Add parallel Print Page Options

O mortal, propound a riddle and speak an allegory to the house of Israel.(A)

Read full chapter

49 Then I said, “Ah Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of allegories?’ ”(A)

Read full chapter

12 For now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.(A)

Read full chapter

The Use of Parables

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it;(A) 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.(B)

Read full chapter

35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:[a]

“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
    I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation.”[b](A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 13.35 Other ancient authorities read the prophet Isaiah
  2. 13.35 Other ancient authorities add of the world

13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’(A) 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:

‘You will indeed listen but never understand,
    and you will indeed look but never perceive.(B)

Read full chapter

10 I spoke to the prophets;
    it was I who multiplied visions,
    and through the prophets I will bring destruction.(A)

Read full chapter

And utter an allegory to the rebellious house and say to them: Thus says the Lord God:

Set on the pot; set it on;
    pour in water also;(A)

Read full chapter

12 and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.(A) The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare and drink from his cup and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.”

Read full chapter

12 Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can explain it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments.(A) 13 But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments.” So they said to him, “Ask your riddle; let us hear it.” 14 He said to them,

“Out of the eater came something to eat.
Out of the strong came something sweet.”

But for three days they could not explain the riddle.

15 On the fourth[a] day they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?”(B) 16 So Samson’s wife wept before him, saying, “You hate me; you do not really love me. You have asked a riddle of my people, but you have not explained it to me.” He said to her, “Look, I have not told my father or my mother. Why should I tell you?” 17 She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and because she nagged him, on the seventh day he told her. Then she explained the riddle to her people. 18 The men of the town said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”

And he said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have found out my riddle.”(C)

19 Then the spirit of the Lord rushed on him, and he went down to Ashkelon. He killed thirty men of the town, took their spoil, and gave the festal garments to those who had explained the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house.(D)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 14.15 Gk Syr: Heb seventh

The trees once went out
    to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
    ‘Reign over us.’
The olive tree answered them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my rich oil
        by which gods and mortals are honored
        and go to sway over the trees?’
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
11 But the fig tree answered them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my sweetness
        and my delicious fruit
        and go to sway over the trees?’
12 Then the trees said to the vine,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
13 But the vine said to them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my wine
        that cheers gods and mortals
        and go to sway over the trees?’
14 So all the trees said to the bramble,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
15 And the bramble said to the trees,
    ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
        then come and take refuge in my shade,
    but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
        and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’(A)

Read full chapter