Bible in 90 Days

3 All things have time, and all things under [the] sun pass by their spaces. (Everything hath a time, and all things pass forth in their places under the sun.)

² Time of birth, and time of dying; time to plant, and time to draw up that that is planted. (Time to be born, and time to die; time to plant, and time to draw up what is planted.)

³ Time to slay, and time to make whole (Time to kill, and time to heal); time to destroy, and time to build.

⁴ Time to weep, and time to laugh; time to bewail, and time to dance.

⁵ Time to scatter stones, and time to gather (them) together; time to embrace, and time to be far from embracings.

⁶ Time to get, and time to lose; time to keep, and time to cast away. (Time to get, and time to set free; time to keep, and time to throw away.)

⁷ Time to cut, and time to sew together; time to be still, and time to speak (time to be silent, and time to speak).

⁸ Time to love, and time of hatred; time of battle, and time of peace. (Time to love, and time to hate; time to fight, and time to make peace.)

⁹ What hath a man more of his travail? (What more hath a person for all of his labour?)

¹⁰ I saw the torment, which God gave to the sons of men, that they be occupied therein. (I saw the torment, which God gave to the sons and daughters of men, and with which they be occupied.)

¹¹ God made all things good in their time, and gave the world to disputing of them, that a man find not (out) the work that God hath wrought from the beginning unto the end. (God made all things good in their time, and let the world dispute over them, but no one shall understand the work that God hath wrought from the beginning unto the end.)

¹² And I knew that nothing was better to a man, but to be glad, and to do good works in his life. (And so I know that there is nothing better for a person, but to be happy, and to do good works in his life.)

¹³ For why each man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his travail; this is the gift of God. (For each person who eateth, and drinketh, and seeth the good that cometh from all of his labour; yea, this is the gift of God.)

¹⁴ I have learned that all the works, that God made, last steadfastly unto without end; we may not add anything to those works, neither take away from those things, which God made, that he be dreaded (which God made, so that he be feared/so that he be revered).

¹⁵ That thing that is made, dwelleth perfectly; those things that shall come, were before; and God restoreth that, that is gone (and God restoreth what is gone).

¹⁶ I saw under [the] sun unfaithfulness in the place of doom; and wickedness in the place of rightfulness. (I saw under the sun unfaithfulness in place of judgement, or of justice; and wickedness in place of righteousness, or of uprightness.)

¹⁷ And I said in mine heart, The Lord shall deem a just man, and an unfaithful man; and the time of each thing shall be then. (And I said in my heart, The Lord shall judge the righteous, and the unfaithful; and then shall be the proper time for each thing.)

¹⁸ I said in mine heart of the sons (and daughters) of men, that God should prove them, and show (them) that they be like beasts.

¹⁹ Therefore one is the perishing of man and of beasts, and even condition is of ever either; as a man dieth, so and those beasts die; all those breathe in like manner, and a man hath nothing more than a beast. All things be subject to vanity, (And so the perishing of people and of beasts is one and the same, and the condition of both of them is equal, or even; for as a person dieth, so do those beasts die; they all breathe in like manner, and a person hath nothing more than a beast. Everything is empty and futile,)

²⁰ and all things go to one place; those be made of earth, and those turn again (al)together into earth. (and all things go to one place; they all be made of dust, or of dirt, and they shall all return to the dust, or to the dirt.)

²¹ Who knoweth, if the spirit of the sons of Adam goeth upward, and if the spirit of beasts goeth downward? (Yet who knoweth, if the spirits of the sons and daughters of Adam go upward to heaven, and if the spirits of the beasts go downward into the ground? I do not know.)

²² And I perceived that nothing is better, than that a man be glad in his work, and that this be his part; for who shall bring (to) him, that he know things that shall come after him? (And I perceived that nothing is better, than that a person be happy in his work, and that this be his portion; for who shall bring him the knowledge, so that he know what shall come after him?)

4 I turned me to other things, and I saw false challenges, that be done under the sun (and I saw much oppression, that is done under the sun), and the tears of the guiltless, and (that) no man (was a) comforter; and that they destitute, either forsaken, of the help of all men, may not against-stand the violence of them.

² And I praised more dead men than living men; (And I praised the dead more than the living;)

³ and I deemed him, that was not born yet, and saw not the evils that be done under the sun, to be more blessed than ever either. (and I judged him, who was not yet born, and saw not the evils that be done under the sun, to be more blessed than either the living or the dead.)

⁴ Again I beheld all the travails of men, and busynesses; and I perceived that those be open to [the] envy of the neighbour; and therefore in this is vanity (and so this is emptiness and futility), and superfluous busyness.

⁵ A fool foldeth together his hands, and eateth his flesh (and eateth his meat),

⁶ and saith, Better is an handful, with rest, than ever either hand full, with travail and torment of soul.

⁷ I beheld and found also another vanity under the sun; (I looked and found more emptiness and futility under the sun;)

⁸ one there is, and he hath not a second; neither a son, nor a brother; and nevertheless he ceaseth not to travail, neither his eyes be (ful)filled with riches; neither he bethinketh (to) him(self), and saith, To whom travail I, and deceive my soul in goods? In this also is vanity, and the worst torment. (one is alone, and he hath not a second, or someone with him; neither a son, nor a brother; and yet he ceaseth not to labour, and his eyes be not fulfilled with his riches; nor he thinketh to himself, and saith, For whom do I labour, and deprive myself of the enjoyment of good things? This is also empty and futile, and the worst torment.)

⁹ Therefore it is better, that two be together than one; for they have profit of their fellowship. (And so it is better, that two be together, rather than that they be alone; for they shall have profit, or shall benefit, from their fellowship.)

¹⁰ If one falleth down, he shall be underset of the tother; woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to raise him up. (If one falleth down, he shall be helped up by the other; woe to him who is alone, for when he falleth, he hath no one to raise him up again.)

¹¹ And if twain sleep together, they shall be nourished together; (but) how shall one be made hot?

¹² And if any man hath [the] mastery against one, twain against-stand him; a threefold cord is broken of hard (a threefold cord is much harder to break).

¹³ A poor man and wise is better than an eld king and fool(ish), that cannot before-see into time to coming. (A poor person who is wise, is better than an old king who is foolish, and who cannot foresee into the time to come, or who will not listen to good advice.)

¹⁴ For sometime a man goeth out, both from prison and chains, to a realm (and becometh a king); and another, born into a realm, is wasted by neediness.

¹⁵ I saw all men living that go under the sun, with the second young waxing man, that shall rise (up) for him. (I saw all the living who go under the sun, and yet for each, someone young shall rise up, and shall take their place.)

