Day 627 of 730

¹I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, "Come!"

²And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.

³When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!"

⁴Another came forth, a fiery red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.

⁵When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come!" And I saw, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.

⁶I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenixes of barley for a denarius! Do not damage the oil and the wine!"

⁷When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, "Come!"

⁸And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hell followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.

⁹When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they had.

¹⁰They called out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

¹¹A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a little longer, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.

¹²I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood.

¹³The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.

¹⁴The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

¹⁵The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.

¹⁶They told the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,

¹⁷for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?"

¹The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?

²When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

³Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.

⁴One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to see the Lord's beauty, and to inquire in his temple.

⁵For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the covert of his tabernacle he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock.

⁶Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me. I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

⁷Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me.

⁸When you said, "Seek my face," my heart said to you, "I will seek your face, Lord."

⁹Do not hide your face from me. Do not put your servant away in anger. You have been my help. Do not abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation.

¹⁰When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

¹¹Teach me your way, Lord. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.

¹²Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty.

¹³I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

¹⁴Wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord.

¹My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

²Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

³Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,

⁵that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

⁶For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.

⁷I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

⁸passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

⁹in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

¹⁰Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

¹¹She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.

¹²Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

¹³So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

¹⁴"Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.

¹⁵Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

¹⁶I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

¹⁷I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.

¹⁹For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.

²⁰He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."

²¹With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

²²He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

²³Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.

²⁴Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

²⁵Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,

²⁶for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

²⁷Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.