Study Desk

I myself found that more bitter than death is the woman who is a trap, whose heart is a snare, and whose hands are bonds. The one who pleases God escapes from her, but the sinner is caught by her.

Look! This alone I found: God made mankind upright, but they have devised many schemes."

Meanwhile, I saw the wicked being honorably buried, but those who came and went from the holy place were forgotten in the city, even though they had done so. This also is vanity!

But it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not prolong their days, like the shadow; because there is no fearing God's presence.

For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have a reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

The heart of the wise inclines to his right, but the heart of the fool inclines to his left.

The fool is set in many high places, but the rich sit in lowly places.

If the ax is blunt but one does not sharpen its edge, he must exert more effort, but the advantage of wisdom is it brings success.

The wise man wins favor by the words of his mouth, but the fool is devoured by his own lips.

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth! Follow the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes— but know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.

I am black but beautiful, O maidens of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

Do not gaze at me because I am black, because the sun has stared at me. The sons of my mother were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own "vineyard" I did not keep.

On my bed in the night, I sought him whom my heart loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

Now I will arise, and I will go about in the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my heart loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

I was asleep but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved knocking! "Open to me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one! For my head is full of dew, my hair drenched from the moist night air."

I opened myself to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone; my heart sank when he turned away. I sought him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.

If she is a wall, we will adorn her with a turret of silver; but if she is a door, we will barricade her with boards of cedar.

Hear, heavens, and listen, earth, for Yahweh has spoken: "I reared children and I brought them up, but they rebelled against me.

But if you refuse and you rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."