¹⁶ The number of people, of all that were before him, is great without measure, and they that shall come afterward, shall not be glad in him; but also this is vanity and torment of the spirit. (The number of all the people, who be under him, is great without measure, and yet they who shall come after, shall not be grateful to him; but this is also empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)

5 Thou that enterest into the house of God, keep thy foot, and nigh thou for to hear; for why much better is obedience, than the sacrifice of fools, that know not what evil they do. (Thou who enterest into the House of God, keep thy foot, and draw close to hear; for obedience is much better than the sacrifice of fools, who know not what evil they do.)

² Speak thou not anything follily (Do not thou say anything foolish), neither (let) thine heart be swift to bring forth a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou art on earth, therefore (let) thy words be few.

³ Dreams follow many busynesses, and folly shall be found in many words.

⁴ If thou hast avowed anything to God, tarry thou not to yield it; for an unfaithful and fond promise displeaseth him; but yield thou whatever thing thou hast avowed;

⁵ and it is much better to make not a vow, than after a vow to yield not the promises. (and it is much better to not make a vow, than to make a vow and then not yield the promises.)

⁶ Give thou not thy mouth, that thou make thy flesh to do sin; neither say thou before an angel, No purveyance there is; lest peradventure the Lord be wroth on thy words, and destroy all the works of thine hands. (Give thou not thy mouth, that thou make thy flesh to do sin; nor then say thou before an angel, This is but a mistake; lest perhaps the Lord be angry with thy words, and destroy all the works of thy hands.)

⁷ Where be many dreams, be full many vanities, and words without number; but dread thou God. (Where there be many dreams, there is much that is empty and futile, and words without number; rather, fear thou God/rather, have thou reverence for God.)

⁸ If thou seest false challenges of needy men, and violent dooms (If thou seest the poor oppressed, and grave injustice), and that rightfulness is destroyed in the province, wonder thou not on this doing; for another is higher than an high man, and also other men be more high above these men;

⁹ and furthermore the king of all (the) earth commandeth to the servant. (and ultimately the King of all the earth commandeth to all his servants.)

¹⁰ An avaricious man shall not be [ful]filled of money; and he that loveth riches shall not take (the) fruits of them; and therefore this is vanity. (A greedy person shall never be fulfilled, or filled full, with money; and he who loveth riches shall never truly enjoy their fruits, or their earnings; and so this is empty and futile.)

¹¹ Where there be many riches, also many men there be, that eat those (Where there be many riches, there also be many people, who shall eat them); and what profiteth it to the holder, but that he seeth [the] riches with his eyes?

¹² Sleep is sweet to him that worketh, whether he eat little either much; but the fullness of a rich man suffereth not him to sleep. (Sleep is sweet to him who worketh, whether he eat a little or a great deal; but a rich person’s fullness will not allow him to sleep.)

¹³ Also another sickness is full evil, which I saw under the sun; riches (that) be kept into the harm of their lord.

¹⁴ For they perish in the worst torment; (and) he begat a son, that shall be in sovereign neediness. (And then those riches be lost in a terrible calamity; and so he hath begotten a son, who shall be left in great neediness.)

¹⁵ As he went naked out of his mother’s womb, so he shall turn again; and he shall take away with him nothing of his travail. (As he went naked out of his mother’s womb, so he shall return; and he shall not take away with him anything gained from all his labour.)

¹⁶ Utterly it is a wretched sickness; as he came, so he shall turn again. What profiteth it to him, that he travailed into the wind? (Yea, it is utterly a wretched sickness; as he came, so he shall return. What hath it profited him? he hath only laboured for the wind!)

¹⁷ In all the days of his life he ate in darknesses, and in many busynesses, and in neediness, and sorrow.

¹⁸ Therefore this seemed good to me, that a man eat, and drink, and use gladness of his travail, in which he travailed under the sun, in the number of days of his life, which God gave to him; and this is his part. (And so it seemed good to me, that a person should eat, and drink, and enjoy, or get happiness from, the fruits of his labour, for which he laboured under the sun, in the days of his life, which God gave to him; yea, this is his portion.)

¹⁹ And to each man, to whom God gave riches, and chattel, and gave power to him to eat of those, and to use his part, and to be glad of his travail; this is the gift of God. (And to each person, to whom God gave riches, and substance, and gave the power to him to enjoy them, and to use his portion, and to be happy in his labour, or in his work; this is the gift of God.)

²⁰ For he shall not think much on the days of his life, for God occupieth his heart with delights.

6 Also another evil there is (There is also another evil), which I saw under the sun; and certainly it is oft used with men.

² A man is, to whom God gave riches, and chattel, and honour; and nothing faileth to his soul of all things which he desireth; and God giveth not power to him, that he eat thereof, but a strange man shall devour it^[a]. This is vanity, and a great wretchedness. (There is a person, to whom God gave riches, and possessions, and honour; and he lacketh nothing of all the things which he desireth; but God giveth him not the power to enjoy those things, but a stranger shall enjoy them. This is empty and futile, and a great wretchedness.)

³ If a man engendereth an hundred free sons, and hath many days of age, and his soul useth not the goods of his chattel, and wanteth burying; I pronounce of this man, that a dead-born child is better than he. (Yea, if a man begetteth a hundred sons, and hath many years of age, and yet he is not able to enjoy the good things in his life, and at the last he even lacketh a proper burial, or a proper tomb; I declare of this man, that a still-born child is better than he.)

⁴ For he cometh in vain, and goeth to darknesses; and his name shall be done away by forgetting.

⁵ He saw not the sun, neither knew the diversity of good and of evil;

⁶ also though he live two thousand years, and useth not goods; whether all things hasten not to one place? (even if he live two thousand years, he hath not enjoyed the good things in his life; and do not all hasten to one and the same place?)

⁷ All the travail of a man is in his mouth, but the soul of him shall not be [ful]filled with goods. (All the labour of a person is for his mouth, yet his belly, or his appetite, shall never be fulfilled with enough good things.)

⁸ What hath a wise man more than a fool? and what hath a poor man, but that he go thither, where is life? (What more hath a person who is wise, than a person who is a fool? or what hath someone who is poor, but that he go there, with a knowledge, or with an understanding, of life?)

⁹ It is better to see that, that thou covetest, than to desire that, that thou knowest not; but also this is vanity, and presumption of spirit. (It is better to see what thou covetest, than to desire what thou knowest not; but this is also empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)

¹⁰ The name of him that shall come, is called now, and it is known, that he is a man, and he may not strive in doom against a stronger than himself. (The name of what is to come is known and understood, and it is also known, that one cannot argue in court against someone stronger than oneself.)

