Bible in 90 Days
A Time for Everything
3 There is a time(A) for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,(B)
3 a time to kill(C) and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent(D) 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 do workers gain from their toil?(E) 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.(F) 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.(G) He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom(H) what God has done from beginning to end.(I) 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink,(J) and find satisfaction(K) in all their toil—this is the gift of God.(L) 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.(M)
15 Whatever is has already been,(N)
and what will be has been before;(O)
and God will call the past to account.[b]
16 And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I said to myself,
“God will bring into judgment(P)
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”(Q)
18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.(R) 19 Surely the fate of human beings(S) is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[c]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.(T) 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward(U) and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work,(V) because that is their lot.(W) For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression(X) that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.(Y)
2 And I declared that the dead,(Z)
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.(AA)
3 But better than both
is the one who has never been born,(AB)
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.(AC)
4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(AD)
5 Fools fold their hands(AE)
and ruin themselves.
6 Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil(AF)
and chasing after the wind.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content(AG) with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Fulfill Your Vow to God
5 [d]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.(AH)
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.(AI)
3 A dream(AJ) comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool.(AK)
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.(AL) He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.(AM) 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.(AN) 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.(AO)
Riches Are Meaningless
8 If you see the poor oppressed(AP) in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. 9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
11 As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?
12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.(AQ)
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:(AR)
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14 or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.(AS)
They take nothing from their toil(AT)
that they can carry in their hands.(AU)
16 This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart,
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?(AV)
17 All their days they eat in darkness,
with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink(AW) and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor(AX) under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions,(AY) and the ability to enjoy them,(AZ) to accept their lot(BA) and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.(BB) 20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.(BC)
6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,(BD) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.(BE)
3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn(BF) child is better off than he.(BG) 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?(BH)
7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.(BI)
8 What advantage have the wise over fools?(BJ)
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9 Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.(BK)
10 Whatever exists has already been named,(BL)
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
11 The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days(BM) they pass through like a shadow?(BN) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
Wisdom
7 A good name is better than fine perfume,(BO)
and the day of death better than the day of birth.(BP)
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death(BQ) is the destiny(BR) of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Frustration is better than laughter,(BS)
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.(BT)
5 It is better to heed the rebuke(BU) of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns(BV) under the pot,
so is the laughter(BW) of fools.
This too is meaningless.
7 Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe(BX) corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience(BY) is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked(BZ) in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.(CA)
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days(CB) better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing(CC)
and benefits those who see the sun.(CD)
12 Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
13 Consider what God has done:(CE)
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?(CF)
14 When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.(CG)
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
15 In this meaningless life(CH) of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.(CI)
16 Do not be overrighteous,
neither be overwise—
why destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overwicked,
and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?(CJ)
18 It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God(CK) will avoid all extremes.[e]
20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,(CN)
no one who does what is right and never sins.(CO)
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you(CP) may hear your servant cursing you—
22 for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said,
“I am determined to be wise”(CQ)—
but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound—
who can discover it?(CR)
25 So I turned my mind to understand,
to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things(CS)
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
and the madness of folly.(CT)
26 I find more bitter than death
the woman who is a snare,(CU)
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.(CV)
27 “Look,” says the Teacher,[f](CW) “this is what I have discovered:
“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—
28 while I was still searching
but not finding—
I found one upright man among a thousand,
but not one upright woman(CX) among them all.
29 This only have I found:
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
8 Who is like the wise?
Who knows the explanation of things?
A person’s wisdom brightens their face
and changes its hard appearance.
Obey the King
2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.(CY) Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?(CZ)”
5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm,
and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,(DA)
though a person may be weighed down by misery.
7 Since no one knows the future,
who can tell someone else what is to come?
8 As no one has power over the wind to contain it,
so[g] no one has power over the time of their death.
As no one is discharged in time of war,
so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
9 All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own[h] hurt. 10 Then too, I saw the wicked buried(DB)—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise[i] in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless.
11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. 12 Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better(DC) with those who fear God,(DD) who are reverent before him.(DE) 13 Yet because the wicked do not fear God,(DF) it will not go well with them, and their days(DG) will not lengthen like a shadow.
