Song of Solomon 2:7–9

7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you

by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love

until it so desires.

8 Listen! My beloved!

Look! Here he comes,

leaping across the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.

Look! There he stands behind our wall,

gazing through the windows,

peering through the lattice.

7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,

By the roes, and by the hinds of the field,

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

8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh

Leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart:

Behold, he standeth behind our wall,

He looketh forth at the windows,

Shewing himself through the lattice.

7 Promise me, O women of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles and wild deer,

not to awaken love until the time is right.

8 Ah, I hear my lover coming!

He is leaping over the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

9 My lover is like a swift gazelle

or a young stag.

Look, there he is behind the wall,

looking through the window,

peering into the room.

7 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the gazelles or by the does of the field,

Do not stir up nor awaken love

Until it pleases.

8 The voice of my beloved!

Behold, he comes

Leaping upon the mountains,

Skipping upon the hills.

9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.

Behold, he stands behind our wall;

He is looking through the windows,

Gazing through the lattice.

7 Women of Jerusalem, promise me

by the gazelles and the deer

not to awaken

or excite my feelings of love

until it is ready.

8 I hear my lover’s voice.

Here he comes jumping across the mountains,

skipping over the hills.

9 My lover is like a gazelle or a young deer.

Look, he stands behind our wall

peeking through the windows,

looking through the blinds.

7 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the roes, or by the hinds of the field,

That ye stir not up, nor awake my love,

Until he please.

8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh,

Leaping upon the mountains,

Skipping upon the hills.

9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart:

Behold, he standeth behind our wall;

He looketh in at the windows;

He glanceth through the lattice.

7 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills. 9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, Glancing through the lattice.

7 Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me 

by the gazelles 

or by the does in the field 

that you will not awaken love 

or arouse love before its proper time. 

8 I hear my beloved’s voice. 

Look! Here he comes, 

sprinting over the mountains, 

racing over the hills. 

9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. 

Look! There he stands behind our wall, 

peeking through the window, 

looking through the lattice. 

7 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you

by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.

8 Listen! My love is approaching.

Look! Here he comes,

leaping over the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

9 My love is like a gazelle

or a young stag.

Look, he is standing behind our wall,

gazing through the windows,

peering through the lattice.

7 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the wild does:

do not stir up or awaken love

until it is ready!

8 The voice of my beloved!

Look, he comes,

leaping upon the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

9 My beloved is like a gazelle

or a young stag.

Look, there he stands

behind our wall,

gazing in at the windows,

looking through the lattice.

7 I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or by the does of the field,

do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!

8 The voice of my beloved!

Look! Here he comes leaping upon the mountains,

bounding over the hills!

9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.

Look! He is standing behind our wall,

gazing through the window,

looking through the lattice.

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

Let the antelopes and the does serve as witnesses.

Don’t stir up love.

Don’t wake it up until it’s ready.

8 “Listen! I hear my love!

Look! Here he comes!

He’s leaping across the mountains.

He’s coming over the hills.

9 The one who loves me is like an antelope or a young deer.

Look! There he stands behind our wall.

He’s gazing through the window.

He’s peering through the screen.

7 “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,

That you do not arouse or awaken my love

Until she pleases.”

8 “Listen! My beloved!

Behold, he is coming,

Climbing on the mountains,

Leaping on the hills!

9 “My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.

Behold, he is standing behind our wall,

He is looking through the windows,

He is peering through the lattice.