New English Translation
Song of Songs 8:4
4I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!”
Song of Songs 8:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
- New International Version (NIV)Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.
Context of Song of Songs 8:4
2I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house, the one who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates. 3His left hand caresses my head, and his right hand stimulates me. I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!” 5Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who bore you was in labor of childbirth. 6Set me like a cylinder seal over your heart, like a signet on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion is as unrelenting as Sheol. Its flames burst forth, it is a blazing flame.
Read all of Song of Songs 8Song of Songs 8:4 word by word
הִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּנ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם מַה־תָּעִ֧ירוּ׀ וּֽמַה־תְּעֹֽרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Commentaries on Song of Songs 8:4
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4I adjure you: For the third time, the woman urges the young women of Jerusalem to keep their virginity (see Song of Solomon 2:7; 3:5). The importance of virginity is affirmed in Song of Solomon 8:8–9.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. The "left and right hand," &c., occurred only once actually (So 2:6), and here optatively. Only at His first manifestation did the Church palpably embrace Him; at His second coming there shall be again sensible communion with Him. The rest in So 8:4, which is a spiritual realization of the wish in So 8:3 (1Pe 1:8), and the charge not to disturb it, close the first, second, and fourth canticles; not the third, as the bridegroom there takes charge…Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 4I adjure you Now the congregation of Israel addresses the nations, “Even though I complain and lament, my Beloved holds on to my hand, and He is my support in my exile; therefore, I adjure you.”Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Song of Songs 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries