Study Desk

But if a man liue many yeeres, and reioyce in them all; yet let him remember the dayes of darkenesse, for they shall be many. All that commeth is vanitie.

Reioyce, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walke in the wayes of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into iudgement.

I am blacke, but comely, (O ye daughters of Ierusalem) as the tents of Kedar, as the curtaines of Solomon.

Looke not vpon me because I am blacke, because the Sunne hath looked vpon me: my mothers children were angry with me, they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine owne vineyard haue I not kept.

By night on my bed I sought him whome my soule loueth. I sought him, but I found him not.

I will rise now, and goe about the citie in the streets, and in the broad wayes I will seeke him whom my soule loueth: I sought him, but I found him not.

It was but a litle that I passed from them, but I found him whome my soule loueth: I helde him, and would not let him goe, vntill I had brought him into my mothers house, and into the chamber of her that conceiued me.

I sleepe, but my heart waketh: it is the voyce of my beloued that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my loue, my doue, my vndefiled: for my head is filled with dewe, and my lockes with the drops of the night.

I opened to my beloued, but my beloued had with drawen himselfe, and was gone: my soule failed when hee spake: I sought him, but I could not find him: I called him, but he gaue me no answere.

My doue, my vndefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her: The daughters sawe her, and blessed her; yea the Queenes and the concubins, and they praysed her.

The oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his masters cribbe: but Israel doeth not know, my people doeth not consider.

From the sole of the foote, euen vnto the head, there is no soundnesse in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they haue not beene closed, neither bound vp, neither mollified with oyntment.

But if yee refuse and rebell, yee shalbe deuoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Howe is the faithfull citie become an harlot? it was full of iudgement, righteousnesse lodged in it; but now murtherers.

And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned, nor digged, but there shall come vp briars and thornes: I will also command the cloudes, that they raine no raine vpon it.

For the Uineyard of the Lord of hostes is the house of Israel, and the men of Iudah his pleasant plant: and he looked for iudgement, but beholde oppression; for righteousnesse, but behold a crie.

And the harpe and the viole, the tabret and pipe, and wine are in their feasts: but they regard not the worke of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.

But the Lord of hosts shalbe exalted in iudgement, and God that is holy, shall bee sanctified in righteousnesse.

Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched foorth his hande against them, and hath smitten them: and the hilles did tremble, and their carkeises were torne in the midst of the streets: for all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

And he sayd, Goe and tell this people; Heare yee indeede, but vnderstand not: and see yee indeed, but perceiue not.