Bible in 90 Days
There Is a Time for Everything
3 There is a right time for everything.
Everything on earth has its special season.
2 There is a time to be born
and a time to die.
There is a time to plant
and a time to pull up plants.
3 There is a time to kill
and a time to heal.
There is a time to destroy
and a time to build.
4 There is a time to cry
and a time to laugh.
There is a time to be sad
and a time to dance.
5 There is a time to throw away stones
and a time to gather them.
There is a time to hug
and a time not to hug.
6 There is a time to look for something
and a time to stop looking for it.
There is a time to keep things
and a time to throw things away.
7 There is a time to tear apart
and a time to sew together.
There is a time to be silent
and a time to speak.
8 There is a time to love
and a time to hate.
There is a time for war
and a time for peace.
God Controls His World
9 Does a person really gain anything from his work? 10 I saw the hard work God has given us to do. 11 God has also given us a desire to know the future. God certainly does everything at just the right time. But we can never completely understand what he is doing. 12 So I realize that the best thing for people is to be happy. They should enjoy themselves as long as they live. 13 God wants everyone to eat and drink and be happy in his work. These are gifts from God. 14 I know anything God does will continue forever. People cannot add anything to what God has done. And they cannot take anything away from it. God does it this way to cause people to honor him.
15 What happens now has also happened in the past.
Things that will happen in the future have also happened before.
God makes the same things happen again and again.
God Allows Unfairness
16 I also saw this here on earth:
Where there should have been justice, there was evil.
Where there should have been fairness, there was wickedness.
17 I certainly believe that
God has planned a time for every thing and every action.
He will judge both good people and bad people.
18 But I decided that God leaves it the way it is to test people. He wants to show them they are just like animals. 19 The same thing happens to animals and to people. They both have the same breath. So they both die. People are no better off than the animals. The lives of both are soon gone. 20 Both end up the same way. Both came from dust. And both will go back to dust. 21 Who can be sure that the spirit of man goes up to God? Or who can be sure that the spirit of an animal goes down into the ground? 22 So I saw the best thing a person can do is to enjoy his work. That is all he has. No one can help a person see what will happen in the future.
Is It Better to Be Dead?
4 Again I saw all the people who were treated badly here on earth.
I saw their tears.
I saw that they had no one to comfort them.
Cruel people had all the power.
There was no one to comfort the people they hurt.
2 I decided that the dead
are better off than the living.
3 But those who have never been born
are better off still.
They have not seen the evil
that is done here on earth.
Why Work So Hard?
4 I realized the reason people work hard and try to succeed: They are jealous of each other. This, too, is useless. It is like chasing the wind.
5 Some say that it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing.
You will starve to death!
6 Maybe so, but I say it is better to be content
with what little you have.
Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more.
That is like chasing the wind.
7 Again I saw something here on earth that was senseless:
8 I saw a person who had no family.
He had no son or brother.
He always worked hard.
But he was never satisfied with what he had.
He never asked himself, “For whom am I working so hard?
Why don’t I let myself enjoy life?”
This also is very sad and senseless.
Friends and Family Give Strength
9 Two people are better than one.
They get more done by working together.
10 If one person falls,
the other can help him up.
But it is bad for the person who is alone when he falls.
No one is there to help him.
11 If two lie down together, they will be warm.
But a person alone will not be warm.
12 An enemy might defeat one person,
but two people together can defend themselves.
A rope that has three parts wrapped together
is hard to break.
Fame and Power Are Useless
13 A young person may be poor but wise. He is better than a foolish, old king who doesn’t listen to advice. 14 I saw such a young person become king. He had been born poor in the kingdom. He had even gone to prison before becoming king. 15 I watched some of the people who live on earth follow him. They made him their king. 16 Yes, a great many people followed him at first. But later, they did not like him, either. So fame and power are shown to be useless. They are like chasing the wind.
Be Careful About Making Promises
5 Be careful when you go to worship at the Temple. It is better to listen than to offer foolish sacrifices. People who do this don’t even know they are doing wrong.
2 Think before you speak.
Be careful about what you promise to God.
God is in heaven,
and you are on the earth.
So say only a few words to God.
3 The saying is true: Bad dreams come from too much worrying.
So too many words come from foolish people.
4 If you make a promise to God, don’t be slow to keep it. God is not happy with foolish people. Give God what you promised. 5 It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it. 6 So don’t let your words cause you to sin. Also, don’t say to the priest at the Temple, “I didn’t mean what I promised!” If you do, God will become angry with your words. He will destroy everything you have worked for. 7 Many empty promises are like many foolish dreams. They mean nothing. You should honor God.
Officers Cheat Each Other
8 In some countries you will see poor people treated badly. They are not treated fairly or given their rights. Don’t be surprised! One officer is cheated by a higher officer. They in turn are cheated by even higher officers. 9 The wealth of the country is divided up among them all. Even the king makes sure he gets his share of the profits.
Wealth Cannot Buy Happiness
10 The person who loves money
will never have all the money he wants.
The person who loves wealth
will not be satisfied when he gets it.
This is also useless.
11 The more wealth a person has,
the more friends he has to help him spend it.
So what does he really gain?
He gains nothing except to look at his riches.
12 A man who works hard sleeps in peace.
It is not important if he has little or much to eat.
But a rich person worries about his wealth.
He cannot sleep.
13 I have seen something unfair here on earth:
A person suffers harm from saving up his money.
14 Then he loses it all in a bad deal.
So he has nothing
to give to his son.
15 A person comes into this world with nothing.
And when he dies, he leaves with nothing.
In spite of all his hard work,
he leaves exactly as he came.
16 This, too, is unfair:
He leaves exactly as he came.
So what does he gain from chasing the wind?
17 All he gets are days filled with sadness and sorrow.
He ends up sick, defeated and angry.
Enjoy Your Life’s Work
18 I have seen what is best for a person to do here on earth. He should eat and drink and enjoy his work. This is because the life God has given him on earth is short. 19 God gives some people the ability to enjoy the wealth and property he gives them. He also gives them the ability to accept their state in life and enjoy their work. 20 Such people do not worry much about how short life is. This is because God keeps them busy with the things they love to do.
6 I have seen something else unfair here on earth. It causes serious problems for people. 2 God gives some people great wealth, riches and honor. They have everything they want. But God does not let them enjoy such things. Someone else enjoys them instead. This is unfair and senseless. 3 It is sad when a person can’t enjoy the good things God gives him. Such a person might have 100 children. He might live a long time. But what good is it if he can’t enjoy the good God gives him? I say a baby who is born dead is better off than he is. 4 It is useless for such a baby to be born. It ends up in the darkness of the grave without even a name. 5 That baby never saw the sun. It never knew anything. But it finds more rest than the person who never gets to enjoy the good things God gives him. 6 Even if he lives 2,000 years, it is sad if a person can’t enjoy the good things God gives him. After all, both he and the baby born dead go to the same place—the grave.
7 A person works just to feed himself.
But he never seems to get enough to eat.
8 In this way a wise man
is no better off than a foolish person.
Then, too, it does a poor man little good
to know how to get along in life.
9 So it is better to be happy with what you have
than always to be wanting more.
Always wanting more is useless—
like chasing the wind.
Who Can Understand God’s Plan?
10 Everything that happens was planned long ago.
A man is only what he was created to be.
It is useless to argue with God about it.
This is because God is more powerful than man is.
11 The more you argue,
the more useless it is.
You gain nothing at all by arguing.
12 A person has only a few days of life on the earth. His short life passes like a shadow. And who knows what is best for him while he lives? Who can tell him what will happen after his time on earth?
Some Benefits of Serious Thinking
7 It is better to have respect than good perfume.
The day a person dies is better than the day he was born.
2 It is better to go to a funeral
than to a party.
We all must die.
Everyone living should think about this.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter.
Sadness has a good influence on you.
4 A wise man thinks about death,
but a foolish person thinks only about having a good time.
5 It is better to be criticized by a wise man
than to be praised by a foolish person.
6 The laughter of foolish people is useless.
It is like heating a pot by burning straw.
There is a lot of fire but no heat.
7 Even a wise man will become foolish
if he lets money change his thinking.
8 It is better to finish something
than to start it.
It is better to be patient
than to be proud.
9 Don’t become mad quickly,
because getting angry is foolish.
10 Don’t ask, “Why was life better in the ‘good old days’?”
It is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom is as good to have as inheriting property.
It helps people see what to do.
12 Wisdom is like money.
They both help a person.
But wisdom is better than money,
because it can save a person’s life.
13 Stop and think about everything that God causes to happen.
You cannot change a thing,
even if you think it is wrong.
14 When life is good, enjoy it.
But when life is hard, remember:
God gives us good times and hard times.
And no one knows what tomorrow will bring.
It Is Impossible to Be Truly Good
15 In my short life I have seen both of these:
I have seen good men die being good.
And I have seen evil men living a long time.
16 Don’t try to be too right all the time.
Don’t try to be too wise, either.
Why should you destroy yourself this way?
17 Don’t be too wicked.
And don’t be a foolish person.
You will die young if you do so.
18 Try to avoid going too far in doing anything.
Those who honor God will avoid doing too much of anything.
19 Wisdom gives a person strength.
One wise man is stronger than ten leaders in a city.
20 Surely there is not a good man on earth
who always does good and never sins.
21 Don’t listen to everything people say.
You might hear your servant insulting you.
22 You know that many times
you also have insulted others.
23 I used wisdom to test all these things.
I wanted to be wise,
but it was too hard for me.
24 I cannot understand why things are as they are.
It is too hard for anyone to understand.
25 I studied and tried very hard to find wisdom.
I tried to find some meaning for everything.
I learned that it is foolish to be evil.
And it is crazy to act like a fool.
26 I found that some women are worse than death.
They are as dangerous as traps.
Their love is like a net.
Their arms hold men like chains.
A man who follows God will run away from them.
But a sinner will be caught by them.
27 The Teacher says, “This is what I learned:
I added all these things together
to see if I could find some meaning for everything.
28 I am still looking for it,
but I have not found it.
But I did discover that truly good people are hard to find.
Such people are one in a million!
29 One thing I have learned:
God made people good.
But people have found all kinds of ways to be bad.”
Obey the King
8 No one is like the wise man.
He can understand what things mean.
His wisdom makes him happy.
It makes his sad face happy.
2 I advise you always to obey the king’s command. Do this because you made a promise to God. 3 Don’t be too quick to quit the job the king gave you. But don’t support something that is wrong. Remember, the king does whatever he pleases. 4 The king is the highest power. No one can tell him what to do.
5 A person will be safe if he obeys the king’s command.
A wise man knows how to do the right thing at the right time.
6 And there is a right time and a right way for everything.
Yet people often have many troubles.
7 They do not know what the future holds.
No one can tell them what will happen.
8 No one has the power to keep the wind from blowing.
No one has the power to stop his own death.
During war a soldier cannot go home.
So also, the person who does evil will not get away free.
Justice, Rewards and Punishment
9 I saw all of this as I studied. I considered all that is done here on earth. And I saw men rule others and hurt them. 10 I saw evil people being buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place. Good things were said about them in the same towns where they had done evil. This is senseless, too.
11 Sometimes people are not punished right away for the bad things they do. That makes other people want to do bad things, too. 12 A sinner might do a hundred evil things. And he might live a long time. Even so, I know it will be better for those who honor God. They fear him, and he sees it. 13 And I also know it will not go well for evil people. Their lives will be like a brief shadow. They will not live very long. 14 But sometimes something senseless happens on earth. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. This is truly senseless. 15 So I decided it was more important to enjoy life. The best that people can do here on earth is to eat, drink and enjoy life. These joys will help people do the hard work God gives them here on earth.
We Cannot Understand All God Does
16 I used my mind to learn about all that happens on earth. I saw how busy people are. They work day and night and hardly ever sleep. 17 I also saw all that God has done. Nobody can understand what God does here on earth. No matter how hard a person tries to understand it, he cannot. Even if a wise man says he understands, he really cannot. No one at all can really understand it.
Is Death Fair?
9 I thought about something else and tried hard to understand it. I saw that God takes care of both good people and wise people and what they do. But no one knows if he will see good or bad times.
2 Both good and bad things happen to everyone.
They happen to those who are fair and to those who are wicked.
They happen to those who are good and to those who are evil.
They happen to those who sacrifice and to those who do not.
