Bible in 90 Days
A Time for Everything
3 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a (A)time for every [a]event under heaven—
2 A time to give birth and a (B)time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A (C)time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to (D)weep and a time to (E)laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to (F)dance.
5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to (G)be silent and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to (H)hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 (I)What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10 I have seen the (J)task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.
God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man
11 He has (K)made everything [b]appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, [c]yet so that man (L)will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is (M)nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the (N)gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should [d](O)fear Him. 15 That (P)which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.
16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is (Q)wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said [e]to myself, “(R)God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a (S)time for every [f]matter and for every deed is there. 18 I said [g]to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but (T)beasts.” 19 (U)For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts [h]is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is [i]vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the (V)dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the (W)breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that (X)nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see (Y)what will occur after him?
The Evils of Oppression
4 Then I looked again at all the acts of (Z)oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had (AA)no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. 2 So (AB)I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. 3 But (AC)better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
4 I have seen that every labor and every (AD)skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is [j](AE)vanity and striving after wind. 5 The fool (AF)folds his hands and (AG)consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is (AH)better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8 There was a certain man without a [k]dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, (AI)his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And (AJ)for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a (AK)grievous task.
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if [l]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not [m]another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they [n]keep warm, but (AL)how can one be warm alone? 12 And if [o]one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
13 A (AM)poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive [p]instruction. 14 For he has come (AN)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who [q]replaces him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is (AO)vanity and striving after wind.
Your Attitude Toward God
5 [r](AP)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the (AQ)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 [s]Do not be (AR)hasty [t]in word or [u]impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your (AS)words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much [v]effort and the voice of a (AT)fool through many words.
4 When you (AU)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. (AV)Pay what you vow! 5 It is (AW)better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your [w]speech cause [x]you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a (AX)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is [y]emptiness. Rather, [z](AY)fear God.
8 If you see (AZ)oppression of the poor and (BA)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (BB)shocked at the [aa]sight; for one [ab]official watches over another [ac]official, and there are higher [ad]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.
The Folly of Riches
10 (BC)He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is [ae]vanity. 11 (BD)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [af]look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is (BE)pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the [ag]full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: (BF)riches being [ah]hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14 When those riches were lost through [ai]a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing [aj]to support him. 15 (BG)As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will (BH)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man [ak]is born, thus will he [al]die. So (BI)what is the advantage to him who (BJ)toils for the wind? 17 Throughout his life (BK)he also eats in darkness with (BL)great vexation, sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be (BM)good and [am]fitting: to eat, to drink and [an]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few [ao]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [ap](BN)reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom (BO)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (BP)empowered him to eat from them and to receive his [aq]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the (BQ)gift of God. 20 For he will not often [ar]consider the [as]years of his life, because (BR)God keeps [at]him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
The Futility of Life
6 There is an (BS)evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent [au]among men— 2 a man to whom God has (BT)given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul (BU)lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner [av]enjoys them. This is [aw]vanity and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many [ax]they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper (BV)burial, then I say, “Better (BW)the miscarriage than he, 4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. 5 It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; [ay]it is better off than he. 6 Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not [az]enjoy good things—(BX)do not all go to one place?”
7 (BY)All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the [ba]appetite is not [bb]satisfied. 8 For (BZ)what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes (CA)see is better than what the soul [bc]desires. This too is (CB)futility and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever (CC)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (CD)cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few [bd]years of his futile life? He will [be]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man (CE)what will be after him under the sun?
Wisdom and Folly Contrasted
7 A (CF)good name is better than a good ointment,
And the (CG)day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because [bf]that is the (CH)end of every man,
And the living [bg](CI)takes it to [bh]heart.
3 (CJ)Sorrow is better than laughter,
For (CK)when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
4 The [bi]mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the [bj]mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to (CL)listen to the rebuke of a wise man
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
6 For as the [bk]crackling of (CM)thorn bushes under a pot,
So is the (CN)laughter of the fool;
And this too is futility.
7 For (CO)oppression makes a wise man mad,
And a (CP)bribe [bl]corrupts the heart.