¹¹ Words be full many, and have much vanity in disputing. What need is it to a man to seek greater things than himself; (There can be a great many words, but there is much that is empty and futile in disputing, or in arguing. What profiteth it to someone,)

¹² since he knoweth not, what shall befall to him in his life, in the number of (the) days of his pilgrimage, and in the time that passeth as (a) shadow? either who may show to him, what thing under [the] sun shall come after him?

7 A good name is better than precious ointments (A good name, or a good reputation, is better than expensive perfume); and the day of death is better than the day of birth.

² It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of a feast; for in that house the end of all men is warned (of), and a man living thinketh, what is to coming (for in that house the end of all people is warned of, and the living should think of what is to come).

³ Ire is better than laughing; for the soul of a trespasser is amended by the heaviness of (his) cheer.

⁴ The heart of wise men is where sorrow is; and the heart of fools is where folly gladness is.

⁵ It is better to be reproved of a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattering of fools; (It is better to be rebuked by a wise person, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools;)

⁶ for as the sound of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughing of a fool. But also this is vanity. (for the sound of thorns burning under a pot, is like the laughter of a fool. But this is also empty and futile.)

⁷ False challenge troubleth a wise man, and it shall lose the strength of his heart. (Untrue words, that is, lies and slander, trouble a wise person, and they shall destroy the strength of his heart, that is, his resolve, or his determination.)

⁸ Forsooth the end of prayer is better than the beginning. A patient man is better than a proud man.

⁹ Be thou not swift to be wroth; for ire resteth in the bosom of a fool. (Do not thou be quick to get angry; for anger lieth in the heart of a fool.)

¹⁰ Say thou not, What guessest thou is the cause, that the former times were better than be now? for why such asking is fond (for such questioning is foolish).

¹¹ Forsooth wisdom with riches is more profitable, and profiteth more to men seeing the sun. (For wisdom is more profitable than riches, and profiteth all who see the sun.)

¹² For as wisdom defendeth, so money defendeth; but learning and wisdom have this moreover, that those give life to them that have them. (For like wisdom defendeth, so money defendeth; but learning and wisdom have this as well, that they give life to those who have them.)

¹³ Behold thou the works of God, and see that no man may amend him, whom God hath despised.

¹⁴ In a good day use thou (thy) goods, and before eschew thou an evil day (On a good day, enjoy thy good things, but shun thou them on an evil day); for God made so this day as that day, (so) that a man find not just complainings against him.

¹⁵ Also I saw these things in the days of my nativity^[b]; a just man perisheth in his rightfulness, and a wicked man liveth much time in his malice. (And I have seen these things since the day of my birth/in my empty and futile days; a righteous person perisheth in his righteousness, and a wicked person liveth a great deal of time in his malice.)

¹⁶ Do not thou be just over much, neither understand thou more than is needful; lest thou be astonied. (Do not thou be too good, nor understand thou more than is useful; lest thou be regarded with contempt, or with derision.)

¹⁷ Do thou not wickedly much (Do not thou do many wicked things), and do not thou be a fool; lest thou die in a time not thine.

¹⁸ It is good, that thou sustain a just man; but also withdraw thou not thine hand from him; for he that dreadeth God, is not negligent of anything. (It is good that thou sustain the one, but also do not thou withdraw thy hand from the other; for he who feareth God, is not negligent of anything.)

¹⁹ Wisdom hath strengthened a wise man, over ten princes of a city. (Wisdom can strengthen the wise, more than ten leaders of a city.)

²⁰ Forsooth no just man there is in [the] earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. (But there is no righteous person in the earth who only, or who always, doeth good, and never sinneth.)

²¹ But also give thou not thine heart to all (the) words, that be said; lest peradventure thou hear thy servant cursing thee;

²² for thy conscience knoweth, that also thou hast cursed oft other men. (for thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often cursed other people.)

²³ I assayed all things in wisdom; I said, I shall be made wise, and it went away further from me (I said, I shall be made wise, but it went farther away from me),

²⁴ much more than it was; and the depth is low, who shall find it? (much more than it was before; and to such a depth, yea, so low down, that who shall ever be able to find it?)

²⁵ I compassed all things with my soul (I put my mind upon everything, yea), to know, and to behold, and (to) seek (out) wisdom, and reason, and to know the wickedness of a fool, and the error of unprudent men.

²⁶ And I found a woman bitterer than death, the which is (like) the snare of hunters, and her heart is (like) a net, and her hands be (like) bonds; he that pleaseth God shall escape her, but he that is a sinner, shall be taken of her. (And I found a woman more bitter than death, who is like a hunter’s snare, and her heart is like a net, and her hands be like bonds; he who pleaseth God shall escape her, but he who is a sinner shall be caught by her.)

²⁷ Lo! I found this, said Ecclesiastes, (concerning) one (thing) and (an)other, that I should find (the) reason,

²⁸ which my soul seeketh yet; and (other things) I found not. I found one man of a thousand; and I found not a woman of all. (which my soul yet seeketh; but other things I did not find. I found one man out of a thousand; but I did not find one woman out of all of them.)

²⁹ I found this only, that God made a man rightful [that God made man right]; and (then) he meddled himself with questions without number. (I found only this, that God made a person upright, or clear-headed; but then he mixed himself in/mixed himself up with too many questions.)

8 Who is such as a wise man? and who knoweth the solving, either expounding, of a word? The wisdom of a man shineth in his cheer; and the mightiest shall change his face (The wisdom of a person shineth in their face; and maketh even the mightiest to change his expression, or his countenance).

² I keep the mouth of the king, and the commandments and [the] swearings of God. (I counsel, or advice, thee to obey the king’s commands, and to keep your oath, or your pledge, to God.)

³ Haste thou not to go away from his face, and dwell thou not in evil work. For he shall do all thing, that he will (For he shall do anything, that he desireth);

⁴ and his word is full of power, and no man may say to him (and no one can say to him), Why doest thou so?

⁵ He that keepeth the commandment of God, shall not feel anything of evil; the heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.

⁶ Time and season is to each work; and much torment is of a man,

⁷ for he knoweth not [the] things passed, and he may not know by any messenger [the] things to come.

⁸ It is not in the power of man to forbid the spirit, that is, his soul, from going out from the body, neither he hath power in the day of death, neither he is suffered to have rest, when the battle nigheth; neither wickedness shall save a wicked man.

⁹ I beheld all these things, and I gave mine heart in(to) all works, that be done under the sun. Sometime a man is lord of a man, to his evil.

¹⁰ I saw wicked men buried, which, when they lived yet, were in (the) holy place; and they were praised in the city, as men of just works; but also this is vanity. (I saw the wicked buried, which, when they still lived, were in the holy place; and they were praised in the city, as people of righteous works; but this is also empty and futile.)

¹¹ Forsooth for the sentence is not brought forth soon against evil men, the sons of men do evils without any dread. (But because the punishment is not brought forth quickly against evil people, the sons and daughters of men do evil without any fear.)