14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.(DH) This too, I say, is meaningless.(DI) 15 So I commend the enjoyment of life(DJ), because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink(DK) and be glad.(DL) Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom(DM) and to observe the labor that is done on earth(DN)—people getting no sleep day or night— 17 then I saw all that God has done.(DO) No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.(DP)
A Common Destiny for All
9 So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.(DQ) 2 All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,[j] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.
As it is with the good,
so with the sinful;
as it is with those who take oaths,
so with those who are afraid to take them.(DR)
3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.(DS) The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,(DT) and afterward they join the dead.(DU) 4 Anyone who is among the living has hope[k]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5 For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;(DV)
they have no further reward,
and even their name(DW) is forgotten.(DX)
6 Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun.(DY)
7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine(DZ) with a joyful heart,(EA) for God has already approved what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white,(EB) and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife,(EC) whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot(ED) in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever(EE) your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,(EF) for in the realm of the dead,(EG) where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.(EH)
11 I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,(EI)
nor does food come to the wise(EJ)
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance(EK) happen to them all.(EL)
12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times(EM)
that fall unexpectedly upon them.(EN)
Wisdom Better Than Folly
13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom(EO) that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.(EP) 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.(EQ)
17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom(ER) is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly(ES) outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
3 Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone(ET) how stupid they are.
4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;(EU)
calmness can lay great offenses to rest.(EV)
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6 Fools are put in many high positions,(EW)
while the rich occupy the low ones.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves.(EX)
8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;(EY)
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(EZ)
9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.(FA)
10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
but skill will bring success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
the charmer receives no fee.(FB)
12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(FC)
but fools are consumed by their own lips.(FD)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—
14 and fools multiply words.(FE)
No one knows what is coming—
who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(FF)
15 The toil of fools wearies them;
they do not know the way to town.
16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[l](FG)
and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
and whose princes eat at a proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.(FH)
18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
because of idle hands, the house leaks.(FI)
19 A feast is made for laughter,
wine(FJ) makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not revile the king(FK) even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Invest in Many Ventures
11 Ship(FL) your grain across the sea;
after many days you may receive a return.(FM)
2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
3 If clouds are full of water,
they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the path of the wind,(FN)
or how the body is formed[m] in a mother’s womb,(FO)
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,(FP)
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.
Remember Your Creator While Young
7 Light is sweet,
and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.(FQ)
8 However many years anyone may live,
let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember(FR) the days of darkness,
for there will be many.
Everything to come is meaningless.
9 You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.(FS)
10 So then, banish anxiety(FT) from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless.(FU)
12 Remember(FV) your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(FW) come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;(FX)
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home(FY)
and mourners(FZ) go about the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns(GA) to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God(GB) who gave it.(GC)
The Conclusion of the Matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.(GF) 10 The Teacher(GG) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.(GH)
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(GI)—given by one shepherd.[o] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.(GJ)
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God(GK) and keep his commandments,(GL)
for this is the duty of all mankind.(GM)
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,(GN)
including every hidden thing,(GO)
whether it is good or evil.
1 Solomon’s Song of Songs.(GP)
She[p]
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love(GQ) is more delightful than wine.(GR)
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;(GS)
your name(GT) is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the young women(GU) love you!
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.(GV)
Friends
She
How right they are to adore you!
5 Dark am I, yet lovely,(GY)
daughters of Jerusalem,(GZ)
dark like the tents of Kedar,(HA)
like the tent curtains of Solomon.[r]
6 Do not stare at me because I am dark,
because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
and made me take care of the vineyards;(HB)
my own vineyard I had to neglect.
7 Tell me, you whom I love,
where you graze your flock
and where you rest your sheep(HC) at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled(HD) woman
beside the flocks of your friends?
Friends
8 If you do not know, most beautiful of women,(HE)
follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds.
He
9 I liken you, my darling, to a mare
among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.(HF)
10 Your cheeks(HG) are beautiful with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.(HH)
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
studded with silver.
She
12 While the king was at his table,
my perfume spread its fragrance.(HI)
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh(HJ)
resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved(HK) is to me a cluster of henna(HL) blossoms
from the vineyards of En Gedi.(HM)
He
She
16 How handsome you are, my beloved!(HP)
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.
He
17 The beams of our house are cedars;(HQ)
our rafters are firs.
She[s]
He
2 Like a lily among thorns
is my darling among the young women.