The same things happen to a good person
as happen to a sinner.
The same things happen to a person who makes promises to God
as to one who does not.
3 This is something unfair that happens here on earth. The same things happen to everyone. So men’s minds are full of evil and foolish thoughts while they live. After that, they join the dead. 4 But anyone still alive has hope. Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5 The living know they will die.
But the dead no longer think about such things.
Dead people have no more reward.
People forget them.
6 After a person is dead,
he can no longer show love or hate or jealousy.
And he will never again share
in the things that happen here on earth.
Enjoy Life While You Can
7 So go eat your food and enjoy it.
Drink your wine and be happy.
It is all right with God
if you do this.
8 Put on nice clothes
and make yourself look good.
9 Enjoy life with the wife you love. Enjoy all the days of this short life God has given you here on earth. It is all you have. So enjoy the work you have to do here on earth. 10 Whatever work you do, do your best. This is because you are going to the grave. There is no working, no planning, no knowledge and no wisdom there.
Time and Chance
11 I also realized something else here on earth that is senseless:
The fast runner does not always win the race.
The strong army does not always win the battle.
The wise man does not always have food.
The smart man does not always become wealthy.
And the man with special skills does not always receive praise.
Bad things happen to everyone.
12 A person never knows what will happen to him next.
He is like a fish caught in a cruel net.
He is like a bird caught in a trap.
In the same way, a person is trapped by bad things
that suddenly happen to him.
Wisdom Does Not Always Win
13 I also saw something wise happen here on earth. And it was very impressive to me. 14 There was a small town with only a few people in it. A great king fought against it and put his armies all around it. 15 Now there was a wise man in the town. He was poor, but he used his wisdom to save his town. But later on, everyone forgot about him. 16 I still think wisdom is better than strength. But those people forgot about the poor man’s wisdom. And they stopped listening to what he said.
17 The quiet words of a wise man are better
than the shouts of a foolish ruler.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war.
But one sinner can destroy much good.
10 Dead flies will make even perfume smell bad.
In the same way, a little foolishness can ruin
a wise man’s fame for wisdom.
2 A wise man’s heart leads him in the right way.
But the heart of a foolish person leads him in the wrong way.
3 A foolish person is not wise.
It shows in everything he does.
Even as he walks along the road,
he shows everyone how stupid he is.
4 Don’t leave your job
just because the ruler is angry with you.
Remain calm.
It will help correct your mistakes.
5 Here is something else unfair that happens here on earth.
It is the kind of mistake rulers make:
6 Foolish people are given important positions
while rich people are given less important ones.
7 I have seen servants ride on horses
while princes walk beside them on foot.
8 Anyone who digs a pit might fall into it.
Anyone who knocks down a wall might be bitten by a snake.
9 Anyone who moves large stones might be hurt by them.
And anyone who cuts logs might get hurt while doing it.
10 Cutting logs with a dull ax
makes you work harder.
A wise man will sharpen his ax.
In the same way, wisdom can make any job easier.
11 Someone might know how to control snakes.
But what good is such wisdom if the snake has already bitten him?
12 A wise man’s words bring him praise.
But a foolish person’s words will destroy him.
13 A foolish person begins by saying something foolish.
In the end he is saying even crazier things.
14 A foolish person talks too much about what he will do.
No one knows the future.
No one can tell him what will happen after he dies.
15 A foolish person doesn’t know even the most obvious things.
He can’t even find his way back to town.
So he has to wear himself out working.
The Value of Work
16 How terrible it will be for a country
if its king is a child.
How terrible it will be for that country
if its leaders have parties all the time.
17 A country is well off
if its king comes from a good family.
It is good for a country
if its leaders control their eating and drinking.
They should eat and drink for strength,
not to get drunk.
18 If a person is lazy and doesn’t repair the roof,
it will begin to fall.
If he refuses to fix it,
the house will leak.
19 A party makes you feel good.
And wine makes you feel happy.
But both cost you a lot of money.
20 Don’t say or think bad things about the king.
And don’t say bad things about rich people even alone in your bedroom.
A little bird might report it to others.
A bird might fly to them and tell all you said.
Boldly Face the Future
11 Do good things everywhere you go.[a]
After a while the good you do will return to help you.
