Month: February 2020

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 12

The Twilight of Life

1 So remember your Creator in the days of your youth:

Before the days of adversity come,

and the years approach when you will say,

“I have no delight in them”;

2 before the sun and the light are darkened,

and the moon and the stars,

and the clouds return afterthe rain;

3 on the day when the guardians of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

the women who grind cease because they are few,

and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly,

4 the doors at the street are shut

while the sound of the mill fades;

when one rises at the sound of a bird,

and all the daughters of song grow faint.

5 Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road;

the almond tree blossoms,

the grasshopper loses its spring,

and the caper berry has no effect;

for man is headed to his eternal home,

and mourners will walk around in the street;

6 before the silver cord is snapped,

and the gold bowl is broken,

and the jar is shattered at the spring,

and the wheel is broken into the well;

7 and the dust returns to the earth as it once was,

and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8 “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile.”

The Teacher’s Objectives and Conclusion

9 In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs.

10 The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately.

11 The sayings of the wise are like goads,and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails.The sayings are given by one Shepherd.

12 But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books,and much study wearies the body.

13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear Godand keep His commands, because this is for all humanity.

14 For God will bring every act to judgment,including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ECC/12-27fc7335f91cefffe3f690f36422d773.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 1

Solomon’s Finest Song.

2 Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For yourlove ismore delightful than wine.

3 The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating;

your name is perfume poured out.

No wonder young womenadore you.

4 Take me with you— let us hurry.

Oh, that the king would bringme to his chambers.

We will rejoice and be glad for you;

we will praise your love more than wine.

It is only right that they adore you.

5 Daughters of Jerusalem,

I am dark like the tents of Kedar,

yet lovelylike the curtains of Solomon.

6 Do not stare at me because I am dark,

for the sun has gazed on me.

My mother’s sons were angry with me;

they made me a keeper of the vineyards.

I have not kept my own vineyard.

7 Tell me, you, the one I love:

Where do you pasture your sheep?

Where do you let them rest at noon?

Why should I be like one who veils herself

beside the flocks of your companions?

8 If you do not know,

most beautiful of women,

followthe tracks of the flock,

and pasture your young goats

near the shepherds’ tents.

9 I compare you, my darling,

to amare among Pharaoh’s chariots.

10 Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry,

your neck with its necklace.

11 We will make gold jewelry for you,

accented with silver.

12 While the king is on his couch,

my perfumereleases its fragrance.

13 My love is a sachet of myrrh to me,

spending the night between my breasts.

14 My love is a cluster of henna blossoms to me,

in the vineyards of En-gedi.

15 How beautiful you are, my darling.

How very beautiful!

Your eyes are doves.

16 How handsome you are, my love.

How delightful!

Our bed is lush with foliage;

17 the beams of our house are cedars,

and our rafters are cypresses.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/1-94f94f94a988e35bd305a97b8bedb0d2.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 2

I am a roseof Sharon,

a lilyof the valleys.

2 Like a lily among thorns,

so is my darling among the young women.

3 Like an apricottree among the trees of the forest,

so is my love among the young men.

I delight to sit in his shade,

and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

4 He brought me to the banquet hall,

and he looked on me with love.

5 Sustain me with raisins;

refresh me with apricots,

for I am lovesick.

6 His left hand is under my head,

and his right arm embraces me.

7 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you

by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.

8 Listen! My love is approaching.

Look! Here he comes,

leaping over the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

9 My love is like a gazelle

or a young stag.

Look, he is standing behind our wall,

gazing through the windows,

peering through the lattice.

10 My love calls to me:

Arise,my darling.

Come away, my beautiful one.

11 For now the winter is past;

the rain has ended and gone away.

12 The blossoms appear in the countryside.

The time of singinghas come,

and the turtledove’s cooing is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree ripens its figs;

the blossoming vines give off their fragrance.

Arise, my darling.

Come away, my beautiful one.

14 My dove,in the clefts of the rock,

in the crevices of the cliff,

let me see your face,

let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet,

and your face is lovely.

15 Catch the foxes for us—

the little foxes that ruin the vineyards —

for our vineyards are in bloom.

16 My love is mine and I am his;

he feeds among the lilies.

17 Before the day breaks

and the shadows flee,

turn to me, my love, and be like a gazelle

or a young stagon the divided mountains.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/2-76394489e6686569404f6c914f65ae2b.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 3

In my bed at night

I sought the one I love;

I sought him, but did not find him.