8 The (CQ)end of a matter is better than its beginning;
(CR)Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
9 Do not be [bm](CS)eager in your heart to be angry,
For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good
And an (CT)advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For (CU)wisdom is [bn]protection just as money is [bo]protection,
But the advantage of knowledge is that (CV)wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
13 Consider the (CW)work of God,
For who is (CX)able to straighten what He has bent?
14 (CY)In the day of prosperity be happy,
But (CZ)in the day of adversity consider—
God has made the one as well as the other
So that man will (DA)not discover anything that will be after him.
15 I have seen everything during my [bp](DB)lifetime of futility; there is (DC)a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is (DD)a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness. 16 Do not be excessively (DE)righteous and do not (DF)be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? 17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you (DG)die before your time? 18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not [bq]let go of the other; for the one who (DH)fears God comes forth with [br]both of them.
19 (DI)Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Indeed, (DJ)there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. 21 Also, do not [bs]take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant (DK)cursing you. 22 For [bt]you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.
23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” (DL)but it was far from me. 24 What has been is remote and (DM)exceedingly [bu]mysterious. (DN)Who can discover it? 25 I [bv](DO)directed my [bw]mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness. 26 And I discovered more (DP)bitter than death the woman whose heart is (DQ)snares and nets, whose hands are chains. (DR)One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but (DS)the sinner will be captured by her.
27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28 which [bx]I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a (DT)woman among all these. 29 Behold, I have found only this, that (DU)God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”
Obey Rulers
8 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom (DV)illumines [by]him and causes his (DW)stern face to [bz]beam.
2 I say, “Keep the [ca]command of the king because of the (DX)oath [cb]before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry [cc](DY)to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” 4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, (DZ)who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who (EA)keeps a royal command (EB)experiences no [cd]trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For (EC)there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. 7 If no one (ED)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8 (EE)No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and (EF)evil will not deliver [ce]those who practice it. 9 All this I have seen and applied my [cf]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised (EG)authority over another man to his hurt.
10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are (EH)soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility. 11 Because the (EI)sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore (EJ)the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may (EK)lengthen his life, still I know that it will be (EL)well for those who fear God, who fear [cg]Him openly. 13 But it will (EM)not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a (EN)shadow, because he does not fear God.
14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are (EO)righteous men to whom it [ch]happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are (EP)evil men to whom it [ci]happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for (EQ)a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his [cj]toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
16 When I (ER)gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should [ck](ES)never sleep day or night), 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that (ET)man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and (EU)though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover.
Men Are in the Hand of God
9 For I have taken all this to my heart and explain [cl]it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are (EV)in the hand of God. (EW)Man does not know whether it will be (EX)love or hatred; anything [cm]awaits him.
2 (EY)It is the same for all. There is (EZ)one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who [cn]is afraid to swear. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is (FA)one fate for all men. Furthermore, (FB)the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and (FC)insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. 4 For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know they will die; but the dead (FD)do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their (FE)memory is forgotten. 6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a (FF)share in all that is done under the sun.
7 Go then, (FG)eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. 8 Let your (FH)clothes be white all the time, and let not (FI)oil be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your [co](FJ)fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun[cp]; for this is your (FK)reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.
Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, (FL)do it with all your might; for there is no (FM)activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in (FN)Sheol where you are going.
11 I again saw under the sun that the (FO)race is not to the swift and the (FP)battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor (FQ)wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and (FR)chance overtake them all. 12 Moreover, man does not (FS)know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and (FT)birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are (FU)ensnared at an evil time when it (FV)suddenly falls on them.
13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and [cq]it impressed me. 14 There (FW)was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a (FX)poor wise man and he [cr]delivered the city (FY)by his wisdom. Yet (FZ)no one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “(GA)Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. 17 The (GB)words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 (GC)Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but (GD)one sinner destroys much good.
