Song of Solomon 4 · Verse 10

Song of Solomon 4:10

How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!
Song of Solomon 4:10, King James Version

Song of Solomon 4:10 in other translations

BSBHow delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! Your love is much better than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than all spices.
WEBHow beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, the fragrance of your perfumes than all kinds of spices!
ASVHow fair is thy love, my sister, my bride! How much better is thy love than wine! And the fragrance of thine oils than all manner of spices!
YLTHow wonderful have been thy loves, my sister-spouse, How much better have been thy loves than wine, And the fragrance of thy perfumes than all spices.
DARBYHow fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! How much better is thy love than wine! And the fragrance of thine ointments than all spices!
BBEHow fair is your love, my sister! How much better is your love than wine, and the smell of your oils than any perfume!
WebsterHow fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thy ointments than all spices!

What does Song of Solomon 4:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. love--Hebrew, "loves"; manifold tokens of thy love. much better--answering to her "better" (So 1:2), but with increased force. An Amoebean pastoral character pervades the Song, like the classic Amoebean idylls and eclogues. wine--The love of His saints is a more reviving cordial to Him than wine; for example, at the feast in Simon's house (Lu 7:36, 47; Joh 4:32; compare Zec 10:7). smell of ... ointments than all spices--answering to her praise (So 1:3) with increased force. Fragrant, as being fruits of His Spirit in us (Ga 5:22).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 How much better is thy love - דדיך dodayich; Hebrew. mastoi sou; Septuagint. Ubera tua; Vulgate. "Thy breasts." And so all the versions, except the Chaldee. Smell of thine ointments - Perfumes.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 4:8-15

Observe the gracious call Christ gives to the church. It is, 1. A precept; so this is Christ's call to his church to come off from the world. These hills seem pleasant, but there are in them lions' dens; they are mountains of the leopards. 2. As a promise; many shall be brought as members of the church, from every point. The church shall be delivered from her persecutors in due time, though now she dwells among…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 4:8-15 →

Song of Solomon 4:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מַה\־mah-how!H4100
יָּפ֥וּya.Futhey are beautifulH3302
דֹדַ֖יִךְdo.Da.yikhlove<s> yourH1730
אֲחֹתִ֣י'a.cho.TiO sister myH269
כַלָּ֑הkha.LahbrideH3618
מַה\־mah-how!H4100
טֹּ֤בוּTouthey are goodH2895
דֹדַ֙יִךְ֙do.Da.yikhlove<s> yourH1730
מִיַּ֔יִןmi.Ya.yinmore than wineH3196
וְרֵ֥יחַve.Rei.achand [the] odor ofH7381
שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְshe.ma.Na.yikhoils yourH8081
מִכָּל\־mi.kolmore than allH3605
בְּשָׂמִֽים\׃be.sa.MimspicesH1314

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Song of Solomon 4:10

  • Song of Solomon 1:2-4

    Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

  • Galatians 5:22

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

  • Song of Solomon 7:6

    How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!

  • Song of Solomon 5:5

    I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

  • Song of Solomon 1:12

    While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

  • Philippians 4:18

    But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

  • Song of Solomon 3:6

    Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

  • Revelation 5:8

    And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

  • 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

    Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
love. Heb. loves.
1:2; *marg:
how much.
1:2,4
the smell.
1:3,12; 3:6; 5:5; 2Co 1:21,22; Ga 5:22; Php 4:18; Re 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Song of Solomon 4:9

    Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

  • Song of Solomon 4:10

    How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

  • Song of Solomon 4:11

    Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

Read all of Song of Solomon 4

Song of Solomon 4:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¡Cuán hermosos son tus amores, hermana, esposa mía! ¡cuánto mejores que el vino tus amores, y el olor de tus ungüentos que todas las especias aromáticas!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Que de charme ont tes amours, ma sœur, ma fiancée! Que tes amours sont meilleures que le vin, et l’odeur de tes parfums plus que tous les aromates!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wie schön ist deine Liebe, meine Schwester, meine Braut; wieviel besser ist deine Liebe als Wein, und der Duft deiner Salben als alle Gewürze! Honigseim träufeln deine Lippen, meine Braut;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quam pulchræ sunt mammæ tuæ, soror mea sponsa! pulchriora sunt ubera tua vino, et odor unguentorum tuorum super omnia aromata.