4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:

Do not arouse or awaken love

until it so desires.

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness

leaning on her beloved?

Under the apple tree I roused you;

there your mother conceived you,

there she who was in labor gave you birth.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;

for love is as strong as death,

its jealousy unyielding as the grave.

It burns like blazing fire,

like a mighty flame.

4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.

5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness,

Leaning upon her beloved?

I raised thee up under the apple tree:

There thy mother brought thee forth:

There she brought thee forth that bare thee.

6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart,

As a seal upon thine arm:

For love is strong as death;

Jealousy is cruel as the grave:

The coals thereof are coals of fire,

Which hath a most vehement flame.

4 Promise me, O women of Jerusalem,

not to awaken love until the time is right.

5 Who is this sweeping in from the desert,

leaning on her lover?

I aroused you under the apple tree,

where your mother gave you birth,

where in great pain she delivered you.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm.

For love is as strong as death,

its jealousy as enduring as the grave.

Love flashes like fire,

the brightest kind of flame.

4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

Do not stir up nor awaken love

Until it pleases.

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,

Leaning upon her beloved?

I awakened you under the apple tree.

There your mother brought you forth;

There she who bore you brought you forth.

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,

As a seal upon your arm;

For love is as strong as death,

Jealousy as cruel as the grave;

Its flames are flames of fire,

A most vehement flame.

4 Women of Jerusalem,

promise not to awaken

or excite my feelings of love

until it is ready.

5 Who is this coming out of the desert,

leaning on her lover?

I woke you under the apple tree

where you were born;

there your mother gave birth to you.

6 Put me like a seal on your heart,

like a seal on your arm.

Love is as strong as death;

jealousy is as strong as the grave.

Love bursts into flames

and burns like a hot fire.

4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

That ye stir not up, nor awake my love,

Until he please.

5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness,

Leaning upon her beloved?

Under the apple-tree I awakened thee:

There thy mother was in travail with thee,

There was she in travail that brought thee forth.

6 Set me as a seal upon thy heart,

As a seal upon thine arm:

For love is strong as death;

Jealousy is cruel as Sheol;

The flashes thereof are flashes of fire,

A very flame of Jehovah.

4 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, …Why should ye stir up, why awake my love, till he please?

5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awoke thee under the apple-tree: There thy mother brought thee forth; There she brought thee forth that bore thee. 6 Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as Sheol: The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, Flames of Jah.

4 Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me 

that you will not awaken love 

or arouse love before its proper time! 

5 Who is this young woman coming from the wilderness 

with her arm around her beloved? 

Under the apple tree I woke you up. 

There your mother went into labor with you. 

There she went into labor 

and gave birth to you! 

6 Wear me as a signet ring on your heart, 

as a ring on your hand. 

Love is as overpowering as death. 

Devotion is as unyielding as the grave. 

Love’s flames are flames of fire, 

flames that come from the Lord. 

4 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you:

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,

leaning on the one she loves?

I awakened you under the apricot tree.

There your mother conceived you;

there she conceived and gave you birth.

6 Set me as a seal on your heart,

as a seal on your arm.

For love is as strong as death;

ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol.

Love’s flames are fiery flames —

the fiercest of all.

4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

do not stir up or awaken love

until it is ready!

5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness,

leaning upon her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you.

There your mother was in labor with you;

there she who bore you was in labor.

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,

as a seal upon your arm;

for love is strong as death,

passion fierce as the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

a raging flame.

4 I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,

do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,

leaning upon her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you;

there your mother conceived you;

there she who was in labor gave birth to you.

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,

as a seal upon your arm;

for love is strong as death;

passion is fierce as Sheol;

its flashes are flashes of fire;

it is a blazing flame.

4 Women of Jerusalem, take an oath and make me a promise.

Don’t stir up love.

Don’t wake it up until it’s ready.”

The other women say,

5 “Who is this woman coming up from the desert?

She’s leaning on the one who loves her.”

The woman says to the king,

“Under the apple tree I woke you up.

That’s where your mother became pregnant with you.

She went into labor, and you were born there.

6 Hold me close to your heart like the seal around your neck.

Keep me close to yourself like the ring on your finger.

My love for you is so strong it won’t let you go.

Love is as powerful as death.

Love’s jealousy is as strong as the grave.

Love is like a blazing fire.

It burns like a mighty flame.

4 “I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,

Do not arouse or awaken my love

Until she pleases.”

5 “Who is this coming up from the wilderness

Leaning on her beloved?”

“Beneath the apple tree I awakened you;

There your mother was in labor with you,

There she was in labor and gave you birth.

6 “Put me like a seal over your heart,

Like a seal on your arm.

For love is as strong as death,

Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

The very flame of the Lord.