In the Song of Songs, polysemy is a frequent poetic device. Even though examples of Janus parallelism in the Song of Songs have been observed frequently, there is a lack of systematic classification. This study applies a consistent and differentiated terminology in order to provide a more precise understanding of Janus parallelism in its different functions. Some words are not only ambiguous but refer to different roots with the same consonants, others need a vocalization different from the Masoretic text. Polysemes and homonyms are distinguished, homographs and homophones being subgroups of homonyms. Also, a special case of homonymy, autoantonyms, is explored. It is proposed that the examples chosen function as Janus puns relating the ambiguity of the word to the lines or natural divisions of sense. Their understanding depends on the preceding and subsequent poetic lines. They have a pivotal function for the linking of the poetic passages.

Song of Songs; Janus parallelism; wordplay; translation; poetics

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