She
3 Like an apple[u] tree among the trees of the forest
is my beloved(HU) among the young men.
I delight(HV) to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.(HW)
4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall,(HX)
and let his banner(HY) over me be love.
5 Strengthen me with raisins,
refresh me with apples,(HZ)
for I am faint with love.(IA)
6 His left arm is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.(IB)
7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(IC)
by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.(ID)
8 Listen! My beloved!
Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
bounding over the hills.(IE)
9 My beloved is like a gazelle(IF) or a young stag.(IG)
Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;(IH)
the blossoming(II) vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me.”
He
14 My dove(IJ) in the clefts of the rock,
in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.(IK)
15 Catch for us the foxes,(IL)
the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,(IM)
our vineyards that are in bloom.(IN)
She
16 My beloved is mine and I am his;(IO)
he browses among the lilies.(IP)
17 Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,(IQ)
turn, my beloved,(IR)
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag(IS)
on the rugged hills.[v](IT)
3 All night long on my bed
I looked(IU) for the one my heart loves;
I looked for him but did not find him.
2 I will get up now and go about the city,
through its streets and squares;
I will search for the one my heart loves.
So I looked for him but did not find him.
3 The watchmen found me
as they made their rounds in the city.(IV)
“Have you seen the one my heart loves?”
4 Scarcely had I passed them
when I found the one my heart loves.
I held him and would not let him go
till I had brought him to my mother’s house,(IW)
to the room of the one who conceived me.(IX)
5 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(IY)
by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.(IZ)
6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness(JA)
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh(JB) and incense
made from all the spices(JC) of the merchant?
7 Look! It is Solomon’s carriage,
escorted by sixty warriors,(JD)
the noblest of Israel,
8 all of them wearing the sword,
all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
prepared for the terrors of the night.(JE)
9 King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
he made it of wood from Lebanon.
10 Its posts he made of silver,
its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
its interior inlaid with love.
Daughters of Jerusalem, 11 come out,
and look, you daughters of Zion.(JF)
Look[w] on King Solomon wearing a crown,
the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
the day his heart rejoiced.(JG)
He
4 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil(JH) are doves.(JI)
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from the hills of Gilead.(JJ)
2 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
not one of them is alone.(JK)
3 Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
your mouth(JL) is lovely.(JM)
Your temples behind your veil
are like the halves of a pomegranate.(JN)
4 Your neck is like the tower(JO) of David,
built with courses of stone[x];
on it hang a thousand shields,(JP)
all of them shields of warriors.
5 Your breasts(JQ) are like two fawns,
like twin fawns of a gazelle(JR)
that browse among the lilies.(JS)
6 Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,(JT)
I will go to the mountain of myrrh(JU)
and to the hill of incense.
7 You are altogether beautiful,(JV) my darling;
there is no flaw(JW) in you.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,(JX)
come with me from Lebanon.
Descend from the crest of Amana,
from the top of Senir,(JY) the summit of Hermon,(JZ)
from the lions’ dens
and the mountain haunts of leopards.
9 You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;(KA)
you have stolen my heart
with one glance of your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace.(KB)
10 How delightful(KC) is your love(KD), my sister, my bride!
How much more pleasing is your love than wine,(KE)
and the fragrance of your perfume(KF)
more than any spice!
11 Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride;
milk and honey are under your tongue.(KG)
The fragrance of your garments
is like the fragrance of Lebanon.(KH)
12 You are a garden(KI) locked up, my sister, my bride;(KJ)
you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.(KK)
13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates(KL)
with choice fruits,
with henna(KM) and nard,
14 nard and saffron,
calamus and cinnamon,(KN)
with every kind of incense tree,
with myrrh(KO) and aloes(KP)
and all the finest spices.(KQ)
15 You are[y] a garden(KR) fountain,(KS)
a well of flowing water
streaming down from Lebanon.
She
16 Awake, north wind,
and come, south wind!
Blow on my garden,(KT)
that its fragrance(KU) may spread everywhere.
Let my beloved(KV) come into his garden
and taste its choice fruits.(KW)
He
5 I have come into my garden,(KX) my sister, my bride;(KY)
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.(KZ)
Friends
Eat, friends, and drink;
drink your fill of love.
She
2 I slept but my heart was awake.
Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove,(LA) my flawless(LB) one.(LC)
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.”
3 I have taken off my robe—
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
must I soil them again?
4 My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
my heart began to pound for him.
5 I arose to open for my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,(LD)
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened for my beloved,(LE)
but my beloved had left; he was gone.(LF)
My heart sank at his departure.[z]
I looked(LG) for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.
7 The watchmen found me
as they made their rounds in the city.(LH)
They beat me, they bruised me;
they took away my cloak,
those watchmen of the walls!
8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(LI)—
if you find my beloved,(LJ)
what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.(LK)
Friends
9 How is your beloved better than others,
most beautiful of women?(LL)
How is your beloved better than others,
that you so charge us?
She
10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.(LM)
11 His head is purest gold;
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves(LN)
by the water streams,
washed in milk,(LO)
mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks(LP) are like beds of spice(LQ)
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies(LR)
dripping with myrrh.(LS)
14 His arms are rods of gold
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.(LT)
15 His legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,(LU)
choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth(LV) is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,(LW) this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.(LX)
Friends
6 Where has your beloved(LY) gone,
most beautiful of women?(LZ)
Which way did your beloved turn,
that we may look for him with you?
She
2 My beloved has gone(MA) down to his garden,(MB)
to the beds of spices,(MC)
to browse in the gardens
and to gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;(MD)
he browses among the lilies.(ME)
He
4 You are as beautiful as Tirzah,(MF) my darling,
as lovely as Jerusalem,(MG)
as majestic as troops with banners.(MH)
5 Turn your eyes from me;
they overwhelm me.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from Gilead.(MI)
6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep
coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin,
not one of them is missing.(MJ)
7 Your temples behind your veil(MK)
are like the halves of a pomegranate.(ML)
8 Sixty queens(MM) there may be,
and eighty concubines,(MN)
and virgins beyond number;
9 but my dove,(MO) my perfect one,(MP) is unique,
the only daughter of her mother,
the favorite of the one who bore her.(MQ)
The young women saw her and called her blessed;
the queens and concubines praised her.
Friends
10 Who is this that appears like the dawn,
fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
majestic as the stars in procession?
He
11 I went down to the grove of nut trees
to look at the new growth in the valley,
to see if the vines had budded
or the pomegranates were in bloom.(MR)
12 Before I realized it,
my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.[aa]
Friends
13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!
He
7 [ac]How beautiful your sandaled feet,
O prince’s(MT) daughter!
Your graceful legs are like jewels,
the work of an artist’s hands.
2 Your navel is a rounded goblet
that never lacks blended wine.
Your waist is a mound of wheat
encircled by lilies.
3 Your breasts(MU) are like two fawns,
like twin fawns of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.(MV)
Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon(MW)
by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon(MX)
looking toward Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.(MY)
Your hair is like royal tapestry;
the king is held captive by its tresses.
6 How beautiful(MZ) you are and how pleasing,
my love, with your delights!(NA)
7 Your stature is like that of the palm,
and your breasts(NB) like clusters of fruit.
8 I said, “I will climb the palm tree;
I will take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine,
the fragrance of your breath like apples,(NC)
9 and your mouth like the best wine.
She
May the wine go straight to my beloved,(ND)
flowing gently over lips and teeth.[ad]
10 I belong to my beloved,
and his desire(NE) is for me.(NF)
11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
let us spend the night in the villages.[ae]
12 Let us go early to the vineyards(NG)
to see if the vines have budded,(NH)
if their blossoms(NI) have opened,
and if the pomegranates(NJ) are in bloom(NK)—
there I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes(NL) send out their fragrance,
and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
that I have stored up for you, my beloved.(NM)
8 If only you were to me like a brother,
who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
I would kiss you,
and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you
and bring you to my mother’s house(NN)—
she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the nectar of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.(NO)
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.(NP)
Friends
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness(NQ)
leaning on her beloved?
She
Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived(NR) you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love(NS) is as strong as death,
its jealousy[af](NT) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.[ag]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it[ah] would be utterly scorned.(NU)
Friends
8 We have a little sister,
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
She
10 I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard(NV) in Baal Hamon;
he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels[ai](NW) of silver.
12 But my own vineyard(NX) is mine to give;
the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred[aj] are for those who tend its fruit.
He
13 You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!
She
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.