Bible in 90 Days
God Has Ordained the Ebb and Flow of Human Activities
3 For everything there is an appointed time, a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to bear[a] and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to root up what is planted;
3 a time to kill and a time to heal;
a time to break down and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek and a time to lose;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear and a time to sew;
a time to be silent and a time to speak;
8 a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain in his toil?
No One Understands God’s Mysterious Plan
10 I have seen the busyness God gives to humans[b] to preoccupy[c] them. 11 He has made everything suitable in its time. He also has put the past[d] in their hearts, yet no one can grasp what God does from the beginning to the end. 12 So I realized that there is nothing better[e] for them than to rejoice and enjoy themselves[f] during their lives. 13 And for anyone to eat and drink, that is, to enjoy the fruit of all his toil,[g] this also is a gift of God.
14 I know everything God does endures forever;
nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it,
for God so acts that humans[h] might stand in awe before him.
15 What is—it already was,
and what will be—it already is,
for God will do what he has done.[i]
God’s Mysterious Plan Allows Injustice to Exist in the World
16 I saw something else under the sun: instead of justice there was evil; instead of righteousness there was wickedness. 17 So I said to myself,[j] “God will surely judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed[k] a time of judgment for every deed and every work.”
18 I said to myself concerning humans,[l] “God sifts[m] them in order to show[n] them that they are like beasts.” 19 For the fate of humans[o] and the fate of the beast is the same.[p] The death of the one is like the death of the other, for both are mortal.[q] Man has no advantage over the beast, for both are fleeting. 20 Both go to one place—both came from dust and both return to dust. 21 For no one knows whether the spirit of a human ascends to heaven and whether the spirit of the beast descends to the ground!
22 So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy the fruit of his labor, for this is his lot in life. For no one knows what will happen in the future.[r]
The Existence of Oppression in the World Makes Human Existence Miserable
4 I looked again, and I saw all the oppression that occurs under the sun.
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
no one comforts them!
Those who oppress them are powerful—
no one can comfort them![s]
2 So I deemed the dead who have already died
more fortunate than the living who are still alive.
3 But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born
and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
People Need Balance in Their Approach to Labor
4 I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and another.[t] This also is vanity and chasing wind!
5 The fool refuses to work with his hands,
so he has nothing to eat except his own skin![u]
6 Better is one handful with peace
than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.
Wealth without Someone with Which to Enjoy It is Futile
7 I turned again and saw another vanity under the sun. 8 Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself[v] of pleasure?” This also is vanity—it is an unhappy business!
Friends and Family Can Help One Another in Life
9 Two are better than the one, for they enjoy a better reward for their toil. 10 For if one falls, his companion may help him up. But pity the one who falls and there is no one[w] to help him up. 11 Also if two lie together, they can keep each other warm.[x] But how can one person be warm? 12 Although an assailant may overpower one person, two may withstand him.[y] A threefold cord is not easily broken![z]
One Must Be Willing to Listen to Counsel
13 A poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to receive advice.[aa] 14 For he came out of the prison house to reign, since he was born poor in his kingdom.[ab] 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun with the youth; the second who will stand in his place. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before him. Yet the later generation will not rejoice in him, for this also is vanity and chasing wind!
Listen to God Rather Than Uttering Rash Vows
5 [ac] Guard your steps when you go to the house of God;
draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice of fools,
for they do not know that they are doing evil.
2 Do not be rash with your mouth,
and do not let your heart be quick to utter a word before God.
For God is in heaven, and you are on earth;
therefore, let your words be few.
3 For a dream comes with many cares,
and the voice of a fool with many words.
4 When you make a vow to God,
do not delay in fulfilling it,
for he takes no pleasure[ad] in fools.
Fulfill what you vow!
5 It is better that you not vow
than that you vow and not fulfill it.
6 Do not let your mouth lead your flesh into sin,
and do not tell the messenger that it was a mistake.
Why anger God at your words,
so that he destroys the work of your hands?
