SONG OF SOLOMON 3

« Song of Solomon 2 | Song of Solomon 3 | Song of Solomon 4 »

The Bride’s Dream3:1

On my bed by night

I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him, but found him not. 2

I will rise now and go about the city,

in the streets and in the squares;

I will seek him whom my soul loves.

I sought him, but found him not. 3

The watchmen found me

as they went about in the city.

“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” 4

Scarcely had I passed them

when I found him whom my soul loves.

I held him, and would not let him go

until I had brought him into my mother’s house,

and into the chamber of her who conceived me. 5

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the does of the field,

that you not stir up or awaken love

until it pleases. Solomon Arrives for the Wedding6

What is that coming up from the wilderness

like columns of smoke,

perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,

with all the fragrant powders of a merchant? 7

Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!

Around it are sixty mighty men,

some of the mighty men of Israel, 8

all of them wearing swords

and expert in war,

each with his sword at his thigh,

against terror by night. 9

King Solomon made himself a carriage

from the wood of Lebanon. 10

He made its posts of silver,

its back of gold, its seat of purple;

its interior was inlaid with love

by the daughters of Jerusalem. 11

Go out, O daughters of Zion,

and look upon King Solomon,

with the crown with which his mother crowned him

on the day of his wedding,

on the day of the gladness of his heart.

SONG OF SOLOMON 4

« Song of Solomon 3 | Song of Solomon 4 | Song of Solomon 5 »

Solomon Admires His Bride’s BeautyHe4:1

Behold, you are beautiful, my love,

behold, you are beautiful!

Your eyes are doves

behind your veil.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

leaping down the slopes of Gilead. 2

Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes

that have come up from the washing,

all of which bear twins,

and not one among them has lost its young. 3

Your lips are like a scarlet thread,

and your mouth is lovely.

Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate

behind your veil. 4

Your neck is like the tower of David,

built in rows of stone;

on it hang a thousand shields,

all of them shields of warriors. 5

Your two breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle,

that graze among the lilies. 6

Until the day breathes

and the shadows flee,

I will go away to the mountain of myrrh

and the hill of frankincense. 7

You are altogether beautiful, my love;

there is no flaw in you. 8

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;

come with me from Lebanon.

Depart from the peak of Amana,

from the peak of Senir and Hermon,

from the dens of lions,

from the mountains of leopards.
9

You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;

you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes,

with one jewel of your necklace. 10

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!

How much better is your love than wine,

and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! 11

Your lips drip nectar, my bride;

honey and milk are under your tongue;

the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. 12

A garden locked is my sister, my bride,

a spring locked, a fountain sealed. 13

Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates

with all choicest fruits,

henna with nard, 14

nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,

with all trees of frankincense,

myrrh and aloes,

with all choice spices— 15

a garden fountain, a well of living water,

and flowing streams from Lebanon. 16

Awake, O north wind,

and come, O south wind!

Blow upon my garden,

let its spices flow.Together in the Garden of LoveSheLet my beloved come to his garden,and eat its choicest fruits.

PROVERBS 3

« Proverbs 2 | Proverbs 3 | Proverbs 4 »

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart3:1

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments, 2

for length of days and years of life

and peace they will add to you.
3

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;

bind them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart. 4

So you will find favor and good success

in the sight of God and man.
5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding. 6

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths. 7

Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8

It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment to your bones.
9

Honor the Lord with your wealth

and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10

then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.
11

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline

or be weary of his reproof, 12

for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights. Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom13

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,

and the one who gets understanding, 14

for the gain from her is better than gain from silver

and her profit better than gold. 15

She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare with her. 16

Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor. 17

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace. 18

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

those who hold her fast are called blessed.
19

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;

by understanding he established the heavens; 20

by his knowledge the deeps broke open,

and the clouds drop down the dew.
21

My son, do not lose sight of these—

keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22

and they will be life for your soul

and adornment for your neck. 23

Then you will walk on your way securely,

and your foot will not stumble. 24

If you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25

Do not be afraid of sudden terror

or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, 26

for the Lord will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being caught. 27

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to do it.
28

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. 29

Do not plan evil against your neighbor,

who dwells trustingly beside you. 30

Do not contend with a man for no reason,

when he has done you no harm. 31

Do not envy a man of violence

and do not choose any of his ways, 32

for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,

but the upright are in his confidence. 33

The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 34

Toward the scorners he is scornful,

but to the humble he gives favor. 35

The wise will inherit honor,

but fools get disgrace.

2 TIMOTHY 1

« 1 Timothy 6 | 2 Timothy 1 | 2 Timothy 2 »

Greeting  1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
    2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
    Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
    8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
    15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.