A Little Foolishness
10 Dead flies make a (GE)perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. 2 A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish (GF)man’s heart directs him toward the left. 3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his [cs]sense is lacking and he [ct](GG)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. 4 If the ruler’s [cu]temper rises against you, (GH)do not abandon your position, because (GI)composure allays great offenses.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler— 6 (GJ)folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. 7 I have seen (GK)slaves riding (GL)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
8 (GM)He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a (GN)serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. 9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the [cv]axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must [cw]exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. 11 If the serpent bites [cx](GO)before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. 12 (GP)Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a (GQ)fool consume him; 13 the beginning of [cy]his talking is folly and the end of [cz]it is wicked (GR)madness. 14 Yet the (GS)fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him (GT)what will come after him? 15 The toil of [da]a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, O land, whose (GU)king is a lad and whose princes [db]feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for (GV)drunkenness. 18 Through (GW)indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. 19 Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and (GX)wine makes life merry, and (GY)money [dc]is the answer to everything. 20 Furthermore, (GZ)in your bedchamber do not (HA)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.
Cast Your Bread on the Waters
11 (HB)Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you (HC)will find it [dd]after many days. 2 (HD)Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what (HE)misfortune may occur on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it [de]lies. 4 He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 Just as you do not (HF)know [df]the path of the wind and (HG)how bones are formed in the womb of the [dg]pregnant woman, so you do not (HH)know the activity of God who makes all things.
6 Sow your seed (HI)in the morning and do not [dh]be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether [di]morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
7 The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to (HJ)see the sun. 8 Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him (HK)rejoice in them all, and let him remember the (HL)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.
9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the [dj]impulses of your heart and the [dk](HM)desires of your eyes. Yet know that (HN)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10 So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away [dl](HO)pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.
Remember God in Your Youth
12 (HP)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the (HQ)evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2 before the (HR)sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men (HS)stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and (HT)those who look through [dm]windows grow dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the (HU)sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the (HV)daughters of song will [dn]sing softly. 5 Furthermore, [do]men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal (HW)home while (HX)mourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is [dp]broken and the (HY)golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the (HZ)dust will return to the earth as it was, and the [dq](IA)spirit will return to (IB)God who gave it. 8 “(IC)Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”
Purpose of the Preacher
9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged (ID)many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find (IE)delightful words and to write (IF)words of truth correctly.
11 The (IG)words of wise men are like (IH)goads, and masters of these collections are like [dr]well-driven (II)nails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the [ds]writing of (IJ)many books is endless, and excessive (IK)devotion to books is wearying to the body.
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: (IL)fear God and (IM)keep His commandments, because this applies to (IN)every person. 14 For (IO)God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
The Young Shulammite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters
1 The [dt]Song of (IP)Songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 “[du]May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your (IQ)love is better than wine.
3 “Your (IR)oils have a pleasing fragrance,
Your (IS)name is like [dv]purified oil;
Therefore the [dw](IT)maidens love you.
4 “Draw me after you and let us run together!
The (IU)king has brought me into his chambers.”
“[dx]We will rejoice in you and be glad;
We will [dy]extol your (IV)love more than wine.
Rightly do they love you.”
5 “[dz]I am black but (IW)lovely,
O (IX)daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the (IY)tents of (IZ)Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
6 “Do not stare at me because I am [ea]swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
My (JA)mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me (JB)caretaker of the vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.
7 “Tell me, O you (JC)whom my soul loves,
Where do you (JD)pasture your flock,
Where do you make it (JE)lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who [eb]veils herself
Beside the flocks of your (JF)companions?”
Solomon, the Lover, Speaks
8 “[ec]If you yourself do not know,
(JG)Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.
9 “[ed]To me, (JH)my darling, you are like
My (JI)mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 “Your (JJ)cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of (JK)beads.”
11 “[ee]We will make for you ornaments of gold
With beads of silver.”
12 “[ef]While the king was at his [eg]table,
My [eh](JL)perfume gave forth its fragrance.
13 “My beloved is to me a pouch of (JM)myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
14 “My beloved is to me a cluster of (JN)henna blossoms
In the vineyards of (JO)Engedi.”
15 “[ei][ej](JP)How beautiful you are, my darling,
[ek]How beautiful you are!
Your (JQ)eyes are like doves.”
16 “[el][em]How handsome you are, (JR)my beloved,
And so pleasant!
Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!
17 “The beams of our houses are (JS)cedars,
Our rafters, [en](JT)cypresses.