7 For with many dreams come vanities and numerous words.
Therefore, fear God!
Powerful Bureaucrats Exploit the Helpless Poor
8 Do not be surprised if you see the poor being oppressed with violence
or do not see justice and righteousness in the province.
For one official is watched by a higher official,
and there are even higher officials over them!
9 The produce of the land is exploited by everyone;
even the king profits from the field of the poor![ae]
There is Never Enough Money to Satisfy
10 Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money,
and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit.
This also is vanity!
11 When prosperity increases,
those who consume it increase.
So its owner gains nothing,
except to see his wealth before it is spent.[af]
12 The sleep of the laborer is pleasant, whether he eats little or much,
but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest.
Hoarding Wealth Can Backfire
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded[ag] by its owner to his harm. 14 That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, he has nothing to leave to him.[ah] 15 Just as he came from his mother’s womb naked, he will depart[ai] just as he came; he will take nothing with him for his toil. 16 This also is a grievous illness. Exactly as he came, so he will go. What profit does he gain for all his toil for the wind? 17 Also, he eats in darkness all his days; he is frustrated in much sickness and resentment.
If You Have Wealth, Enjoy It as God Enables
18 Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and to enjoy[aj] all the fruit of the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him—for this is his lot.[ak] 19 This indeed is a gift of God: everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions, he also empowers him to enjoy them,[al] to accept his lot, and to rejoice in the fruit of his toil. 20 For he does not remember the brief days of his life, for God keeps his heart preoccupied with enjoyment of life.
Those Who Have Wealth but Do Not Enjoy It Are Pitiful
6 Here is another misfortune that I have seen under the sun, and it is prevalent among humankind. 2 God gives a man wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; yet God does not enable him to enjoy it—instead someone else ends up enjoying it. This is vanity—indeed, it is a grievous ill!
3 Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, if his heart[am] is not satisfied with his prosperity[an] and he does not receive a proper burial,[ao] I deem the stillborn better than him. 4 For he comes into vanity and departs into darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. 5 He has neither seen nor known the sun, yet he has more rest than him. 6 Even if a man[ap] lives a thousand years twice, if he[aq] does not enjoy prosperity,[ar] both suffer the same fate![as]
One Must Learn to Be Content with What One Has
7 All of a man’s toil is for his mouth—
yet his appetite is never satisfied.
8 So do the wise really have an advantage over fools?
Can the poor really gain anything by knowing how to act in front of others?[at]
9 Better to be content with what your eyes see
than for your soul to constantly crave more.[au]
This also is vanity and chasing wind!
It is Futile for Humans to Complain about God’s Irresistible Will
10 Whatever is—it was already determined,
what will be—it has already been decided.[av]
As for man, he cannot argue
against what is more powerful than him.
11 Increasing words only multiplies futility,[aw]
how does that profit anyone?
The Future is Inscrutable to Humans
12 For who knows what is good for a man in his life during the few days of his fleeting life, which are fleeting as a shadow? For who can tell anyone what will happen in the future[ax] under the sun?
People Generally Do Not Know What is Best for Them
7 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death is better than the day of one’s birth.
2 Better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for death is the end of every person,
and the living should take it to his heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of countenance the heart is made good.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Better to listen to the rebuke of the wise
than for a man to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the sound of thorns under a pot,
so also the laughter of fools.
This also is vanity!
Wisdom—Although Vulnerable—is Beneficial
7 Surely oppression makes a fool of the wise,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
better to be slow to anger than hot-headed.[ay]
9 Do not be quick in your spirit to anger,
for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance;
it benefits the living.[az]
12 For wisdom offers protection like money offers protection.[ba]
But knowledge has an advantage—wisdom restores life to its possessor.
Humans Must Accept God’s Will and Make the Best of It
13 Consider the work of God.
For who is able to make straight what he made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity, rejoice!
But in the day of adversity, consider!