¹² Nevertheless of that, that a sinner doeth evil an hundred times, and is suffered by patience, I knew that good it shall be to men dreading God, that reverence his face, or presence. (Nevertheless, even though a sinner may do evil a hundred times, and is patiently allowed to, I know that it shall be good for those who fear God, yea, for those who have reverence before his face, or in his presence.)

¹³ Good be not to the wicked man, neither his days be made long; but pass they as shadow, that dread not the face of the Lord. (But good shall not be to a wicked person, nor shall his days be made long; but they shall pass like a shadow, those who do not fear the face of the Lord/those who do not have reverence before the Lord.)

¹⁴ Also another vanity there is, that is done on earth. Just men there be, to whom evils come, as if they did the works of wicked men; and wicked men there be, that be as secure, as if they had (done) the deeds of just men; but I deem also this most vain. (There is also another vanity, that is done on the earth/There is also more that is empty and futile, that is found on the earth. There be good, or righteous, people, to whom evils come as if they did the works of the wicked; and there be wicked people, who be as secure as if they had done the deeds of the good, or of the righteous; but I also judge this to be most empty and futile.)

¹⁵ Therefore I praised gladness, that no good was to a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and to be joyful; and that he should bear away with himself only this of his travail, in the days of his life, which God gave to him under the sun. (And so I praised pleasure, or enjoyment, yea, that there was no better thing for anyone under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and to be joyful; for he hath only this from all his labour, which he can carry away with himself, in all the days of his life, which God gave to him under the sun.)

¹⁶ And I setted mine heart to know wisdom, and to understand the parting, which is turned in earth. A man is, that by days and nights, taketh not sleep with his eyes. (And I set my heart to know wisdom, and to understand what is done on the earth. And in trying to understand this, a person might not close his eyes in sleep for many days and nights.)

¹⁷ And I understood, that of all the works of God, a man may find no reason of those things, that be done under the sun (And I understood, that of all the works of God, a person can find no reason for those things, that be done under the sun); and inasmuch as he travaileth more to seek (it out), by so much (the more) he shall find (it) less; yea, though a wise man say that he knoweth, (or understandeth, what is done under the sun,) he shall not be able to find (it out).

9 I treated all these things in mine heart, to understand diligently. Just men, and wise men there be, and their works be in the hand of God; and nevertheless a man knoweth not, whether he is worthy of love or of hate. (I treated, or considered, all these things in my mind, to diligently understand them. There be the righteous, and the wise, and all their works be in God’s hands; yet nevertheless a person knoweth not whether he is worthy of love, or of hate.)

² But all things be kept uncertain into the time to coming; for all things befall evenly to a just man and to a wicked man, to a good man and to an evil man, to a clean man and to an unclean man, to a man offering offerings and sacrifices, and to a man despising sacrifices; as a good man, so and a sinner; as a forsworn man, so and he that greatly sweareth truth (as to a good man, and so to a sinner; as to a forsworn man, and so to him who greatly sweareth truth).

³ This thing is the worst among all things, that be done under the sun, that the same thing befall to all men; wherefore and the hearts of the sons of men be filled with malice and with despising in their life; and after these things, they shall be led down into hells. (This thing is the worst among all things, that be done under the sun, that the same thing befall to all people; yea, the hearts of the sons and daughters of men be filled with malice and despising during their lives; and then after these things, they go down to Sheol, or the land of the dead/they go down to hell.)

⁴ No man there is, that liveth ever, and that hath trust of this thing; better is a quick dog than a dead lion. (But for everyone who liveth, there is still hope; yea, a living dog is better than a dead lion.)

⁵ For they that live know that they shall die; but dead men know nothing more, neither have meed further; for their mind is given to forgetting. (For they who live at least know that they shall die; but the dead know nothing, nor have any further reward; even the memory of them is forgotten.)

⁶ Also the(ir) love, and hatred, and envy, (have) perished (al)together; and they have no part in this world, and in the work that is done under the sun.

⁷ Therefore go thou, just man, and eat thy bread in gladness, and drink thy wine with joy; for thy works please God. (And so, O righteous person, go thou, and eat thy bread with happiness, and drink thy wine with joy; for thy works please God.)

⁸ In each time thy clothes be white, and oil fail not from thine head. (At all times let thy clothes be white, and let thy head not lack oil.)

⁹ Use thou life with the wife which thou lovest, in all the days of the life of thine unstableness, that be given to thee under the sun, in all the time of thy vanity; for this is thy part in thy life and [thy] travail, by which thou travailest under the sun. (Enjoy thou life with the wife whom thou lovest, in all the days of thy unstable, or thy changing, life, that be given to thee under the sun, in all thy empty and futile time; for this is thy portion in thy life, and thy labour in which thou labourest under the sun.)

¹⁰ Work thou busily, whatever thing thine hand may do; for neither work, neither reason, nor knowing, nor wisdom, shall be at hells, whither thou hastest. (Busily work thou, at whatever thy hands can do; for neither work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, be in the land of the dead, where thou hastenest.)

¹¹ I turned me to another thing, and I saw under [the] sun, that running is not of swift men, neither battle is of strong men, neither bread is of wise men, neither riches be of teachers, nor grace is of craftsmen; but time and hap is in all things^[c]. (I turned me to another thing, and I saw under the sun, that the race is not always to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to those who teach, or favour to the skilled, but timing and happenstance be to everything.)

¹² A man knoweth not his end; but as fishes be taken with an hook, and as birds be taken with a snare, so men be taken in (an) evil time, when it cometh suddenly [up]on them.

¹³ Also I saw this wisdom under the sun, and I proved it the most.

¹⁴ A little city, and few men therein; a great king came against it, and compassed it with pales, and he builded strongholds, either engines, by compass; and [the] besieging was made perfect. (There was a small city, with only a few people in it; a great king came against it, and surrounded it with posts, and he built strongholds, or bulwarks, all around it; and so the siege was made perfect.)

¹⁵ And a poor man and a wise was found therein; and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man bethought afterward on that poor man. (And a poor but wise man was found there; and he saved the city by his wisdom, but afterward no one thought much about that poor man.)

¹⁶ And I said, that wisdom is better than strength; how therefore is the wisdom of a poor man despised, and his words be not heard? (And I have always said, that wisdom is better than strength; and so why is the wisdom of a poor man despised, and his words not listened to?)

¹⁷ The words of wise men be heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools. (The words of the wise should be heard in silence, much more than the loud cry of a leader of a group of fools.)

¹⁸ Better is wisdom than armours of battle; and he that sinneth in one thing, shall lose many goods. (Better is wisdom than the arms, or the weapons, of battle; and he who sinneth in one thing, shall lose much that is good.)

