Study Desk

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.

Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, For childhood and youth are vanity.

Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.

For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

The Shulamite Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth--For your [fn] love is better than wine.

Sustain me with cakes of raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick.

For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.

"O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely."

Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.

Your neck is like the tower of David, Built for an armory, On which hang a thousand bucklers, All shields of mighty men.

I sleep, but my heart is awake; It is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, "Open for me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night."

My beloved put his hand By the latch of the door, And my heart yearned for him.

I arose to open for my beloved, And my hands dripped with myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the lock.

I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

Turn your eyes away from me, For they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats Going down from Gilead.

And the roof of your mouth like the best wine. The ShulamiteThe wine goes down smoothly for my beloved,Moving gently the lips of sleepers. [fn]

The mandrakes give off a fragrance, And at our gates are pleasant fruits, All manner, new and old, Which I have laid up for you, my beloved.

The Shulamite to Her BelovedSet me as a seal upon your heart,As a seal upon your arm;For love is as strong as death,Jealousy as cruel as the grave; [fn] Its flames are flames of fire,A most vehement [fn] flame.

Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.