en_tn/sng/04/12.md

General Information:

The man continues to praise the woman.

My sister

This is an idiom of affection. They are not actually brother and sister. See how you translated this in Song of Solomon 4:9. AT: "My dear" or "My darling" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom)

my bride

This Hebrew word can refer to a woman who is married or to one whom a man has arranged to become his son's wife. If your language has a polite word that a man would use to his wife and that has not been used yet in this book, you could use it here. Otherwise you could use any polite term a man would use with his wife. See how you translated this in Song of Solomon 4:9.

is a garden locked up

"is a garden that no one can enter." The garden is a metaphor for the woman, and the lock is a metaphor for her still being a virgin. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

a spring that is sealed

"a spring with a cover on it." The spring or well is a metaphor for the woman, and the cover is a metaphor for her being a virgin. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

Your branches

branches or channels of rivers, a clear euphemism for the female body part. If any reference to this would be offensive, translate it as a synecdoche for the whole person. AT: "You" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche)

a grove

a place where many trees grow together

with choice fruits

"with the best kinds of fruits"

nard plants

plants that give oil that people used to make their skin soft and to have a pleasant odor. See how you translated this in Song of Solomon 1:14.

henna

small desert trees that people used as a perfume. See how you translated this in Song of Solomon 1:14.

saffron

a spice that comes from the dried parts from the yellow thread in the center of a certain flower

calamus

a reed with a pleasant smell that people used to make anointing oil.

cinnamon

a spice made from the bark of a tree that people used for cooking

myrrh

See how you translated this in Song of Solomon 1:13.

aloes

a type of large plant that had a very sweet smell

all the finest spices

"all the best spices"