For God made one in place of another
so that mortals cannot find out what will happen in the future.[bb]
The Law of Retribution Does Not Always Work—but It Does Sometimes
15 I have seen all these things in my vain life:
Sometimes a righteous man perishes in spite of his righteousness,
and sometimes a wicked man lives a long life in spite of his evil.
16 Do not be excessively[bc] righteous,
and do not act excessively wise, lest you destroy yourself.
17 Do not act excessively wicked,
and do not be a fool, lest you die before your time.
18 It is good to take hold of the one and also must not let go of the other;
for whoever fears God will hold both of them secure.
Wisdom is Valuable, but No One is Completely Righteous
19 Wisdom gives more strength to the wise
than ten rulers who are in the city.
20 Surely there is no one righteous on the earth
who continually does good and never sins.
21 Do not pay attention to everything people say,
lest you hear your own servant curse you.
22 For your heart knows
that you also have cursed others many times.
Absolute Wisdom is Unattainable
23 All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, “I will be wise!” but it was beyond my grasp.[bd] 24 Whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension.[be] Who can discover it?
25 I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness is foolishness and that folly is delusion. 26 I myself found that more bitter than death is the woman who is a trap, whose heart is a snare, and whose hands are bonds. The one who pleases God escapes from her, but the sinner is caught by her. 27 “Look! I found this,” said the Teacher,[bf] “while trying to find how the plan fits together. 28 What my heart sought, I did not find. Although I found one righteous man among one thousand, I did not find one upright woman among all these. 29 Look! This alone I found: God made mankind upright, but they have devised many schemes.”
Wisdom is Valuable
8 Who is like the sage?
Who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
and the hardness of his face is changed.
2 Keep the command of the king[bg]
because of your oath to God.[bh]
3 Do not be terrified of his presence!
Go at once and do not delay when a matter is unpleasant,
for he can do anything that he desires.
4 Since the word of the king is supreme,
no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 Whoever obeys his command will not suffer disaster.
The wise mind knows the proper time and the right procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and right procedure for every matter,
even though the trouble of man weighs heavy upon him.
No One Knows the Future
7 Surely no one knows what will be,
so who can tell anyone what will happen?
8 Just as no one can control the wind to restrain the wind,
so also no one can control the day of his death.
Just as no one is discharged in time of war,
so wickedness will not deliver the wicked.
The World Marred by Oppression and Injustice
9 I saw all this as I applied my heart to all the deeds done under the sun: sometimes those in authority harm others.[bi] 10 Meanwhile, I saw the wicked being honorably buried, but those who came and went from the holy place were forgotten in the city, even though they had done so. This also is vanity!
Although Evil is Not Punished Swiftly, God Does Eventually Punish Sinners
11 Because sentence against an evil deed is not carried out quickly, the heart of humans[bj] fills up within them to do evil. 12 Although the sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will be good for those who fear God—because they fear his presence.[bk] 13 But it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not prolong their days, like the shadow; because there is no fearing God’s presence.[bl] 14 There is a vanity that happens on earth: sometimes the righteous suffer what the wicked deserve, and sometimes the wicked receive what the righteous deserve. I said, “This also is vanity!”
Humans Should Enjoy the Life That God Gives to Them
15 So I recommend enjoyment. For there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat and to drink and to rejoice. This will accompany him in his toil the days of his life that God gives to him under the sun.
No One Can Discover the Rhyme and Reason for Things
16 I applied my mind to know wisdom and to understand the business that is done on earth—how neither day nor night one’s eyes see sleep. 17 Then I saw all the work of God—man is not able to discover the work that is done under the sun. Although man may toil in seeking, he cannot find it. Even if a wise man claims that he knows it, he cannot find it.
The Same Fate—Death—Awaits Everyone
9 So all this I laid to my heart, and I concluded[bm] that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in the hand of God. So no one knows anything that will come to them, whether it will be love or hatred. 2 The same fate comes to everyone:
to the righteous and to the wicked,
to the good and to the wicked,[bn]
to the clean and to the unclean,
to those who sacrifice and to those who do not sacrifice.