2 I will arise now and go about the city,

through the streets and the plazas.

I will seek the one I love.

I sought him, but did not find him.

3 The guards who go about the city found me.

I asked them, “Have you seen the one I love? ”

4 I had just passed them

when I found the one I love.

I held on to him and would not let him go

until I brought him to my mother’s house—

to the chamber of the one who conceived me.

5 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you

by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.

6 What is thiscoming up from the wilderness

like columns of smoke,

scented with myrrh and frankincense

from every fragrant powder of the merchant?

7 It is Solomon’s royal litter

surrounded by 60 warriors

from the mighty of Israel.

8 All of them are skilled with swords

and trained in warfare.

Each has his sword at his side

to guard against the terror of the night.

9 King Solomon made a sedan chairfor himself

with wood from Lebanon.

10 He made its posts of silver,

its backof gold,

and its seat of purple.

Its interior is inlaid with love

by the young women of Jerusalem.

11 Come out, young women of Zion,

and gaze at King Solomon,

wearing the crown his mother placed on him

the day of his wedding—

the day of his heart’s rejoicing.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/3-a9486eb54e0e1ce04b333f590defc4a7.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 4

1 M

How beautiful you are, my darling.

How very beautiful!

Behind your veil,

your eyes are doves.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

streaming down Mount Gilead.

2 Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheep

coming up from washing,

each one having a twin,

and not one missing.

3 Your lips are like a scarlet cord,

and your mouthis lovely.

Behind your veil,

your browis like a slice of pomegranate.

4 Your neck is like the tower of David,

constructed in layers.

A thousand bucklers are hung on it —

all of them shields of warriors.

5 Your breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle,that feed among the lilies.

6 Before the day breaks

and the shadows flee,

I will make my way to the mountain of myrrh

and the hill of frankincense.

7 You are absolutely beautiful,my darling,

with no imperfection in you.

8 Come with me from Lebanon,my bride—

with me from Lebanon!

Descend from the peak of Amana,

from the summit of Senir and Hermon,

from the dens of the lions,

from the mountains of the leopards.

9 You have captured my heart,my sister,my bride.

You have captured my heart with one glance of your eyes,

with one jewel of your necklace.

10 How delightful your love is, my sister, my bride.

Your love is much better than wine,

and the fragrance of your perfume than any balsam.

11 Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride.

Honey and milkare under your tongue.

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

12 My sister, my bride, you are a locked garden —

a locked gardenand a sealed spring.

13 Your branches are a paradiseof pomegranates

with choicest fruits,

henna with nard —

14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,

with all the trees of frankincense,

myrrh and aloes,

with all the best spices.

15 You are a garden spring,

a well of flowing water

streaming from Lebanon.

16 Awaken,north wind —

come, south wind.

Blow on my garden,

and spread the fragrance of its spices.

Let my love come to his garden

and eat its choicest fruits.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/4-daf9963bdce2ba087af34afe2832be73.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 5

1 M

I have come to my garden — my sister, my bride.

I gathermy myrrh with my spices.

I eat my honeycomb with my honey.

I drink my wine with my milk.

Eat, friends!

Drink, be intoxicated with love!

2 I sleep, but my heart is awake.

A sound! My love is knocking!

Open to me, my sister, my darling,

my dove, my perfect one.

For my head is drenched with dew,

my hair with droplets of the night.

3 I have taken off my clothing.

How can I put it back on?

I have washed my feet.

How can I get them dirty?

4 My love thrust his hand through the opening,

and my feelings were stirred for him.

5 I rose to open for my love.

My hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with flowing myrrh

on the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened to my love,

but my love had turned and gone away.

I was crushedthat he had left.

I sought him, but did not find him.

I called him, but he did not answer.

7 The guards who go about the city found me.

They beat and wounded me;

they took my cloakfrom me —

the guardians of the walls.

8 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you:

if you find my love,

tell him that I am lovesick.

9 What makes the one you love better than another,

most beautiful of women?

What makes him better than another,

that you would give us this charge?

10 My love is fit and strong,

notable among ten thousand.

11 His head is purest gold.

His hair is wavy

and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves

beside streams of water,

washed in milk

and set like jewels.

13 His cheeksare like beds of spice,

towers ofperfume.

His lips are lilies,

dripping with flowing myrrh.

14 His armsare rods of gold

setwith topaz.

