SNG 2:7 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:2–2:7: The woman and man admired each other

In Section 1:2–2:7, the woman and man praised each other, and they became more confident that they loved each other. In the introduction (1:2–4) the woman spoke about her desire for the man. Then she spoke of her humble life working in the family vineyard (1:5–6), and she seemed to question whether she was worthy for him to love her. Then he praised her, and she praised him. When she spoke at the end of the section (2:3–6), she felt secure that he loved her.

In this section, the woman used several comparisons to speak of her feelings about the man. She spoke as though he were a shepherd (1:7–8) or a king (1:4; 1:12), implying that he was like a shepherd or king to her in certain ways. He was also like a bag of myrrh (1:13), henna blossoms (1:14), and an apple tree (2:3–4) to her. The woman compared herself to “a rose of Sharon,” and “a lily of the valleys” (2:1). The man compared her to “a mare of Pharaoh’s chariots” (1:9). The Notes will discuss the meaning of each of these comparisons as it occurs in its section.

Lines 1:2–4 are the introduction to Section 1:2–2:7. In these lines, the poet summarizes the Song’s message and introduces its main characters: the woman, the man, and a group of young women. In the Song the woman spoke more often than the man spoke. After the title (1:1), she began the Song by saying that she wanted him to kiss her. She referred to him only as “him” or “you.” In Hebrew poetry, the authors do not introduce their characters as they do in stories, but in some languages it may be more natural to introduce them and identify them. Some ways to do this are:

Provide headings to identify the characters. Some headings may apply only to a verse or part of a verse. For example:
1:4e The Woman commented about the young women of Jerusalem You may need to use a different form the first time a character is introduced. For example:
1:2–4b A woman speaks to the man she loves
Use a speech introducer in the first part of the verse. If you use this option, you may want to indicate in some way that the speech introducer is not in the text itself. For example:
1:4e (The woman said to her beloved,) “Rightly do they love you.”
1:2a [There were a certain woman and man. She said to/about him,] “Let him kiss me…

Choose an option that fits your situation, and use it consistently throughout the book. You should also decide how you will refer to the speakers in the headings. Some ways to do that are:

woman, man, women (GNT)

beloved, lover, friends (NIV)

bride, groom, companions (REB)

she, he, others (ESV)

The woman often referred to the man as “my beloved” (RSV), and she also called him “the one whom my soul loves,” “the king,” and “my friend.” The man often referred to her as “my love” and also as “fairest among women,” “my dove,” “my sister,” “my bride,” and “queenly maiden.”

Paragraph 2:1–7 The man and woman praised each other

Lines 2:1–7 are the end of the first poetic section in the Song. In them, the man and woman praised each other. He brought her to his banquet room and embraced her. In 2:7 she cautioned the women of Jerusalem not to awaken love before the right time.

2:7

The speaker in this verse is probably the woman (as indicated by most English versions).Some English versions do not specify who is speaking. Most English versions that do specify speakers indicate that the woman speaks here. These versions include BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, HCSB, NAB, NCV, NET, NIV, NLT, and GNT.

2:7a–b

I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: The verb adjure means “to urge (someone) to swear an oath.” The woman urged the women of Jerusalem to swear an oath to her. This oath was a serious promise. Breaking the oath would cause harmful results.

In the Hebrew culture, people usually swore oaths in God’s name. Such an oath implies that God will punish the person who does not do what he swore to do. The oath is a poetic way to say that the women must keep their promise. In this context, the woman asked the Jerusalem women to swear by gazelles and does. These animals probably symbolize love.Many scholars also comment on the fact that the Hebrew words for gazelles and does are similar to two of the names of God: El Shaddai (the All-Powerful) and YHWH Sabaoth (Lord of Hosts). Some other ways to translate the clause are:

swear to me by the gazelles or by the does in the field (GW)

promise me by the power of deer and gazelles (CEV)

Consider the ways that people make promises or swear oaths in your language. Use a natural way to translate the meaning of the woman’s request.

2:7a

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you

I charge you^(plur), women of Jerusalem,
You^(plur) women of Jerusalem, promise me,
Swear/Take an oath, you^(plur) Jerusalem women,

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: In this verse the woman spoke to the Jerusalem women. In some languages it is more natural to begin the sentence with the phrase O daughters of Jerusalem. For example:

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you…

The phrase O daughters of Jerusalem was also used in 1:5b. You may translate it in the same way here.

2:7b

by the gazelles and does of the field:

in the name of the wild gazelles or the deer.
by the graceful gazelles and the wild does,
by the beautiful animals that represent love.

the gazelles and does: gazelles and does are gentle animals that live wild in forests, mountains, or plains. They eat grass and other plants. They run fast, and they are graceful and beautiful. In the Song they symbolize grace and beauty, and they especially symbolize love.

gazelles: The “gazelle” is a member of the antelope family.There are two types of gazelles that were found in Palestine during the time that Song of Solomon was written: the dorcas gazelle and the gazella gazelle. It is a fairly small animal (2 or 3 feet tall at the shoulder). It is known for its grace and beauty.

does: A “doe” is a female deer or “hind.” Like a gazelle, a doe is also a small animal.

of the field: The phrase of the field indicates here that the animals were wild rather than domesticated. They did not have an owner. The word field refers here to uncultivated land. It does not refer to farm land.

2:7c–d

In 2:7c–d the woman told the women of Jerusalem what she wanted them to swear (promise).

Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right: There are two ways to interpret what the woman said to the women of Jerusalem here:

It means that they should not arouse romantic love before the right time for it. For example:
not to awaken love until the time is right. (NLT) (BSB, CEV, GW, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, REB)
It means that they should not disturb the lovers in their lovemaking. For example:
that you will not interrupt our love. (GNT) (NASB, NJB, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as most English versions and many commentators do.Some scholars who follow this interpretation include Assis, Bloch & Bloch, Carr, Estes, Exum, Garrett, Gledhill, Hess, Kinlaw, Longman, Murphy, and Pope. The woman gave general advice to the women of Jerusalem about the serious nature of love. A man and woman should not begin a romantic relationship too quickly. They should wait until the appropriate time. Neither of the verbs in 2:7c–d imply the meaning “interrupt,” as interpretation (2) requires.

For more examples of how to translate interpretation (1), see the General Comment on 2:7c–d at the end of the notes on 2:7d.

2:7c

Do not arouse or awaken love

Do^(plur) not arouse love
that you^(plur) will not stimulate feelings of erotic love
Swear/Promise that you^(plur) will not excite someone to love you

Do not arouse Even though the verbs stir up (2:7c) and awaken (2:7d) are masculine, it is clear in the context that the sentence is addressed to the women of Jerusalem. Hebrew sometimes allows this extended use of the masculine form. or awaken love: Here the word love refers to the way people feel and act when they love someone in a romantic way. To arouse…love and awaken love means to cause or encourage feelings of romantic love. The phrases are used in a figurative way and have almost the same meaning. They imply that romantic love causes intense excitement and desire.

Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

Do not arouse love and excite it

that you will not stimulate feelings of love and intensify them

In many languages it is more natural to translate love as an action and to indicate who loves and who receives the love. Here the woman made a general statement about romantic love to a group of women. There are two ways to interpret the statement:

A woman should not arouse romantic feelings in herself before the proper time. For example:
Do not cause yourselves to love someone
A woman should not arouse romantic feelings in another person before the proper time. For example:
Do not arouse someone to love you

English versions are ambiguous. If you choose between these interpretations, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Use a natural way in your language to refer to the action of arousing romantic love before the right time.

arouse or awaken: The Hebrew words that the BSB translates as arouse and awaken are different forms of the same verb.The verbs arouse (2:7c) and awaken (2:7d) are based on the same Hebrew root. In this context they have the same meaning. The forms are used together to add emphasis. In some languages it may be more natural to use only one verb. For example:

excite

arouse

love: Here the noun love is a figure of speech. It is spoken of as though it were a person. In some languages it is more natural to translate the meaning without this figure of speech. For example:

excite yourself to love

In some languages there are other figures of speech that express this meaning. For example:

Do not fan love into flame

Do not feed your sexual love/desire

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

2:7d

until the time is right.

until that love can be satisfied.
before/until it is right to satisfy those feelings.
before it pleases.

until the time is right: The clause until the time is right is literally “until love desires/decides.” It implies that there is an appropriate time to arouse romantic love. The author continues to use “love” as a figure of speech, as in 2:7c. He speaks of it as though it is a person who can decide when the time is right for romantic love.

Other ways to translate the figure of speech here are:

Use the figure of speech. For example:
before it is ready. (CEV)
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
when it is not yet the right/proper time.

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

General Comment on 2:7c–d

Some other ways to translate 2:7c–d are:

Do not arouse your feelings of sexual love until the proper time.

Be careful that intimate love for someone does not overwhelm you before you are ready.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / apostrophe

הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְ⁠כֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙

adjure ,you(pl) daughters_of Yerushalayim

Here the woman is speaking to the daughters of Jerusalem, but most likely they are not present. The woman is doing this as a poetic way of giving voice to her strong feelings. Because the author does this intentionally for poetic effect, it is suggested that you do the same. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate this in a footnote.

Note 2 topic: writing-oathformula

הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְ⁠כֶ֜ם & בִּ⁠צְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּ⁠אַיְל֣וֹת הַ⁠שָּׂדֶ֑ה

adjure ,you(pl) & by,gazelles or by,the_does_of the=field

The phrase I adjure you and the word by are both parts of a Hebrew oath formula. Use a natural way in your language to express an oath. Alternate translation: [I urge you to promise me … with the female gazelles or the does of the field as our witnesses] or [Please promise me … with the female gazelles or the does of the field as our witnesses] or [I want you to make an oath … with the female gazelles or the does of the field listening]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙

daughters_of Yerushalayim

See how you translated the phrase daughters of Jerusalem in [1:5](../01/05.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

בִּ⁠צְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּ⁠אַיְל֣וֹת הַ⁠שָּׂדֶ֑ה

by,gazelles or by,the_does_of the=field

Here the woman is using the possessive form to describe the female gazelles and does that are characterized as being of the field and therefore are wild animals. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could explain the meaning of the phrase of the field in your translation. Alternate translation: [by the wild female gazelles and does] or [by the wild female gazelles or the wild does] or [by the female gazelles or the does that live in the wild]

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

בִּ⁠צְבָא֔וֹת

by,gazelles

A gazelle is a small type of antelope, that looks and moves like a deer and is similar in size. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of animal, you could use the name of a similar animal in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [by the female antelopes]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בְּ⁠אַיְל֣וֹת

by,the_does_of

The writer assumes that the reader will understand that does refers to female deer. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the female deer of]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽ⁠אִם־תְּעֽוֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָ⁠אַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁ⁠תֶּחְפָּֽץ

if arouse and=if awaken DOM (the),love until that,it_will_please

Here the woman speaks of love as if it were a person who could sleep, awaken, and have desires. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [do not encourage people to love romantically until the appropriate time] or [do not encourage people to have romantic feelings until the appropriate time]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽ⁠אִם־תְּעֽוֹרְר֛וּ

if arouse and=if awaken

Here the words awaken and stir mean similar things. The repetition is used for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [do not awaken] or [do not stir up feelings of]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אֶת־הָ⁠אַהֲבָ֖ה

DOM (the),love

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear SNG 2:7

Hebrew word order