As with the good man, so also to the sinner;
as with those who swear an oath, so also those who fear oaths.
3 This is the injustice[bo] that is done under the sun:
the same fate comes to everyone.
Also the hearts of humans[bp] are full of evil;
delusion is in their hearts during their lives, and then they die.
Death Deprives Humans of Everything in Life
4 Whoever is joined[bq] to all the living has hope. After all, even a live dog is better than a dead lion! 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have a reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. 6 What they loved and hated, as well as what they desired, has already perished. They no longer have any share in what is done under the sun.
Enjoy Life While It Lasts
7 Go—eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart! For God already has approved your deeds. 8 Always be clothed in white garments, and never let your head lack oil! 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which he gives you under the sun, because this is your lot in life and in the toil with which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do—do it with all your might; for in Sheol—where you are going—no one works, plans, knows, or thinks about anything.
The Injustice of Time and Chance
11 I looked again and saw under the sun that the race does not belong to the swift, the battle does not belong to the mighty, food does not belong to the wise, wealth does not belong to the intelligent, and success[br] does not belong to the skillful, for time and chance befalls all of them. 12 For man does not know his time. Just as fish are caught in a cruel net and like birds who are seized in a snare, so also humans[bs] are ensnared at a cruel time when it falls suddenly upon them.
Wisdom—Although Vulnerable—is Superior to Power
13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14 There was a small city with few people in it. A great king came and besieged it, building great siege works against it. 15 Now, a poor wise man was found in it, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. 16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.
Wisdom—Although Vulnerable—is Superior to Folly
17 The words of the wise are heard in peace
more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among the fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
10 Dead flies cause a bad smell and ruin[bt] the ointment of the perfumer.
So also a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to his right,
but the heart of the fool inclines to his left.
3 Even when the fool walks along the road, he lacks sense;
he tells everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you,
do not leave your post,
for calmness can undo great offenses.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun—
it is an error that proceeds from a ruler!
6 The fool is set in many high places,
but the rich sit in lowly places.
7 I have even seen slaves riding on horses
and princes walking like slaves on the earth!
Accidents Happen—Even to Professionals
8 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it.
Whoever breaks through a wall, a snake will bite him.
9 Whoever quarries[bu] stones will be wounded by them.
Whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
Hard Work and Skill Alone Cannot Succeed—Wisdom is Necessary
10 If the ax is blunt but one does not sharpen its edge,
he must exert more effort,[bv]
but the advantage of wisdom is it brings success.
11 If the snake bites before the charming,
the snake charmer will not succeed.[bw]
The Consequences of Foolishness
12 The wise man wins favor by the words of his mouth,
but the fool is devoured by his own lips.
13 He begins by saying what is foolish
and ends by uttering what is wicked delusion.
14 The fool talks too much,[bx]
for no one knows what will be.
Who can tell anyone what will happen in the future?[by]
15 The fool is so worn out by a hard day’s work
he cannot even find his way home at night.[bz]
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a youth
and your princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is a son of nobility
and your princes feast at the proper time—
to gain strength and not to get drunk.
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through idleness of hands the house leaks.
19 Feasts are held for celebration,[ca]
wine cheers the living,
and money answers everything.
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,
and do not curse the rich even in your own bedroom,
for a bird of the sky may carry your voice;
a winged messenger may repeat your words.
Living in the Light of the Limits of Human Knowledge
11 Send out your bread on the water,
for in many days you will find it.
2 Divide your share in seven or in eight,
for you do not know what disaster will happen on the earth.
3 When the clouds are full,
they empty rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or whether it falls to the north,
the place where the tree falls—there it will be.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not sow;
whoever watches the clouds will not reap.
5 Just as you do not know how the path of the wind[cb] goes,
nor how the bones of a fetus form in a mother’s womb,
so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and do not let your hands rest in the evening,
for you do not know what will prosper—
whether this or that, or whether both of them alike will succeed.