His bodyis an ivory panel

covered with sapphires.

15 His legs are alabaster pillars

set on pedestals of pure gold.

His presence is like Lebanon,

as majestic as the cedars.

16 His mouth is sweetness.

He is absolutely desirable.

This is my love, and this is my friend,

young women of Jerusalem.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/5-83db08cf18ee39e60a6249f5663c9db8.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 6

1 Y

Where has your love gone,

most beautiful of women?

Which way has heturned?

We will seek him with you.

2 My love has gone down to his garden,

to beds of spice,

to feed in the gardens

and gather lilies.

3 I am my love’s and my love is mine;

he feeds among the lilies.

4 You are as beautiful as Tirzah,my darling,

lovely as Jerusalem,

awe-inspiring as an army with banners.

5 Turn your eyes away from me,

for they captivate me.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

streaming down from Gilead.

6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes

coming up from washing,

each one having a twin,

and not one missing.

7 Behind your veil,

your browis like a slice of pomegranate.

8 There are 60 queens

and 80 concubines

and young womenwithout number.

9 But my dove,my virtuous one, is unique;

she is the favorite of her mother,

perfect to the one who gave her birth.

Women see her and declare her fortunate;

queens and concubines also, and they sing her praises:

10 Who is thiswho shines like the dawn —

as beautiful as the moon,

bright as the sun,

awe-inspiring as an army with banners?

11 I came down to the walnut grove

to see the blossoms of the valley,

to see if the vines were budding

and the pomegranates blooming.

12 Before I knew it,

my desire put me

among the chariots of my noble people.

13 Come back, come back, Shulammite!

Come back, come back, that we may look at you!

Why are you looking at the Shulammite,

as you look at the danceof the two camps?

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/6-5a71354573438d7c15f227698037b3a2.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 7

How beautiful are your sandaled feet, princess!

The curves of your thighs are like jewelry,

the handiwork of a master.

2 Your navel is a rounded bowl;

it never lacks mixed wine.

Your waistis a mound of wheat

surrounded by lilies.

3 Your breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle.

4 Your neck is like a tower of ivory,

your eyes like pools in Heshbon

by the gate of Bath-rabbim.

Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon

looking toward Damascus.

5 Your head crowns youlike Mount Carmel,

the hair of your head like purple cloth —

a king could be held captivein your tresses.

6 How beautiful you are and how pleasant,

my love, with such delights!

7 Your stature is like a palm tree;

your breasts are clusters of fruit.

8 I said, “I will climb the palm tree

and take hold of its fruit.”

May your breasts be like clusters of grapes,

and the fragrance of your breath like apricots.

9 Your mouthis like fine wine—

flowing smoothly for my love,

gliding past my lips and teeth!

10 I belong to my love,

and his desireis for me.

11 Come, my love,

let’s go to the field;

let’s spend the night among the henna blossoms.

12 Let’s go early to the vineyards;

let’s see if the vine has budded,

if the blossom has opened,

if the pomegranates are in bloom.

There I will give you my love.

13 The mandrakesgive off a fragrance,

and at our doors is every delicacy —

new as well as old.

I have treasured them up for you, my love.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/7-42b4a3a3ee4ab03fb61eab5a992e7e57.mp3?version_id=72—

Song of Songs

Song of Songs 8

If only I could treat you like my brother,

one who nursed at my mother’s breasts,

I would find you in public and kiss you,

and no one would scorn me.

2 I would lead you, I would take you,

to the house of my motherwho taught me.

I would give you spiced wine to drink

from my pomegranate juice.

3 His left hand is under my head,

and his right arm embraces me.

4 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you:

do not stir up or awaken love

until the appropriate time.

5 Who is thiscoming up from the wilderness,

leaning on the one she loves?

I awakened you under the apricot tree.

There your mother conceived you;

there she conceived and gave you birth.

6 Set me as a seal on your heart,

as a seal on your arm.

For love is as strong as death;

ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol.

Love’s flames are fiery flames—

the fiercest of all.

7 Mighty waters cannot extinguish love;

rivers cannot sweep it away.

If a man were to give all his wealthfor love,

it would be utterly scorned.

8 Our sister is young;

she has no breasts.

What will we do for our sister

on the day she is spoken for?

9 If she is a wall,

we will build a silver parapet on it.

If she is a door,

we will enclose it with cedar planks.

10 I ama wall

and my breasts like towers.