2 Invest what you have in several different businesses.
You don’t know what bad things might happen on earth.
3 If clouds are full of rain,
they will pour water on the earth.
A tree can fall to the north or south.
But it will stay where it falls.
4 If a person waits for perfect weather,
he will never plant his seeds.
And if he is afraid that every cloud will bring rain,
he will never harvest his crops.
5 You don’t know where the wind will blow.
And you don’t know how a baby grows in its mother’s body.
In the same way, God certainly made all things.
But you can’t understand what he is doing.
6 Begin planting early in the morning,
and don’t stop working until evening.
This is because you don’t know which things you do will succeed.
It is even possible that everything you do will succeed.
Serve God While You Are Young
7 It is good to be alive
to enjoy the light of day.
8 A person ought to enjoy every day of his life.
This is true no matter how long he lives.
But he should also remember this:
You will be dead much longer than you live.
After you are dead, you accomplish nothing.
9 Young people, enjoy yourselves while you are young.
Be happy while you are young.
Do whatever your heart desires.
Do whatever you want to do.
But remember that God will judge you
for everything you do.
10 So avoid sorrow and sadness.
Forget about all the bad things that happen to you.
This is because the joys of youth pass quickly away.
The Problems of Old Age
12 Remember your Creator while you are young.
Your old age is coming
when you will have many troubles.
When that time comes,
you won’t have much to enjoy.
2 When you become old,
the light from the sun, moon and stars will seem dark to you.
It will seem as if the rain clouds never go away.
3 At that time your arms will lose their strength.
Your strong legs will become weak and bent.
Your teeth will fall out so you cannot chew.
Your eyes will not see clearly.
4 Your ears will be deaf to the noise in the streets.
You will barely hear singing.
The sound of the millstone grinding your grain will seem very quiet.
But you’ll wake up when a bird first starts singing!
5 You will fear high places.
And you will be afraid to go for a walk because you may fall.
Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree.
You will limp along like a grasshopper when you walk.
Your desires will be gone.
Then you will go to your everlasting home.
And people will go to your funeral.
6 Remember God before your life is snapped like a silver chain.
Remember God before your life is broken like a golden bowl.
It will be as useless as a broken bucket at the spring.
It will be no good, like a broken wheel at a water well.
7 Your body will become part of the dust of the earth again.
But your spirit will return to God who gave it.
8 Everything is useless!
The Teacher says that everything is useless.
Conclusion
9 The Teacher was very wise. He taught the people what he knew. The Teacher very carefully thought about, studied and set in order many wise teachings. 10 The Teacher looked for just the right words. He wrote teachings that are dependable and true.
11 Words from wise men are like sharp sticks used to guide animals. These words are like nails that have been driven in firmly. They are wise teachings that come from God the Shepherd. 12 So be careful, my son, about other teachings. People are always writing books. And too much study will make you very tired.
13 Now, everything has been heard.
Here is my final advice:
Honor God and obey his commands.
This is the most important thing people can do.
14 God knows everything people do,
even the things done in secret.
He knows all the good and all the bad.
He will judge everything people do.
A Love Song
1 Solomon’s Song of Songs.
The Woman Speaks to the Man She Loves
2 Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth!
Your love is better than wine.
3 The smell of your perfume is pleasant.
Your name is pleasant like expensive perfume!
That’s why the young women love you.
4 Take me with you; let’s run.
The king takes me into his rooms.
Friends Speak to the Man
We will rejoice and be happy with you.
We praise your love more than wine.
The Woman Speaks
With good reason, the young women love you, my lover.
5 I’m dark but lovely,
women of Jerusalem.
I’m dark like the tents of Kedar,
like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Don’t look at how dark I am,
at how dark the sun has made me.
My brothers were angry with me.
They made me tend the vineyards.
So I haven’t tended my own vineyard!
7 Tell me, you whom I love,
where do you feed your sheep?
Where do you make them rest at noon?
Why should I look for you near your friend’s sheep?
Am I like a woman who wears a veil?[b]
The Man Speaks to the Woman
8 You are the most beautiful of women.
Surely you know to follow the sheep.
Feed your young goats
near the shepherds’ tents.
9 My darling, you are like a mare
that pulls the king’s chariots.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments.