10 Flies that die (in it), lose the sweetness of [the] ointment. A little folly at some time is more precious than wisdom and glory. (Flies that die in an ointment can destroy its sweetness. And so a little foolishness can sometimes destroy wisdom and glory.)

² The heart of a wise man is in his right side; and the heart of a fool is in his left side. (The heart of a wise person is in the right; and the heart of a fool is in the wrong.)

³ But also a fool going in the way, when he is unwise, guesseth all men fools. (And a fool, going on the way, since he is unwise, thinketh that all the other people be fools.)

⁴ If the spirit of him, that hath power, goeth upon thee, forsake thou not thy place (If the spirit of him, who hath power, goeth against thee, do not leave thy position, that is, do not resign thy post); for curing, or taking heed, shall make (the) greatest sins to cease.

⁵ An evil there is, that I saw under the sun, and going out as by error from the face of the prince; (There is an evil that I saw under the sun, and going out as an error from the leader, or from the ruler;)

⁶ a fool (is) set in high dignity, and rich men sit beneath.

⁷ I saw servants on horses, and princes as servants going on the earth. (I saw servants riding on horses, and princes, or leaders, walking on the ground like servants.)

⁸ He that diggeth a ditch, shall fall into it; and an adder shall bite him, that destroyeth a hedge. (He who diggeth a ditch, shall fall into it; and he who destroyeth a hedge, shall be bitten by a serpent hiding in it.)

⁹ He that beareth over stones, shall be tormented in those; and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded of those. (He who carrieth stones, can be hurt by them; and he who cutteth wood, can be injured when cutting it.)

¹⁰ If iron is folded again, and it is not as before, but is made blunt, it shall be made sharp with much travail; and wisdom shall follow after busyness.

¹¹ If a serpent biteth, it biteth in silence; he that backbiteth privily, hath nothing less than it (he who privately, or secretly, backbiteth someone is no better).

¹² The words of the mouth of a wise man be grace; and the lips of an unwise man shall cast him down. (The words out of the mouth of a wise person bring him favour; but the lips of an unwise person shall bring him down.)

¹³ The beginning of his words is folly; and the last thing of his mouth is the worst error. (His words begin with foolishness; and the last thing out of his mouth is the worst error of all.)

¹⁴ A fool multiplieth words; a man knoweth not, what was before him, and who may show to him that, that shall come after him? (and who can show him what shall come after him?)

¹⁵ The travail of fools shall torment them, that know not how to go into the city. (Fools work themselves to exhaustion, yet they do not even know how to go into the city.)

¹⁶ Land, woe to thee, whose king is a child, and whose princes eat early.

¹⁷ Blessed is the land, whose king is noble; and whose princes eat in their time, to (only) sustain the(ir) kind, and not to lechery. (Happy is the land, whose king is well born, or refined; and whose leaders eat at the proper time, only to sustain themselves, and not unto drunkenness.)

¹⁸ The highness of houses shall be made low in sloths; and the house shall drop (rain) in the feebleness of hands (and a house shall leak due to feeble, or weak, hands).

¹⁹ In laughing, they dispose bread and wine, that they drinking eat largely; and all things obey to money. (With laughter, they array the table with bread and wine, so that they can enjoy all the abundance; for everything showeth obedience to money.)

²⁰ In thy thought backbite thou not the king, and in the private of thy bed, curse thou not a rich man; for the birds of heaven shall bear thy voice, and he that hath pens, shall tell the sentence. (In thy thoughts backbite thou not the king, and in the privacy of thy bed, curse thou not the rich; for the birds of the heavens, or of the air, shall carry thy voice, and he that hath wings, shall tell what thou hast said.)

11 Send thy bread [up]on waters passing forth, for after many times thou shalt find it. (Send thy bread upon the water, and after a time, thou shalt receive it back, and more along with it.)

² Give thou (thy) parts (to) seven, and also (to) eight, (that is, do not put all thy eggs in one basket); for thou knowest not, what evil shall come [up]on (the) earth.

³ If clouds be filled, they shall shed out rain on the earth; if a tree falleth down to the south, either to the north, in whatever place it falleth down, there it shall be.

⁴ He that espieth the wind, soweth not; and he that beholdeth the clouds, shall never reap. (He who looketh for the wind, soweth not; and he who watcheth the clouds, shall never reap, or bring in the harvest.)

⁵ As thou knowest not, which is the way of the spirit, and by what reason bones be joined together in the womb of a woman with child, so thou knowest not the works of God, which is maker of all things (who is the Maker of all things).

⁶ Early sow thy seed, and thine hand cease not in the eventide; for thou knowest not, what shall come forth more, this either that; and if ever either come forth together, it shall be the better. (Sow thy seed early, and do not stop thy work in the evening/and do not stop thy work until the evening; for thou knowest not, what shall come forth more, this or that; or if both will come forth together, and it shall be the better.)

⁷ The light is sweet, and delightable to the eyes to see the sun. (The light is sweet, and it is delightful, or pleasant, for thine eyes to see the sun.)

⁸ If a man liveth many years, and is glad in all these, he oughteth to have mind of [the] dark time, and of (those) many days (yet to come); and when those shall come, [the] things passed (away) shall be reproved of vanity. (If a person liveth many years, and is happy in all of them, he still ought to remember the dark time, and the many days yet to come; and when they do come, the things passed away shall be rebuked as but empty and futile.)

⁹ Therefore, thou young man, be glad in thy youth, and thine heart be in goodness in the days of thy youth, and go thou in the ways of thine heart, and in the beholding of thine eyes; and know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee into doom. (And so, O young man, be happy in thy youth, and let thy heart be in goodness in the days of thy youth, and go thou in the ways of thy heart, and in the beholding of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee to the judgement.)

¹⁰ Do thou away ire from thine heart, and remove thou malice from thy flesh; for why youth and lust be vain things, or vanity. (Do thou away anger from thy heart, and remove thou malice from thy flesh; because youth and lust be but empty and futile.)

12 Have thou mind on thy Creator^[d] in the days of thy youth, before that the time of thy torment come, and the years of thy death nigh, of which thou shalt say, Those please not me. (Think thou upon thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before that the time of thy torment come, and the years of thy death approach, of which thou shalt say, These days do not please me at all.)

² Before that the sun be (made) dark, and the light, and stars, and the moon; and the clouds turn again after rain. (Before that the sun, and the light, and the stars, and the moon all be made dark; and the clouds return after the rain.)

