Translation
THE PEACEFUL WOMAN TO HER OWN DAUGHTERS
His left
Go to footnote numberarm
Go to footnote numberis under my head,
Go to footnote numberand his right
Go to footnote numberarm embraces me.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
THE COMPLETE WOMAN TO HER OWN DAUGHTERS
The best direction to take is discerned by his many well-developed abilities which support what is most important to me.
His greatest strength is effectively showing me tenderness.
Footnotes
1
The left side, e.g. the left hand, was seen in a very negative light by the ancient cultures around Israel, but to the Hebrews it was a symbol of the North. That was due to the prominence in their thinking of the East as the place from which many things that are important for life originate. When someone is facing East the left side of the face is to the North. North is associated with the place from which cool refreshing winds come. I take this emphasis on North and East to mean proper orientation or best direction.
2
The arm was the symbol of one’s power (often political power) and the ability to make that power work for you, i.e. the ability to get done or make happen what is desired. It is not latent strength, it is power in The action, sometimes to protect and sometimes to punish. In Egypt the Pharaoh is often pictured with an upraised arm, meaning he is a powerful and active ruler; don’t mess with him.
3
The head is that which is most important, possibly life itself. It is also the sign of one’s nobility or honor.
4
The right side, e.g. the right hand, was a symbol of prominence, honor and strength. Here it is tied with the symbol of the arm which was itself a symbol of great power.
5: "Embraces"
The entirety of verse 6 is a double image, or an image with a double meaning. Besides the meanings of the specific images, this entire sentence is an obvious reference to sexual foreplay. Picture a man and wife in bed, his left arm is around her and she is resting her head on his left shoulder. His right hand is free to “let his fingers do the walking.” The meaning of the entire sentence seen as a whole is: “He takes proper time for foreplay.” Notice first of all that both meanings of this double symbol focus on him showing her tenderness and caring for her needs. In meeting her needs, he delays the meeting of his own needs, just as she sometimes does for him. Not that foreplay is unpleasant to him, but he would rather get on with it and not wait, so making sure she is “warmed up” requires patience on his part.