The Bride’s Admiration
3 “[es]Like an [et](JY)apple tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the [eu]young men.
In his shade I took great delight and sat down,
And his (JZ)fruit was sweet to my [ev]taste.
4 “He has (KA)brought me to his [ew]banquet hall,
And his (KB)banner over me is love.
5 “Sustain me with (KC)raisin cakes,
Refresh me with [ex](KD)apples,
Because (KE)I am lovesick.
6 “Let (KF)his left hand be under my head
And (KG)his right hand (KH)embrace me.”
7 “[ey]I (KI)adjure you, O (KJ)daughters of Jerusalem,
By the (KK)gazelles or by the (KL)hinds of the field,
(KM)That you do not arouse or awaken my love
Until [ez]she pleases.”
8 “[fa]Listen! My beloved!
Behold, he is coming,
Climbing (KN)on the mountains,
Leaping on the hills!
9 “My beloved is like a (KO)gazelle or a (KP)young [fb]stag.
Behold, he is standing behind our wall,
He is looking through the windows,
He is peering (KQ)through the lattice.
10 “My beloved responded and said to me,
‘(KR)Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along.
11 ‘For behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
12 ‘The flowers have already appeared in the land;
The time has arrived for [fc]pruning the vines,
And the voice of the (KS)turtledove has been heard in our land.
13 ‘The (KT)fig tree has ripened its figs,
And the (KU)vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!’”
14 “[fd]O (KV)my dove, (KW)in the clefts of the [fe]rock,
In the secret place of the steep [ff]pathway,
Let me see your [fg]form,
(KX)Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet,
And your [fh]form is (KY)lovely.”
15 “[fi](KZ)Catch the foxes for us,
The [fj]little foxes that are ruining the vineyards,
While our (LA)vineyards are in blossom.”
16 “[fk](LB)My beloved is mine, and I am his;
He (LC)pastures his flock among the lilies.
17 “(LD)Until [fl]the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,
Turn, my beloved, and be like a (LE)gazelle
Or a young stag (LF)on the mountains of [fm]Bether.”
The Bride’s Troubled Dream
3 “[fn]On my bed night after night I sought him
(LG)Whom my soul loves;
I (LH)sought him but did not find him.
2 ‘[fo]I must arise now and [fp]go about the city;
In the (LI)streets and in the squares
[fq]I must seek him whom my soul loves.’
I sought him but did not find him.
3 “(LJ)The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
4 “(LK)Scarcely had I [fr]left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;
I (LL)held on to him and would not let him go
Until I had (LM)brought him to my mother’s house,
And into the room of her who conceived me.”
5 “[fs]I (LN)adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the (LO)gazelles or by the hinds of the field,
That you will not arouse or awaken my love
Until [ft]she pleases.”
Solomon’s Wedding Day
6 “[fu][fv](LP)What is this coming up from the wilderness
Like (LQ)columns of smoke,
Perfumed with (LR)myrrh and (LS)frankincense,
With all scented powders of the merchant?
7 “Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon;
Sixty mighty men around it,
Of the mighty men of Israel.
8 “All of them are wielders of the sword,
(LT)Expert in war;
Each man has his (LU)sword at his side,
Guarding against the [fw](LV)terrors of the night.
9 “King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair
From the timber of Lebanon.
10 “He made its posts of silver,
Its [fx]back of gold
And its seat of purple fabric,
With its interior lovingly fitted out
By the (LW)daughters of Jerusalem.
11 “Go forth, O (LX)daughters of Zion,
And gaze on King Solomon with the [fy]crown
With which his mother has crowned him
On the (LY)day of his wedding,
And on the day of his gladness of heart.”
Solomon’s Love Expressed
4 “[fz][ga]How beautiful (LZ)you are, my darling,
[gb]How beautiful you are!
Your (MA)eyes are like doves (MB)behind your veil;
Your (MC)hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Mount (MD)Gilead.
2 “Your (ME)teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes
Which have come up from their washing,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has [gc]lost her young.
3 “Your lips are like a (MF)scarlet thread,
And your (MG)mouth is lovely.
