The Song Of Songs.

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Head-piece to The Song of Solomon. Canticles 1:4. Vignette with a winged heart with flowers

and a halo of stars standing upon a skull with snake coiling around it and an orb, a glowing

Hebrew inscription in sky above; letterpress in two columns below and on verso. 1796.

Inscriptions: Lettered below image, "P J de Loutherbourg", "J. Landseer Fec" and publication line: "Published Jany. 1796/ by T. M[ ] Fleet St London". Print made by John Landseer.

Date: 1 January 1796.

Source: Photos by Harry Kossuth.

Author: Phillip Medhurst.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Joshua 1:1 in The Aleppo Codex.

Source: http://www.aleppocodex.org

Author: see en:Aleppo Codex;

scanned by http://www.aleppocodex.org

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Song of Songs, also known as The Song of Solomon, The Canticle of Canticles, or, simply, Canticles (Hebrew: שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים Šîr HašŠîrîm; Greek: ᾎσμα ᾈσμάτων asma asmaton, both meaning "Song of Songs"), is one of The Megillot (Scrolls) of The Ketuvim ("The Writings", the last Section of The Tanakh or Hebrew Bible), and The Fifth of The "Wisdom" Books of The Christian Old Testament.

The only piece of erotic literature in The Bible,

this book was regarded by earlier devotees as an allegory of God's love

for His people. The Text is introduced by A.S. Byatt.

Canongate Books.

1 Jan 1999.

Bibles - 48 pages.

GOOGLE BOOKS

Scripturally, The Song of Songs is unique in its celebration of sexual love. It gives "the voices of two lovers, praising each other, yearning for each other, proffering invitations to enjoy". The two are in harmony, each desiring the other and rejoicing in sexual intimacy; the women (or "daughters") of Jerusalem form a chorus to the lovers, functioning as an audience, whose participation in the lovers' erotic encounters facilitates the participation of the reader.

The following Song of Songs Text is from

http://www.mechon-mamre.org/

Song of Songs Chapter 2 שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים

א  אֲנִי חֲבַצֶּלֶת הַשָּׁרוֹן, שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים.	1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
ב  כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים, כֵּן רַעְיָתִי בֵּין הַבָּנוֹת.	2 As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
ג  כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר, כֵּן דּוֹדִי בֵּין הַבָּנִים; בְּצִלּוֹ חִמַּדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי, וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי.	3 As an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. Under its shadow I delighted to sit, and its fruit was sweet to my taste.
ד  הֱבִיאַנִי אֶל-בֵּית הַיָּיִן, וְדִגְלוֹ עָלַי אַהֲבָה.	4 He hath brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me is love.
ה  סַמְּכוּנִי, בָּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת--רַפְּדוּנִי, בַּתַּפּוּחִים:  כִּי-חוֹלַת אַהֲבָה, אָנִי.	5 'Stay ye me with dainties, refresh me with apples; for I am love-sick.'

In modern Judaism, the Song is read on The Sabbath during The Passover, which marks the beginning of the grain harvest as well as commemorating The Exodus from Egypt. Jewish Tradition reads it as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel. Christian Tradition, in addition to appreciating the literal meaning of a romantic song between Man and Woman, has read the poem as an allegory of Christ (The Bridegroom) and His Church (The Bride).

English: Church of Santa Caterina del Sasso, Varese, Italy. Fresco showing

a Lily among Thorns, symbolising The Virgin Mary, according to a quotation

from The Song of Solomon.

Deutsch: Santa Caterina del Sasso ( Varese ). Kirche - Fresko: Lilie unter

Dornen als Symbol der Jungfrau Maria nach einem Zitat aus dem Hohen Lied Salomos.

Date: 1 August 2010.

Source: Own work.

Author: Wolfgang Sauber.

(Wikimedia Commons)

"The Song of Songs".

Artist: Gustave Moreau (1826–1898).

Date: 1863.

Current location: Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, France.

Source/Photographer: Art Renewal Center

(Wikimedia Commons)