Enjoy Life to the Fullest within the Auspices of the Fear of God
7 The light is sweet,
and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
8 For if a man lives many years,
let him rejoice in all of them!
Let him remember that the days of the darkness will be many—
all that is coming is vanity!
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth!
Follow the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes—
but know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.
10 Banish anxiety from your heart,
and put away pain from your body,
for youth and vigor are vanity.
Advice to the Young: Life is Short and Then You Die
12 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth—
before the days of trouble come
and the years draw near when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them!”
2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars darken
and the clouds return after the rain.
3 When the guards of the house tremble,
and the men of strength are bent;
the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows see dimly.
4 When the doors on the street are shut,
when the sound of the grinding mill is low;
one rises up to the sound of the bird,
and all the daughters of song are brought low.
5 They are afraid of heights,
and terrors are on the road.
The almond tree blossoms,
and the grasshopper draws itself along, and desire fails
because man goes to his eternal home,
and the mourners go about in the streets.
6 Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken;
and the jar at the foundation is broken,
and the wheel at the cistern is broken.
7 And the dust returns to the earth as it was,
and the breath returns to God who gave it.
Motto Restated
8 “Vanity of vanity!” says the Teacher.[cc]
“Everything is vanity!”
Epilogue
9 The Teacher[cd] was full of wisdom, and he taught the people with knowledge. He carefully considered many proverbs and carefully arranged them. 10 The Teacher[ce] sought to find delightful words,[cf] and he wrote[cg] what is upright—truthful words.
11 The words of the wise are like cattle goads; the collections of the sages are like pricks inflicted by one shepherd.[ch] 12 My son, be careful about anything beyond these things.[ci] For the writing of books is endless, and too much study is wearisome.[cj]
13 Now that all has been heard, here is the final conclusion:
Fear God and obey his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Title
Maiden’s Soliloquy
2 May[cm] you kiss me[cn] passionately with your lips,[co]
for your love is better than wine.[cp]
3 As fragrance, your perfumes[cq] are delightful;[cr]
your name is poured out perfume;[cs]
therefore young women love you.
4 Draw me after you, let us run!
May the king bring me into his chambers![ct]
Let us be joyful and let us rejoice in you;
let us extol your love more than wine.
Rightly do they love you!
Maiden’s Self-Description
5 I am black but beautiful,[cu] O maidens of Jerusalem,[cv]
like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not gaze at me because I am black, [cw]
because the sun has stared at me.
The sons of my mother were angry with me;
they made me keeper of the vineyards,
but my own “vineyard”[cx] I did not keep.
Dialogue between Shepherdess and Shepherd
7 Tell me, you whom my heart[cy] loves,
where do you pasture your flock,
where do your sheep lie down at the noon?
For why should I be like[cz] one who is veiled[da]
beside the flocks of your companions?
8 If you do not know, O fairest among women,
follow the tracks[db] of the flock,
and pasture your little lambs[dc] beside the tents of the shepherds.
Man’s Poetic Praise of His Beloved
9 To a mare[dd] among the chariots[de] of Pharaoh,
I compare you, my beloved.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments,
your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make ornaments of gold for you
with studs[df] of silver.
Maiden’s Poetic Praise of Her Beloved
12 While the king was on his couch,
my nard gave its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a pouch[dg] of myrrh,
he spends the night[dh] between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of blossoms of henna
in the vineyards of En Gedi.
Mutual Admiration
15 Look! You are beautiful, my beloved.
Look! You are beautiful;
your eyes are doves.
16 Look! You are beautiful, my beloved,
truly pleasant.
Truly our couch is verdant;[di]
17 the beams of our house are cedar;
our rafter is cypress.
Dialogue between Maiden and Her Beloved
2 I am a rose[dj] of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.
2 Like a lily among the thorns,[dk]
so is my love among the maidens.
3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved among the young men.