So in his eyes I have become

like one who finds peace.

11 Solomon owned a vineyard in Baal-hamon.

He leased the vineyard to tenants.

Each was to bring for his fruit

1,000 pieces of silver.

12 I have my own vineyard.

The 1,000 are for you, Solomon,

but 200 for those who guard its fruits.

13 Youwho dwell in the gardens —

companionsare listening for your voice —

let me hear you!

14 Hurry to me, my love,

and be like a gazelle

or a young stag

on the mountains of spices.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/SNG/8-1588dc93da40b461ced2f41a27de34bc.mp3?version_id=72—

Isaiah

Isaiah 1

1 The visionconcerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiahson of Amoz saw during the reignsof Uzziah,Jotham,Ahaz,and Hezekiah,kings of Judah.

Judah on Trial

2 Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth,

for theLordhas spoken:

“I have raised childrenand brought them up,

but they have rebelled against Me.

3 The ox knows its owner,

and the donkey its master’s feeding trough,

but Israel does not know;

My people do not understand.”

4 Oh sinful nation,

people weighed down with iniquity,

brood of evildoers,

depraved children!

They have abandonedtheLord;

they have despisedthe Holy One of Israel;

they have turned their backs on Him.

5 Why do you want more beatings?

Why do you keep on rebelling?

The whole head is hurt,

and the whole heart is sick.

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,

no spot is uninjured—

wounds, welts, and festering sores

not cleansed, bandaged,

or soothed with oil.

7 Your land is desolate,

your cities burned with fire;

foreigners devour your fields

before your very eyes —

a desolation demolished by foreigners.

8 Daughter Zionis abandoned

like a shelter in a vineyard,

like a shack in a cucumber field,

like a besieged city.

9 If theLordof Hosts

had not left us a few survivors,

we would be like Sodom,

we would resemble Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of theLord,

you rulers of Sodom!

Listen to the instruction of our God,

you people of Gomorrah!

11 “What are all your sacrifices to Me? ”

asks theLord.

“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams

and the fat of well-fed cattle;

I have no desire for the blood of bulls,

lambs, or male goats.

12 When you come to appear before Me,

who requires this from you —

this trampling of My courts?

13 Stop bringing useless offerings.

Your incense is detestable to Me.

New Moons and Sabbaths,

and the calling of solemn assemblies—

I cannot stand iniquitywith a festival.

14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals.

They have become a burden to Me;

I am tired of putting up with them.

15 When you lift up your hands in prayer,

I will refuse to look at you;

even if you offer countless prayers,

I will not listen.

Your hands are covered with blood.

Purification of Jerusalem

16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.

Remove your evil deeds from My sight.

Stop doing evil.

17 Learn to do what is good.

Seek justice.

Correct the oppressor.

Defend the rights of the fatherless.

Plead the widow’s cause.

18 “Come, let us discuss this,”

says theLord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

they will be as white as snow;

though they are as red as crimson,

they will be like wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient,

you will eat the good things of the land.

20 But if you refuse and rebel,

you will be devoured by the sword.”

For the mouth of theLordhas spoken.

21 The faithful city —

what an adulteressshe has become!

She was once full of justice.

Righteousness once dwelt in her —

but now, murderers!

22 Your silver has become dross,

your beeris diluted with water.

23 Your rulers are rebels,

friends of thieves.

They all love graft

and chase after bribes.

They do not defend the rights of the fatherless,

and the widow’s case never comes before them.

24 Therefore the LordGodof Hosts,

the Mighty One of Israel, declares:

“Ah, I will gain satisfaction from My foes;

I will take revenge against My enemies.

25 I will turn My hand against you

and will burn away your drosscompletely;

I will remove all your impurities.

26 I will restore your judgesto what they once were,

and your advisers to their former state.

Afterward you will be called the Righteous City,

a Faithful City.”

27 Zion will be redeemed by justice,

her repentant ones by righteousness.

28 But both rebels and sinners will be destroyed,

and those who abandon theLordwill perish.

29 Indeed, theywill be ashamed of the sacred trees

you desired,

and you will be embarrassed because of the gardens

you have chosen.

30 For you will become like an oak

whose leaves are withered,

and like a garden without water.

31 The strong one will become tinder,

and his work a spark;

both will burn together,

with no one to quench the flames.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ISA/1-57aabb05a636c076fc3a09f880d8d53e.mp3?version_id=72—