Translation
O Daughters of JERUSALEM, I made you swear,
Go to footnote numberby the gazelles and by the does of the field: to not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
O Daughters of a PEACEFUL marriage, I made you swear,
by all that is beautiful, graceful and agile: to save the full array of love’s expressions for its proper setting.
Footnotes
1: “I made you swear”
The most literal way to translate this verb would be to “bind yourself with seven things,” or “bind yourself completely.” The form of the verb used here is a causative form, meaning I caused you to do this, hence, “I made you swear” is more accurate than the typical phrase “I charge you.”
2: "until it so desires"
Though she had longed for something, she waited, and now that she is married, she tells her daughters that waiting is the best option.