Your neck is beautiful with jewels.
11 We will make for you gold earrings
with silver hooks.
The Woman Speaks
12 The smell of my perfume spreads out
to the king on his couch.
13 My lover is like a bag of myrrh
that lies all night between my breasts.
14 My lover is like a bunch of flowers
from the vineyards at En Gedi.
The Man Speaks
15 My darling, you are beautiful!
Oh, you are beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves!
The Woman Answers the Man
16 You are so handsome, my lover.
You are so pleasant!
Our bed is the grass.
17 The boards of our house are cedar trees.
And the wood of our ceiling is juniper trees.
The Woman Speaks Again
2 I am a rose in the Plain of Sharon.
I am a lily in the valleys.
The Man Speaks Again
2 Among the young women, my darling
is like a lily among thorns!
The Woman Answers
3 Among young men, my lover
is like an apple tree among the trees in the woods!
I enjoy sitting in his shadow.
His fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banquet room.
His banner over me is love.
5 Strengthen me with raisins.
Refresh me with apples,
because I am weak with love.
6 My lover’s left hand is under my head.
And his right arm holds me tight!
The Woman Speaks to the Friends
7 Women of Jerusalem, promise me
by the gazelles and the deer.
Promise not to wake love.
Don’t excite my feelings of love
until I’m ready.
The Woman Speaks Again
8 I hear my lover’s voice.
He comes jumping across the mountains.
He comes skipping over the hills!
9 My lover is like a gazelle or a young deer.
Look, he stands behind our wall.
He stares in through the windows,
looking through the blinds.
10 My lover spoke. He said to me,
“Get up, my darling.
Let’s go away, my beautiful one.
11 Look, the winter is past.
The rains are over and gone.
12 Blossoms appear through all the land.
The time has come to sing.
The cooing of doves is heard in our land.
13 There are young figs on the fig trees.
The blossoms on the vines smell sweet.
Get up, my darling.
Let’s go away, my beautiful one.”
The Man Speaks
14 My beloved is like a dove that hides in the cracks of the rock.
She hides in the secret places of the cliff.
Show me your face.
Let me hear your voice.
Your voice is very sweet,
and your face is lovely.
15 Catch the foxes for us—
the little foxes that ruin the vineyards.
Our vineyards are in blossom.
The Woman Speaks
16 My lover is mine, and I am his.
He feeds among the lilies
17 until the day dawns
and the shadows disappear.
Turn, my lover.
Be like a gazelle or a young deer
on the rugged mountains.
The Woman Dreams
3 At night on my bed,
I looked for the one I love.
I looked for him, but I could not find him.
2 I will get up now. I will go around the city,
in the streets and squares.
I will look for the one I love.
I looked for him, but I could not find him.
3 The watchmen found me as they patrolled the city.
I asked, “Have you seen the one I love?”
4 As soon as I had left them
I found the one I love.
I held him. I would not let him go
until I had brought him to my mother’s house.
I brought him into the room where I was born.
The Woman Speaks to the Friends
5 Women of Jerusalem, promise me
by the gazelles and the deer.
Promise not to wake love.
Don’t excite my feelings of love
until I’m ready.
6 Who is this coming out of the desert
like a cloud of smoke?
Who is this that smells like myrrh, incense
and other spices?
7 Look, it’s Solomon’s couch[c]
with 60 soldiers around it.
They are the finest soldiers of Israel.
8 These soldiers all carry swords.
They have been trained in war.
Every man wears his sword at his side.
He is ready for the dangers of the night.
9 King Solomon had a couch made for himself.
It is made of wood from Lebanon.
10 He made its posts of silver
and its braces of gold.
The seat was covered with purple cloth.
The women of Jerusalem wove it with love.
11 Women of Jerusalem, go out and see King Solomon.
He is wearing the crown his mother put on his head.
It was his wedding day,
when his heart was happy!
The Man Speaks to the Woman
4 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, you are beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are like doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead.
2 Your teeth are white like newly-sheared sheep
just coming from their bath.
Each one has a twin.
None of them is alone.
3 Your lips are like red silk thread.
Your mouth is lovely.
Your cheeks behind your veil
are like slices of a pomegranate.
4 Your neck looks like David’s tower.
The tower was built with rows of stones.
