Study Desk

[She] I am asleep, but my heart is awake. Listen! I hear my darling knocking! [He] Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my flawless one! For my head is wet with dew, my hair with the moisture of the night.

I opened for my darling, but my darling had turned and gone. My heart had failed me when he spoke — I sought him, but I couldn't find him; I called him, but he didn't answer.

[He] You are as beautiful as Tirtzah, my love, as lovely as Yerushalayim, but formidable as an army marching under banners.

but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, her mother's only child, the darling of the one who bore her. The daughters see her and call her happy; the queens and concubines praise her.

"Who is this, shining forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun" — but formidable as an army marching under banners?

[Chorus] Where has your darling gone, you most beautiful of women? Which way did your darling turn, so that we can help you find him? [She] My darling went down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens and to gather lilies. I belong to the man I love, and he belongs to me; he pastures his flock among the lilies. [He] You are as beautiful as Tirtzah, my love, as lovely as Yerushalayim, but formidable as an army marching under banners. Turn your eyes away from me, because they overwhelm me! Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Gil‘ad. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep that have just come up from being washed; each of them is matched, and none of them is missing. Your cheeks are like a pomegranate split open behind your veil. There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, as well as young women beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, her mother's only child, the darling of the one who bore her. The daughters see her and call her happy; the queens and concubines praise her. "Who is this, shining forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun" — but formidable as an army marching under banners? [She] I had gone down to the nut orchard to see the fresh green plants in the valley, to see if the vine had budded, or if the pomegranate trees were in bloom. Before I knew it, I found myself in a chariot, and with me was a prince.

"Hear, heaven! Listen, earth! For Adonai is speaking. "I raised and brought up children, but they rebelled against me.

An ox knows its owner and a donkey its master's stall, but Isra'el does not know, my people do not reflect.

Yes, you come to appear in my presence; but who asked you to do this, to trample through my courtyards?

but if you refuse and rebel, you will be eaten by the sword"; for the mouth of Adonai has spoken.

How the faithful city has become a whore! Once she was filled with justice, righteousness lodged in her; but now murderers!

But I will also turn my hand against you! I will cleanse your impurities as with lye and remove all your alloyed base metal.

But on that day, he will protest, "I don't have a remedy, I lack food and clothing for my own house; don't put me in charge of people!"

but woe to the wicked, it will go badly with him; for what he has done will be done to him.

He dug up its stones and cleared them away, planted it with the choicest vines, built a watchtower in the middle of it, and carved out in its rock a winepress. He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only sour, wild grapes.

I will let it go to waste: it will be neither pruned nor hoed, but overgrown with briars and thorns. I will also order the clouds not to let rain fall on it.

Now the vineyard of Adonai -Tzva'ot is the house of Isra'el, and the men of Y'hudah are the plant he delighted in. So he expected justice, but look — bloodshed! — and righteousness, but listen — cries of distress!

for a ten-acre vineyard will produce only five gallons of wine, and seed from five bushels of grain will yield but half a bushel."

They have lutes and lyres, drums and flutes, and wine at their parties; but they pay no attention to how Adonai works and never look at what his hands have made.

But Adonai -Tzva'ot is exalted through justice, God the Holy One is consecrated through righteousness.