³ When the (door)keepers of the house shall be moved, and [the] strongest men shall tremble; and [the] grinders shall be idle, when the number shall be made less, and seers by the holes shall wax dark; (When the guards of the house shall be shaken, and the strong shall tremble; and the grinders shall be idle, when their number shall be made less, and the eyes of those who see out by the windows shall grow dark, or grow dim;)

⁴ and (they) shall close the doors in the street (and they shall close the doors to the street), in the lowness of [the] voice of a grinder; and they shall rise (up) at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song shall wax deaf.

⁵ And high things shall dread, and shall be afeared in the way (And when they shall fear high places, and shall be afraid to go on the way, or to go out in public); and an almond tree shall flower, a locust shall be made fat, and (the) capers shall be destroyed; for a man shall go into the house of his everlastingness, and wailers shall go about in the street.

⁶ Have thou mind on thy Creator, before that a silveren rope be broken, and a golden lace run against, and a water pot be all-broken on the well, and a wheel be broken (al)together on the cistern; (Think thou upon thy Creator, before that the silver rope is broken, and the golden bowl is broken, and the water pot at the well is broken, and the wheel at the cistern is broken, yea, before that all is ended;)

⁷ and dust turn again into his earth, whereof it was, and the spirit turn again to God, that gave it. (and the dust, or the dirt, return to the earth, where it was before, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.)

⁸ The vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, the vanity of vanities [Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, vanity of vanities], and all things be vanity. (Emptiness and futility, said Ecclesiastes, yea, everything is emptiness and futility.)

⁹ And when Ecclesiastes was most wise (And for Ecclesiastes was most wise), he taught the people, and he told out the things which he did, and he sought out wisdom, and made many parables;

¹⁰ he sought (out) profitable words, and he wrote most rightful words, and full of truth.

¹¹ The words of wise men be as pricks, and as nails fastened deep, which be given of one shepherd by the counsels of masters. (For the words of the wise be like pricks, and like nails driven deep, for they be given from the one Shepherd for the counsel of us all.)

¹² My son, seek thou no more than these; none end there is to make many books, and oft thinking is (a) torment of [the] flesh. (My son, seek thou no more than this; for there is no end to the making of many books, and thinking too much will only torment thy flesh.)

¹³ All we hear together the end of (the) speaking. Dread thou God, and keep his behests; that is (for) to know, every man. (Hear now the end, or the conclusion, of all this speaking. Fear God/Revere God, and obey his commands; that is for everyone to know.)

¹⁴ God shall bring all things into doom, that be done; for each thing covered, either privy, whether it be good, or evil. (For God shall bring all that is done to the judgement; even each thing that is covered, or is done in secret, or privately, whether it be good, or evil.)

1 Here beginneth the Song of Songs^[e].

² Kiss he me with the kiss of his mouth. For thy loves be better than wine (For thy love is better than wine)^[f],

³ and give odour with best ointments. Thy name is (like) oil shed out; therefore young damsels loved thee. (and thy aroma is equal to the best perfumes. Thy name is like oil poured out; and so the young women, or the maidens, loved thee.)

⁴ Draw thou me after thee; we shall run. The king led me into his cellars; we mindful of thy loves above wine, shall make full out joy, and we shall be glad in thee; rightful men love thee. (Draw thou me after thee; and we shall run away/and we shall run together. The king led me into his chamber; and we thinking more about thy love than about wine, shall rejoice, and we shall be glad for thee; yea, all the upright people love thee.)

⁵ Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I am black, but fair, as the tabernacles of Kedar, as the skins of Solomon. (Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I am black, and beautiful, like the tents of Kedar, and like Solomon’s curtains.)

⁶ Do not ye behold me, that I am black, for the sun hath discoloured me; the sons of my mother fought against me, they set me a keeper in vineries; I kept not my vinery. (Do not ye look down upon me, because I am black, for the sun hath coloured me, that is, it hath tanned me; the sons of my mother fought against me, and they made me the guardian of the vineyards; and so I could not look after my own vineyard.)

⁷ Thou spouse, whom my soul loveth, show to me, where thou pasturest, (yea,) where thou restest in midday; lest I begin to wander, after the flocks of thy fellows.

⁸ A! thou fairest among women, if thou knowest not thyself, go thou out, and go forth after the steps of thy flocks; and feed thy kids, beside the tabernacles of shepherds. (O! thou most beautiful among women, if thou thyself knowest not, go thou out, and go forth after the steps of thy flocks; and feed thy goat kids, beside the shepherds’ tents.)

⁹ My love, I likened thee to mine host of knights in the chariots of Pharaoh. (My love, I would liken thee to Pharaoh’s army of chariot drivers.)

¹⁰ Thy cheeks be fair, as of a turtle; thy neck is as brooches. (Thy cheeks be beautiful, like a turtledove; thy neck is adorned with jewels.)

¹¹ We shall make to thee golden ornaments, parted and made diverse with silver. (We shall make golden ornaments for thee, set with silver beads.)

¹² When the king was in his resting place, my nard gave his odour. (While the king lieth on his couch, my spikenard gave forth its aroma.)

¹³ My darling is a bundle of myrrh to me; he shall dwell betwixt my teats. (My darling is like a bundle of myrrh for me; and he shall rest between my breasts.)

¹⁴ My darling is to me (as) a cluster of cypress tree(s), among the vineries of Engedi. (My darling is like a cluster of cypress trees for me, among the vineyards of Engedi.)

¹⁵ Lo! my love, thou art fair; lo! thou art fair, thine eyes be the eyes of culvers. (Lo! my love, thou art beautiful; lo! thou art beautiful, thine eyes be like doves.)

¹⁶ Lo! my darling, thou art fair and shapely; our bed is fair as flowers. (Lo! my darling, thou art beautiful and shapely; the grass and the flowers shall be our bed.)

¹⁷ The beams of our houses be of cedar; our couplings be of cypress. (The beams of our house shall be the cedars; our couplings shall be the cypress trees.)

2 I am a flower of the field, and a lily of great valleys. (I am a flower of Sharon, and a lily of the great valley.)

² As a lily among thorns, so is my friendess among daughters. (Like a lily among the thorns, is my friendess among the daughters.)

³ As an apple tree among the trees of woods, so (is) my darling among (the) sons. I sat under the shadow of him, whom I desired; and his fruit was sweet to my throat. (Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, is my darling among the sons of men. I sat under his shadow, yea, he whom I desired; and his fruit was sweet to my taste.)

⁴ The king led me into the wine cellar; he ordained charity in me (he ordained his love upon me).

⁵ Beset ye me with flowers, compass ye me with apples; for I am sick for love. (Put ye flowers about me, yea, surround ye me with apple blossoms; for I am weak, or I faint, because of love.)

⁶ His left hand is under mine head; and his right hand shall embrace me.

⁷ Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you greatly, by caprets, and harts of fields, that ye raise not, neither make to awake the dearworthy spousess, till she will. (Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I strongly command you, by the gazelles, and the harts of the fields, that ye raise not up, nor awaken the dearworthy spousess, until she desireth it.)

