want for spiced wine” (NEB); “that never lacks blended wine” (NIV). This is also how LXX understood it: μὴ ὑστερούμενος κρᾶμα (mē husteroumenos krama, “not lacking liquor”). However, the negative אַל (ʾal) normally precedes a jussive expressing a wish or request: “May it never lack mixed wine!” (J. S. Deere, “Song of Solomon,” BKCOT, 202). This approach is adopted by several translations: “that should never lack for mixed wine” (NASB) and “Let mixed wine not be lacking!” (NJPS).

² tn Aram “the temple of the house of God.” The phrase seems rather awkward. The Vulgate lacks “of the house of God,” while Theodotion and the Syriac lack “of the house.”