Study Desk

(1-4) I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

(1-5) Do not consider me that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour: the sons of my mother have fought against me, they have made me the keeper in the vineyards: my vineyard I have not kept.

I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys.

Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat the fruit of his apple trees. I am come into my garden, O my sister, my spouse, I have gathered my myrrh, with my aromatical spices: I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, my dearly beloved.

I am a wall: and my breasts are as a tower since I am become in his presence as one finding peace.

To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full, I desire not holocausts of rams, and fat of fatlings, and blood of calves, and lambs, and buck goats.

My soul hateth your new moons, and your solemnities: they are become troublesome to me, I am weary of bearing them.

In that day he shall answer, saying: I am no healer, and in my house there is no bread, nor clothing: make me not ruler of the people.

And I said: Woe is me, because I have held my peace; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people that hath unclean lips, and I have seen with my eyes the King the Lord of hosts.

And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send? and who shall go for us? And I said: Lo, here am I, send me.

The princes of Tanis are become fools, the wise counsellors of Pharao have given foolish counsel: how will you say to Pharao: I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.

I am the Lord that keep it, I will suddenly give it drink: lest any hurt come to it, I keep it night and day.

Neither shall he that is near, say: I am feeble. The people that dwell therein, shall have their iniquity taken away from them.

And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me: Go up against this land, and destroy it.

Who hath wrought and done these things, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, I am the first and the last.

Fear not, for I am with thee: turn not aside, for I am thy God: I have strengthened thee, and have helped thee, and the right hand of my just one hath upheld thee.

For I am the Lord thy God, who take thee by the hand, and say to thee: Fear not, I have helped thee.

For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I have given Egypt for thy atonement, Ethiopia and Saba for thee.

Fear not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.