In his shade I sat down with delight,[dl]
and his fruit was sweet to my palate.
Banquet Hall of Love
4 He brought me to the house of the wine,
and his intention was love toward me.
5 Sustain me with the raisins,
refresh me with the apples,
for I am lovesick.[dm]
Double Refrain: Embrace and Adjuration
6 His left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces[dn] me.
7 I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,[do]
by the gazelles or by the does of the field,
do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases![dp]
Rendezvous in the Countryside
8 The voice of my beloved!
Look! Here he[dq] comes leaping upon the mountains,
bounding over the hills!
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.[dr]
Look! He is[ds] standing behind our wall,
gazing through[dt] the window,
looking through[du] the lattice.
10 My beloved answered and said to me,
“Arise,[dv] my beloved! Come, my beauty![dw]
11 For look! The winter is over;
the rainy season[dx] has turned and gone away.[dy]
12 The blossoms appear[dz] in the land;[ea]
the time of singing[eb] has arrived;[ec]
the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree puts forth her figs,
and the vines are in blossom; they give fragrance.
Arise,[ed] my beloved! Come, my beauty!”[ee]
14 My dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the secluded place[ef][eg] in the mountain,[eh][ei]
Let me see your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.
15 Catch for us the foxes,
the little foxes destroying vineyards,
for[ej] our vineyards are in blossom!
Poetic Refrain(s)
16 My beloved belongs to me and I belong to him;[ek]
he pastures his flock among the lilies.
17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved!
Be like[el] a gazelle[em] or young stag[en] on the cleft mountains.[eo]
Maiden’s Dream (?): Seeking and Finding
3 On my bed in the night,
I sought[ep] him whom my heart[eq] loves.
I sought him, but I did not find him.
2 Now I will arise, and I will go about in the city,
in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my heart[er] loves.
I sought him, but I did not find him.
3 The sentinels who go about in the city found me.
“Have you seen the one whom my heart[es] loves?”
4 Scarcely had I passed[et] by them
when I found him whom my heart[eu] loves.
I held him and I would not let him go
until I brought him to the house of my mother,
into the bedroom chamber of she who conceived me.
Adjuration Refrain
5 I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,[ev]
by the gazelles or by the does of the field,
do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases![ew]
Royal Wedding Procession
6 What is this coming up from the desert
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense
from all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
7 Look! It is Solomon’s portable couch![ex]
Sixty mighty men surround it,[ey]
the mighty men of Israel.
8 All of them wield swords;[ez]
they are trained in warfare,[fa]
each with his sword at his thigh
to guard against terror[fb] in the night.
9 King Solomon[fc] made for himself a sedan chair
from the wood of Lebanon.
10 He made its column of silver, its back[fd] of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior is inlaid with leather[fe] by the maidens of Jerusalem.[ff]
11 Come out and look, O maidens of Zion,[fg] at King Solomon,[fh]
at the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the joy of his heart!
Groom’s Praise of His Bride
4 Oh my![fi] You are beautiful, my beloved!
Oh my![fj] You are beautiful!
Your eyes are doves
from behind your veil.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
that move down from the mountains of Gilead.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes
that came up from the washing,
all of them bearing twins,
and there is none bereaved among them.
3 Your lips are like a thread of crimson,
and your mouth is lovely.
Your temple is like pomegranate
from behind your veil.
4 Your neck is like the tower of David,
built in courses;
a thousand ornaments[fk] are hung on it,
all the shields of the warriors.
5 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle that feed among the lilies.
6 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of the myrrh,
to the hill of the frankincense.
7 You are completely beautiful, my beloved!
You are flawless![fl]
The Mountains and Fragrance of Lebanon
8 Come[fm] with me from Lebanon, my bride!
Come with me[fn] from Lebanon!
Look from the top of Amana,
from the top of Senir and Hermon,
from the dwelling places of the lions,
from the mountains of leopard.
9 You have stolen (my) heart, my sister bride!
You have stolen my heart with one glance from your eyes,
with one ornament from your necklaces.