⁸ The voice of my darling; lo! this darling cometh leaping in mountains, and skipping over little hills. (The voice of my darling; lo! my darling cometh leaping over the mountains, and skipping over the little hills.)

⁹ My darling is like a capret, and a calf of harts; lo! he standeth behind our wall, and beholdeth by the windows, and looketh through the lattice. (My darling is like a gazelle, or like a hart calf; lo! he standeth behind our wall, and seeth in through the windows, and looketh through the lattice.)

¹⁰ Lo! my darling speaketh to me, My love, my culver, my fair spousess, rise thou, haste thou, and come thou; (Lo! my darling speaketh to me, and saith, My love, my dove, my beautiful spousess, rise thou up, hasten thou, and come thou away;)

¹¹ for winter is passed now, rain is gone, and is departed away. (for the winter is now passed, finally the rains have gone away, yea, they have departed at last.)

¹² Flowers have appeared in our land, and the time of cutting is come; the voice of a turtle is heard in our land (the song of a turtledove is heard in our land),

¹³ the fig tree hath brought forth his buds; the vineries flowering have given their odour. My love, my fair spousess, rise thou, haste thou, and come thou. (the fig tree hath brought forth its buds; the flowering vines have given forth their aroma. My love, my beautiful spousess, rise thou up, hasten thou, and come thou away.)

¹⁴ My culver is in the holes of [the] stone, in the chink of a wall without mortar. Show thy face to me, thy voice sound in mine ears; for thy voice is sweet, and thy face is fair. (My dove is in the holes of the stone, in the chink of a wall made without mortar. Show thy face to me, let thy voice sound in my ears; for thy voice is sweet, and thy face is so beautiful.)

¹⁵ Catch ye little foxes to us, that destroy the vineries; for our vinery hath flowered. (Catch ye for us the little foxes, that destroy the vineyards; for our vines have flowered.)

¹⁶ My darling is to me, and I am to him, which is fed among lilies; (My darling is for me, and I am for him, who is fed among the lilies;)

¹⁷ till the day spring, and shadows be bowed down. My darling, turn thou again; be thou like a capret, and a calf of harts, on the hills of Bether. (until the day spring forth, and the shadows be bowed down. My darling, return thou; be thou like a gazelle, or a hart calf, on the hills of Bether/upon the rugged hills.)

3 In my little bed, I sought him by nights, whom my soul loveth; I sought him, and I found not. (In my little bed, night after night, I sought him, whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but I could not find him.)

² I shall rise, and I shall compass the city, by little streets and large streets; I shall seek him, whom my soul loveth; I sought him, and I found not. (So I said, I shall arise, and I shall go about the city, by the little streets and the large streets; I shall seek him, whom my soul loveth; so I sought him, but I could not find him.)

³ (The) Watchmen, that keep the city, found me. (I asked,) Whether ye saw him, whom my soul loveth? (But the watchmen, who guard the city, found me. And I asked them, Have ye seen him, whom my soul loveth?)

⁴ A little when I had passed them, I found him, whom my soul loveth (Then only a little while after that I had left them, I found him, whom my soul loveth); I held him, and I shall not leave him, till I bring him into the house of my mother, and into the (bed-)closet of my mother.

⁵ Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you greatly, by the caprets, and harts of fields, that ye raise not, neither make to awake the dearworthy spousess, till she will. (Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I strongly command you, by the gazelles, and the harts of the fields, that ye raise not up, nor awaken the dearworthy spousess, until she desireth it.)

⁶ Who is this woman, that goeth up by the desert, as a rod of smoke of sweet smelling spices, of myrrh, and of incense, and of all powder of an ointment maker? (Who is this woman, who goeth up by the desert, like a column of smoke of sweet smelling spices, yea, of myrrh, and of incense, and of all the powders of a perfume maker?)

⁷ Lo! sixty strong men of the strongest men of Israel compass the bed of Solomon; (Lo! sixty strong men of the strongest of Israel surround, or protect, Solomon in his bed;)

⁸ and all they hold swords, and be most witting to battles; the sword of each man is on his hip, for the dread of nights. (and they all hold swords, and be most knowing about battle, or about fighting; the sword of each man is on his hip, ready for any attack in the night.)

⁹ King Solomon made to him a seat, of the wood of Lebanon; (King Solomon made for himself a throne out of the wood of Lebanon;)

¹⁰ he made the pillars thereof of silver; he made a golden resting place, a going up of purple; and he arrayed the middle things with charity, for the daughters of Jerusalem. (he covered its pillars, or its posts, with silver; and its golden seat had a purple cushion, lovingly woven by the daughters of Jerusalem.)

¹¹ Ye daughters of Zion, go out, and see king Solomon in the diadem, with which his mother crowned him, in the day of his espousing, and in the day of the gladness of his heart. (Ye daughters of Zion, go out, and see King Solomon in his crown, with which his mother crowned him, on the day of his espousing, that is, on his wedding day, yea, on the day when his heart was happy, and full of joy.)

4 My friendess, thou art full fair, thou art full fair; thine eyes be (like) of culvers, without that, that is hid within; thine hairs be as the flocks of goats, that went up from the hill(s) of Gilead. (My friendess, thou art so beautiful, thou art so beautiful; thine eyes be like doves, behind thy veil; thy hair is like the flocks of goats, that went up from Mount Gilead.)

² Thy teeth be as the flocks of shorn sheep, that went up from [the] washing; all be with double lambs, and no barren is among those. (Thy teeth be like the flocks of shorn sheep, that went up from the washing; all of them have double lambs, or twins, and there is no barren among them.)

³ Thy lips be as a red lace, and thy speech is sweet; as the remnant of an apple of Punic, so be thy cheeks, without that, that is hid within. (Thy lips be like a red lace, and thy voice is sweet; thy cheeks be like a piece of an apple of Punic/thy cheeks be like a piece of a pomegranate, behind thy veil.)

⁴ Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is builded with strongholds made before for defence; a thousand shields hang on it, all [the] armour of strong men. (Thy neck is like the tower of David, which is built with strongholds, or with bulwarks, made ahead of time for defence; a thousand shields hang on it, all the armour of the strong.)

⁵ Thy two teats be as two kids, twins of a capret, that be fed among (the) lilies, (Thy two breasts be like two kids, or like two fawns, yea, like the twins of a gazelle, that be fed among the lilies.)

⁶ till the day spring, and [the] shadows be bowed down. I shall go to the mountain of myrrh, and to the little hill of incense. (And when the day shall spring forth, and the shadows shall be bowed down, then I shall go to the mountain of myrrh, and to the little hill of incense.)