Your (MH)temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
4 “Your (MI)neck is like the tower of David,
Built [gd]with rows of stones
On which are (MJ)hung a thousand shields,
All the round (MK)shields of the mighty men.
5 “Your (ML)two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle
Which (MM)feed among the lilies.
6 “(MN)Until [ge]the cool of the day
When the shadows flee away,
I will go my way to the mountain of (MO)myrrh
And to the hill of (MP)frankincense.
7 “(MQ)You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
And there is no blemish in you.
8 “Come with me from (MR)Lebanon, my (MS)bride,
May you come with me from Lebanon.
[gf]Journey down from the summit of (MT)Amana,
From the summit of (MU)Senir and Hermon,
From the dens of lions,
From the mountains of leopards.
9 “You have made my heart beat faster, (MV)my sister, my bride;
You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes,
With a single strand of your (MW)necklace.
10 “(MX)How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much (MY)better is your love than wine,
And the (MZ)fragrance of your oils
Than all kinds of [gg]spices!
11 “Your lips, my bride, (NA)drip (NB)honey;
Honey and milk are under your tongue,
And the fragrance of your garments is like the (NC)fragrance of Lebanon.
12 “A garden locked is my sister, my bride,
A [gh]rock garden locked, a (ND)spring (NE)sealed up.
13 “Your shoots are an [gi](NF)orchard of (NG)pomegranates
With (NH)choice fruits, (NI)henna with nard plants,
14 (NJ)Nard and saffron, calamus and (NK)cinnamon,
With all the trees of (NL)frankincense,
(NM)Myrrh and aloes, along with all the finest [gj]spices.
15 “You are a garden spring,
A well of [gk](NN)fresh water,
And streams flowing from Lebanon.”
16 “[gl]Awake, O north wind,
And come, wind of the south;
Make my (NO)garden breathe out fragrance,
Let its [gm]spices [gn]be wafted abroad.
May (NP)my beloved come into his garden
And eat its (NQ)choice fruits!”
The Torment of Separation
5 “[go]I have (NR)come into my garden, (NS)my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my (NT)myrrh along with my balsam.
I have eaten my honeycomb [gp]and my (NU)honey;
I have (NV)drunk my wine [gq]and my milk.
Eat, (NW)friends;
Drink and [gr]imbibe deeply, O lovers.”
2 “[gs]I was asleep but my heart was awake.
A voice! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, (NX)my sister, my darling,
(NY)My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is [gt]drenched with dew,
My (NZ)locks with the [gu]damp of the night.’
3 “I have (OA)taken off my dress,
How can I put it on again?
I have (OB)washed my feet,
How can I dirty them again?
4 “My beloved extended his hand through the opening,
And my [gv](OC)feelings were aroused for him.
5 “I arose to open to my beloved;
And my hands (OD)dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with [gw]liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the bolt.
6 “I opened to my beloved,
But my beloved had (OE)turned away and had gone!
My [gx]heart went out to him as he (OF)spoke.
I (OG)searched for him but I did not find him;
I (OH)called him but he did not answer me.
7 “The (OI)watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.
8 “I (OJ)adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
As to what you will tell him:
For (OK)I am lovesick.”
9 “[gy][gz]What kind of beloved is your beloved,
O (OL)most beautiful among women?
[ha]What kind of beloved is your beloved,
That thus you adjure us?”
Admiration by the Bride
10 “[hb]My beloved is dazzling and (OM)ruddy,
[hc](ON)Outstanding among ten thousand.
11 “His head is like gold, pure gold;
His (OO)locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.
12 “His (OP)eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk,
And [hd]reposed in their (OQ)setting.
13 “His cheeks are like a (OR)bed of balsam,
Banks of sweet-scented herbs;
His lips are (OS)lilies
(OT)Dripping with liquid myrrh.
14 “His hands are rods of gold
Set with (OU)beryl;
His abdomen is carved ivory
Inlaid with [he](OV)sapphires.
15 “His legs are pillars of alabaster
Set on pedestals of pure gold;
His appearance is like (OW)Lebanon
Choice as the (OX)cedars.