10 How beautiful is your love, my sister bride!
How better is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!
11 Your lips drip nectar, my bride;
honey and milk are under your lips;
the scent of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon.
The Locked Garden of Delights Is Unlocked
12 A garden locked is my sister bride,
a spring enclosed,[fo] a fountain sealed.
13 Your shoots[fp] are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruit,[fq]
henna with nard;
14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon spice with all trees of frankincense,
myrrh and aloes with all chief spices.
15 A garden fountain, a well of living water,
flowing (streams) from Lebanon.
16 Awake, O north wind! Come, O south wind!
Blow upon my garden! Let its fragrances[fr] waft forth![fs]
Let my beloved come to his garden,
let him eat his choice fruit!
5 I have come to my garden, my sister bride,
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice,
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey,
I have drunk my wine with my milk!
Eat, O friends! Drink and become drunk with love![ft]
Maiden’s Dream: Seeking and Not Finding
2 I was asleep but[fu] my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved knocking![fv]
“Open to me, my sister, my beloved,
my dove, my perfect one!
For my head is full of dew,
my hair drenched from the moist night air.”[fw]
3 I have taken off my tunic, must I put it on?[fx]
I have bathed my feet, must I soil them?[fy]
4 My beloved thrust his hand into the opening,
and my inmost yearned for him.
5 I myself arose to open to my beloved;
my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh
upon the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened myself to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone;[fz]
my heart sank[ga] when he turned away.[gb]
I sought him, but I did not find him;
I called him, but he did not answer me.
7 The sentinels making rounds in the city found me;
they beat me, they wounded me;
they took my cloak[gc] away from me—
those sentinels on the walls![gd]
Adjuration Refrain
8 I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,[ge]
if you find my beloved, what will you tell him?
Tell him that I am lovesick![gf]
Maiden’s Praise of Her Beloved
9 How is your beloved better than another lover,[gg]
O most beautiful among women?
How is your beloved better than another lover, [gh]
that you adjure us thus?
10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,[gi]
distinguished among[gj] ten thousand.
11 His head is gold, refined gold;
his locks are wavy, black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves beside springs[gk] of water,
bathed in milk, set like mounted jewels.[gl][gm]
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice, a tower of fragrances;
his lips are lilies dripping liquid myrrh.
14 His arms are rods[gn][go] of gold engraved with[gp] jewels;
his belly[gq] is polished ivory covered with sapphires.[gr]
15 His legs are columns of alabaster,[gs] set on bases of gold;
his appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.[gt]
16 His mouth[gu] is sweet,
and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved;
this is my friend, O young women of Jerusalem.[gv]
6 Where has your beloved gone,
O most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned
that we may seek him with you?
2 My beloved has gone down to his garden,
to the garden bed of the spice,
to pasture his flock and to gather lilies in the garden.
Mutual Possession Refrain
3 I belong to my beloved and he belongs to me;[gw]
he pastures his flock among the lilies.
Solomon’s Praise of His Beloved
4 You are beautiful, my beloved, as Tirzah,
lovely as Jerusalem,
overwhelming as an army with banners.[gx]
5 Turn away your eyes from before me,
for they overwhelm me.
Your hair is like a flock of the goats
that moves down from Gilead.
6 Your teeth are like a flock of the ewes
that have come up from the washing,
all of them bearing twins,
and there is none bereaved among them.
7 Your cheeks behind[gy] your veil
are like halves of a pomegranate.
The Maiden’s Beauty Is without Peer
8 Sixty queens there are, eighty concubines,
and maidens beyond number.
9 My dove, she is the one;[gz][ha]
my perfect, she is the only one;[hb][hc]
she is the favorite of[hd][he] her mother who bore her.
