Day 248 of 730

¹I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved. Beloved

²I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night."

³I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?

⁴My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.

⁵I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

⁶I opened to my beloved; but my beloved left; and had gone away. My heart went out when he spoke. I looked for him, but I did not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.

⁷The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.

⁸I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love. Friends

⁹How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us? Beloved

¹⁰My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.

¹¹His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.

¹²His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.

¹³His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

¹⁴His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.

¹⁵His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

¹⁶His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem. Friends

¹Where has your beloved gone, you fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you? Beloved

²My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

³I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. He browses among the lilies,

⁴You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.

⁵Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Gilead.

⁶Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing; of which every one has twins; none is bereaved among them.

⁷Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.

⁸There are sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.

⁹My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother's only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

¹⁰Who is she who looks forth as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

¹¹I went down into the nut tree grove, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.

¹²Without realizing it, my desire set me with my royal people's chariots. Friends

¹³Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?

¹Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand, and his holy arm, have worked salvation for him.

²The Lord has made known his salvation. He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

³He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

⁴Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

⁵Sing praises to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody.

⁶With trumpets and sound of the ram's horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

⁷Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.

⁸Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together.

⁹Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

¹The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him.

²"Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

³Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, 'Where is strong drink?'

⁵lest they drink, and forget the decree, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul:

⁷Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy."

¹⁰Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.

¹²She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

¹³She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.

¹⁵She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn't go out by night.

¹⁹She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn't eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:

²⁹"Many women do noble things, but you excel them all."

³⁰Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!