16 “His [hf](OY)mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly (OZ)desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”
Mutual Delight in Each Other
6 “[hg](PA)Where has your beloved gone,
O (PB)most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned,
That we may seek him with you?”
2 “[hh]My beloved has gone down to his (PC)garden,
To the (PD)beds of balsam,
To (PE)pasture his flock in the gardens
And gather (PF)lilies.
3 “(PG)I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,
He who (PH)pastures his flock among the lilies.”
4 “[hi](PI)You are as beautiful as (PJ)Tirzah, my darling,
As (PK)lovely as (PL)Jerusalem,
As (PM)awesome as [hj]an army with banners.
5 “Turn your eyes away from me,
For they have confused me;
(PN)Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Gilead.
6 “(PO)Your teeth are like a flock of ewes
Which have come up from their washing,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has [hk]lost her young.
7 “(PP)Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
8 “There are sixty (PQ)queens and eighty concubines,
And [hl](PR)maidens without number;
9 But (PS)my dove, my perfect one, is [hm]unique:
She is her mother’s [hn]only daughter;
She is the pure child of the one who bore her.
The [ho](PT)maidens saw her and called her blessed,
The (PU)queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,
10 ‘Who is this that [hp]grows like the dawn,
As beautiful as the full (PV)moon,
As pure (PW)as the sun,
As (PX)awesome as [hq]an army with banners?’
11 “I went down to the orchard of nut trees
To see the blossoms of the valley,
To see whether (PY)the vine had budded
Or the (PZ)pomegranates had bloomed.
12 “Before I was aware, my soul set me
Over the chariots of [hr]my noble people.”
Admiration by the Bridegroom
7 “[hw]How beautiful are your [hx]feet in sandals,
O [hy](QC)prince’s daughter!
The curves of your hips are like [hz]jewels,
The work of the hands of an artist.
2 “Your navel is like a round goblet
Which never lacks mixed wine;
Your belly is like a heap of wheat
Fenced about with lilies.
3 “Your (QD)two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle.
4 “Your (QE)neck is like a tower of ivory,
Your eyes like the pools in (QF)Heshbon
By the gate of Bath-rabbim;
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,
Which faces toward Damascus.
5 “Your head [ia]crowns you like (QG)Carmel,
And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads;
The king is captivated by your tresses.
6 “How (QH)beautiful and how delightful you are,
[ib]My love, with all your charms!
7 “[ic]Your stature is like a palm tree,
And your breasts are like its clusters.
8 “I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree,
I will take hold of its fruit stalks.’
Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of your [id]breath like [ie](QI)apples,
9 And your [if](QJ)mouth like the best wine!”
“[ig]It (QK)goes down smoothly for my beloved,
Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep.
The Union of Love
10 “(QL)I am my beloved’s,
And his (QM)desire is for me.
11 “Come, my beloved, let us go out into the [ih]country,
Let us spend the night in the villages.
12 “Let us rise early and go to the vineyards;
Let us (QN)see whether the vine has budded
And its blossoms have opened,
And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I will give you my love.
13 “The (QO)mandrakes have given forth fragrance;
And over our doors are all (QP)choice fruits,
Both new and old,
Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.
The Lovers Speak
8 “Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.
2 “I would lead you and (QQ)bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.
3 “Let (QR)his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.”
4 “[ii](QS)I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
[ij]Do not arouse or awaken my love
Until [ik]she pleases.”
“[im]Beneath the [in](QU)apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.
6 “Put me like a [io]seal over your heart,
Like a (QV)seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
[ip](QW)Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
[iq]The very flame of the Lord.
7 “Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
(QX)If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”
8 “[ir]We have a little sister,
And she (QY)has no breasts;
What shall we do for our sister
On the day when she is spoken for?
9 “If she is a wall,
We will build on her a battlement of silver;
But if she is a door,
We will barricade her with (QZ)planks of cedar.”
10 “[is]I was a wall, and (RA)my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.
11 “Solomon had a (RB)vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He (RC)entrusted the vineyard to (RD)caretakers.
Each one was to bring a (RE)thousand shekels of silver for its (RF)fruit.
12 “My very own vineyard is [it]at my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.