A thousand shields hang on its walls.
Each shield belongs to a strong soldier.
5 Your breasts are like two fawns.
They are like twins of a gazelle,
eating among the lilies.
6 Until the day dawns
and the shadows disappear,
I will go to that mountain of myrrh.
And I will go to that hill of incense.
7 My darling, everything about you is beautiful.
There is nothing at all wrong with you.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride.
Come with me from Lebanon.
Come from the top of Mount Amana,
from the tops of Mount Senir and Mount Hermon.
Come from the lions’ dens
and from the leopards’ hills.
9 My sister, my bride,
you have thrilled my heart.
You have thrilled my heart
with a glance of your eyes,
with one jewel from your necklace.
10 Your love is so sweet, my sister, my bride!
Your love is better than wine.
Your perfume smells better than any spice.
11 My bride, your lips drip honey.
Honey and milk are under your tongue.
Your clothes smell like the cedars of Lebanon.
12 My sister, my bride, you are like a garden locked up.
You are like a spring with a wall around it, a fountain that is closed.
13 Your limbs are like an orchard
of pomegranates and all the best fruit.
It is filled with flowers and nard.
14 It also has saffron, calamus and cinnamon.
It is filled with trees of incense, myrrh and aloes—
all the best spices.
15 You are like a garden fountain—
a well of fresh water
flowing down from the mountains of Lebanon.
The Woman Speaks
16 Awake, north wind!
Come, you south wind!
Blow on my garden.
Let its sweet smells flow out.
Let my lover enter the garden.
And let him eat its best fruits.
The Man Speaks
5 I have entered my garden, my sister, my bride.
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey.
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
The Friends Speak
Eat, friends, and drink.
Yes, drink deeply, lovers.
The Woman Dreams
2 I sleep, but my heart is awake.
I hear my lover knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my perfect one.
My head is wet with dew.
And my hair is wet with the dampness of the night.”
3 I have taken off my garment.
I don’t want to put it on again!
I have washed my feet.
I don’t want to get them dirty again!
4 My lover put his hand through the door opening.
I felt excited inside.
5 I got up to open the door for my lover.
Myrrh was dripping from my hands.
Myrrh was flowing from my fingers,
onto the handles of the lock.
6 I opened the door for my lover.
But my lover had left. He was gone.
When he had spoken, he had taken my breath away.
I looked for him, but I could not find him.
I called for him, but he did not answer me.
7 The watchmen found me
as they patrolled the city.
They hit me; they hurt me.
The guards on the wall took away my coat.
8 I tell you, women of Jerusalem,
if you find my lover,
tell him I am weak with love.
The Friends Answer the Woman
9 Is your lover better than other lovers,
you, the most beautiful of women?
Is your lover better than other lovers?
Is that why you talk like this?
The Woman Answers the Friends
10 My lover is clean and tanned.
He’s the best of 10,000 men.
11 His head is like the finest gold.
His hair is wavy and black like a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
by springs of water.
They seem to be bathed in cream.
They are set like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like garden beds of spices.
They smell like mounds of perfume.
His lips are like lilies
flowing with myrrh.
14 His hands are like gold hinges,
filled with jewels.
His body is like smooth ivory
covered with sapphires.
15 His legs are like large marble posts,
standing on bases of fine gold.
He is tall like a cedar of Lebanon—
like the best cedar trees.
16 His mouth is sweet to kiss.
I desire him very much.
Yes, daughters of Jerusalem,
this is my lover.
This is my friend.
The Friends Speak to the Woman
6 Where has your lover gone,
most beautiful of women?
Which way did your lover turn?
We will look for him with you.
The Woman Answers the Friends
2 My lover has gone down to his garden.
He has gone to the garden beds of spices
to feed in the gardens
and to gather lilies.
3 I belong to my lover.
And my lover belongs to me.
He feeds among the lilies.
The Man Speaks to the Woman
4 My darling, you are as beautiful as the city of Tirzah.
You are as lovely as the city of Jerusalem.
You are as wonderful as an army flying flags.
5 Turn your eyes from me.
They excite me too much!
Your hair is like a flock of goats
streaming down Mount Gilead.
6 Your teeth are white like sheep
just coming from their bath.