Maidens see her and consider her fortunate;[hf]
queens and concubines praise her:
10 “Who is this that looks down like the dawn,
beautiful as the moon,
bright as the sun,[hg][hh]
overwhelming as an army with banners?”[hi]
The Journey to the Valley
11 I went down to the orchard of the walnut trees
to look at the blossoms of the valley,
to see whether the vines have sprouted,
whether the pomegranates have blossomed.
12 I did not know my heart[hj] set me
in a chariot of my princely people.[hk]
13 [hl] Turn, turn,[hm] O Shulammite![hn]
Turn, turn[ho] so that we may look upon you!
Why do you look upon the Shulammite
as at a dance of the two armies?
Solomon’s Praise of His Dancing Maiden
7 How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
O royal princess![hp]
The curves of your thighs[hq] are like jewels,[hr]
the work of the hands of a craftsman.
2 Your navel is a round wine-mixing bowl[hs]
that does not lack mixed[ht] wine!
Your belly is a heap of wheat
encircled with lilies.
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like a tower of ivory;
your eyes are pools in Heshbon at the gate of Beth Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon
looking out over Damascus.[hu]
5 Your head crowns you like Carmel;[hv][hw]
the flowing locks of your head are like purple tapestry;[hx]
a king is held captive in the tresses!
6 How beautiful you are and how pleasant,
O loved one in the delights!
7 Your stature[hy] is like the palm tree,
and your breasts are like clusters.
8 I say, “I will climb up the palm tree;
I will lay hold of its fruit clusters.”
Let your breasts be pleasing like clusters of the vine
and the scent of your breath like the apples.
9 Your palate is like the best wine that goes down for my beloved,
smoothly gliding over my lips and teeth.[hz]
Mutual Possession Refrain
Rendezvous in the Countryside
11 Come, my beloved, let us go out to the countryside;[ic]
let us spend the night[id] in the villages.
12 Let us rise early to go[ie] to the vineyards;
let us see whether the vine has budded,[if]
whether the grape blossom has opened,
and whether the pomegranates are in bloom;[ig]
there I will give my love to you.
13 The mandrakes give off their fragrance,
and over our doorway is every kind of delicious fruit;[ih]
both fresh and dried fruit I have stored up[ii] for you, O my beloved.
Maiden’s Fanciful Wish
8 How I wish that you were my little brother,[ij][ik]
who nursed upon my mother’s breasts![il]
If I met you outside,[im] I would kiss you,
and no one would despise me![in]
2 I would surely bring you[io][ip] to the house of my mother,
who would surely teach me;[iq]
I would give you spiced wine to drink,[ir]
the sweet wine[is] of my pomegranates.[it]
Double Refrain: Embrace and Adjuration
3 His left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces[iu] me.
4 I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,[iv]
do not[iw] arouse or awaken love until it pleases![ix]
Up from the Wilderness and under the Apple Tree
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
leaning upon her beloved?
Under the apple tree I awakened you;
there your mother conceived you;[iy]
there she who was in labor gave birth to you.
The Nature of Genuine Romantic Love
6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death;
passion is fierce as Sheol;
its flashes are flashes of fire;
it is a blazing flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.[iz]
If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love,[ja]
he would be utterly scorned.[jb]
Maiden’s Virtuous Chastity and Voluptuous Beauty
8 We have a little sister,[jc]
and she does not yet have any breasts.[jd]
What should we do for our sister
on the day when she is betrothed?[je][jf]
9 If she is a wall,
we will adorn her with a turret of silver;[jg][jh]
but if she is a door,
we will barricade her with boards of cedar.[ji]
10 I was a wall, and my breasts were like the towers,
so my betrothed viewed me with great delight.[jj]
Solomon’s Vineyard and the Maiden’s Gift
11 Solomon had a vineyard[jk] at Baal-hamon;
he entrusted his vineyard to the keepers;[jl]
people paid a thousand silver pieces for its fruit.[jm]
12 My own “vineyard” belongs to me;[jn]
the “thousand” are for you, O Solomon,
and “two hundred” for those who tend its fruit.[jo]
Closing Words of Mutual Love
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