Each one has a twin.
None of them is alone.
7 Your cheeks behind your veil
are like slices of a pomegranate.
8 There may be 60 queens and 80 slave women
and so many girls you cannot count them.
9 But there is only one like my dove, my perfect one.
She is her mother’s only daughter,
the brightest of the one who gave her birth.
The young women saw her and called her happy.
The queens and the slave women also praised her.
The Young Women Praise the Woman
10 Who is that young woman?
She shines out like the dawn.
She’s as pretty as the moon.
She’s as bright as the sun.
And she’s as wonderful
as an army flying flags.
The Man Speaks
11 I went down into the orchard of nut trees.
I went to see the blossoms of the valley.
I went to look for buds on the vines,
to see if the pomegranate trees had bloomed.
12 My desire for you makes me feel
like a prince in a chariot.
The Friends Call to the Woman
13 Come back, come back, woman of Shulam.
Come back, come back,
so we may look at you!
The Woman Answers the Friends
Why do you want to look at the woman of Shulam
as you would at the dance of two groups?
The Man Speaks to the Woman
7 Your feet are beautiful in sandals,
you daughter of a prince.
Your round thighs are like jewels
shaped by an artist.
2 Your navel is like a round drinking cup
always filled with wine.
Your stomach is like a pile of wheat
with lilies around it like a fence.
3 Your breasts are like two fawns.
They are like twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are like the pools in Heshbon
near the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon
which looks toward Damascus.
5 Your head is like Mount Carmel.
And your hair is like purple cloth.
The king is captured in its folds.
6 You are beautiful.
You are very pleasant.
My love, you are full of delights!
7 You are tall like a palm tree.
Your breasts are like its bunches of fruit.
8 I said, “I will climb up the palm tree.
I will take hold of its fruit.”
Let your breasts be like bunches of grapes.
Let the smell of your breath be like apples.
9 And let your mouth be like the best wine.
The Woman Speaks to the Man
Let this wine go down sweetly for my lover.
May it flow gently past the lips and teeth.
10 I belong to my lover,
and he desires only me.
11 Come, my lover.
Let’s go out into the country.
Let’s spend the night in the fields.
12 Let’s go early to the vineyards.
Let’s see if the buds are on the vines.
Let’s see if the blossoms have already opened
and if the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I will give you my love.
13 The mandrake flowers give their sweet smell.
And at our gates there are all the best fruits.
I have saved them for you, my lover,
the old delights and the new.
8 I wish you were like my brother
who was fed at my mother’s breasts!
If I found you outside,
I would kiss you.
And no one would look down on me.
2 I would lead you and bring you
to my mother’s house.
She is the one who has taught me.
I would give you a drink of spiced wine
from my pomegranates.
The Woman Speaks to the Friends
3 My lover’s left hand is under my head.
And his right arm holds me tight!
4 Women of Jerusalem, promise me.
Promise not to wake love.
Don’t excite my feelings of love
until I’m ready.
The Friends Speak
5 Who is this coming out of the desert,
leaning on her lover?
The Man Speaks to the Woman
I woke you under the apple tree.
It was there that you were born.
There your mother gave birth to you.
6 Put me like a seal on your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
Love is as strong as death.
Desire is as strong as the grave.
Love bursts into flames.
It burns like a very hot fire.
7 Even much water cannot put out the flame of love.
Floods cannot drown love.
If a man offered everything in his house for love,
people would totally reject it.
The Woman’s Brothers Speak
8 We have a little sister,
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What should we do for our sister
on the day she becomes engaged?
9 If she is a wall,
we will put silver towers on her.
If she is a door,
we will protect her with cedar boards.
The Woman Speaks
10 I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
So I was to him,
as one who brings happiness.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon.
He rented the vineyards for others to tend.
Everyone who rented had to pay
25 pounds of silver for the fruit.
12 But my own vineyard is mine to give.
Solomon, the 25 pounds of silver are for you.
And 5 pounds are for those who tend the fruit.
The Man Speaks to the Woman
13 You who live in the gardens,
my friends are listening for your voice.
Let me hear it!
The Woman Speaks to the Man
14 Hurry, my lover.
Be like a gazelle
or a young deer
on the mountains where spices grow.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.