⁷ My love, thou art all-fair, and no wem is in thee. (My love, thou art so very beautiful, and there is no blemish on thee/and there is no fault in thee.)

⁸ My spousess, come thou from the Lebanon; come thou from the Lebanon, come thou; beholding from the head of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the dens of lions, from the hills of leopards. (My spousess, come thou from Lebanon; come thou from Lebanon, come thou; come thou down from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir, and the top of Hermon, from the dens of the lions, and from the hills of the leopards.)

⁹ My sister spousess, thou hast wounded mine heart; thou hast wounded mine heart, in one of thine eyes, and in one hair of thy neck. (My dear spousess, thou hast stolen my heart; yea, thou hast stolen my heart, with one look from thine eyes, and with one jewel of thy necklace.)

¹⁰ My sister spousess, thy loves be full fair; thy loves be fairer than wine, and the odour of thy clothes is above all sweet smelling ointments. (My dear spousess, thy love is so beautiful; thy love is more beautiful than wine, and the aroma of thy clothes smelleth more sweet than any perfume.)

¹¹ Spousess, thy lips be (as) an honeycomb dropping; honey and milk be under thy tongue, and the odour of thy clothes is as the odour of incense. (Spousess, thy lips be like a dripping honeycomb; honey and milk be upon thy tongue, and the aroma of thy clothes is like the aroma of Lebanon.)

¹² My sister spousess, a garden closed (al)together; a garden closed (al)together, a well asealed. (My dear spousess is a garden altogether enclosed, yea, a secret garden; a garden altogether enclosed, and a sealed well.)

¹³ Thy sendings-out be (a) paradise of (the) apples of Punic, with the fruits of apples, cypress trees, with nard; (Thy out-sendings, or thy shoots, be like a garden of the apple trees of Punic, with its fruits of apples, and cypress trees, with spikenard;/Thy cheeks be like an orchard of pomegranate trees, with its fruits, and cypress trees, with spikenard;)

¹⁴ nard and saffron, an herb called fistula, and canel, with all [the] trees of the Lebanon, myrrh, and aloes, with all the best, either (the) first, ointments. (spikenard and saffron, henna, and cinnamon, with all the trees of incense, myrrh, and aloes, with all the best spices, or the choicest of perfumes.)

¹⁵ A well of (the) gardens, a well of welling, either quick, waters, that flow with fierceness from the Lebanon. (The well in the garden is a fresh water well, that floweth with fierceness from Lebanon.)

¹⁶ Rise thou (up), north wind, and come thou, south wind; blow thou through my garden, and the sweet smelling ointments thereof shall flow (blow thou through my garden, and its sweet smelling perfumes shall flow forth). My darling, come he into his garden, to eat the fruit of his apples.

5 My sister spousess, come thou into my garden. I have reaped my myrrh, with my sweet smelling spices; I have eaten an honeycomb, with mine honey; I have drunk my wine, with my milk. Friends, eat ye, and drink; and most dear friends, be ye filled greatly. (My dear spousess, come thou into my garden. I have gathered my myrrh, and my sweet smelling spices; I have eaten a honeycomb, and my honey; I have drunk my wine, and my milk. Friends, eat ye, and drink; yea, my most dear friends, be ye greatly filled.)

² I sleep, and mine heart waketh. The voice of my darling knocking; my sister, my love, my culver, my spousess unwemmed, open thou to me; for mine head is full of dew, and mine hairs be full of [the] drops of nights. (I sleep, and then my heart awakeneth. My darling is knocking, and saying, My dear, my love, my dove, my unblemished spousess, open thou the door to me; for my head is drenched with dew, yea, my hair is full of the drops, or the mist, of the night.)

³ I have unclothed me of my coat; how shall I be clothed therein? I have washed my feet; how shall I defoul them? (I have taken off my coat; shall I now put it on again? I have washed my feet; shall I now defile them again?)

⁴ My darling put his hand by an hole (of the door); and my womb trembled at the touching thereof.

⁵ I rose, for to open to my darling; mine hands dropped myrrh, and my fingers were full of myrrh most proved. (I rose, to open the door for my darling; my hands dripped with myrrh, yea, my fingers were covered with the best myrrh.)

⁶ I opened the wicket of my door to my darling; and he had bowed away, and had passed forth. My soul was melted, as the darling spake; I sought, and I found not him; I called, and he answered not to me. (And I opened my door for my darling; but he had turned away, yea, he had gone forth. My soul had melted, as my darling had spoken; and now I sought him, but I could not find him; I called to him, but he did not answer me.)

⁷ The keepers that compassed the city found me; they smote me, and wounded me; the keepers of [the] walls took away my mantle. (But the guards, who went around the city, found me; and they struck me, and wounded me; yea, the guards on the walls took away my cloak.)

⁸ Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I beseech you by an holy thing, (that) if ye have found my darling, that ye tell to him, that I am sick for love. (Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I plead with you by a thing most holy, that if ye find my darling, that ye tell him, that I am weak, or that I faint, because of love.)

⁹ A! thou fairest of women, of what manner condition is thy darling of the beloved? of what manner condition is thy darling of a darling? for thou hast so besought us by an holy thing. (O! thou most beautiful of women, of what manner condition is thy darling more than any other beloved? of what manner condition is thy darling more than any other darling? for thou hast so besought us by such a holy thing.)

¹⁰ My darling is white and ruddy; chosen of thousands.

¹¹ His head is best gold; his hairs be as the boughs of palm trees, and be black as a crow. (His face is smooth and bronzed; his hair is like the boughs of the palm trees, and it is as black as a crow.)

¹² His eyes be as culvers on the strands of waters, that be washed in milk, and sit beside [the] fullest rivers. (His eyes be like the doves by the streams of water, that be washed with milk, and sit beside the fullest rivers.)

¹³ His cheeks be as gardens of sweet smelling spices, set of ointment makers; his lips be (as) lilies, dropping down the best myrrh. (His cheeks be like the gardens of sweet smelling spices, ready to be mixed by perfume makers; his lips be like lilies, dripping down the best myrrh.)

¹⁴ His hands be able to turn about, golden, and full of jacinths; his womb is of ivory (his belly is like ivory), adorned with sapphires.

¹⁵ His hips be pillars of marble, that be founded on foundaments of gold; his shapeliness is as the Lebanon, he is chosen as cedars. (His hips be like pillars of marble, that be founded on gold foundations; he is shapely like Lebanon/he is majestic, like the mountains of Lebanon, he is chosen, or favoured, like the cedars.)

¹⁶ His throat is most sweet, and he is all desirable. Ye daughters of Jerusalem, such is my darling, and this is my friend. (His voice is very sweet, and he is truly desirable. Ye daughters of Jerusalem, such is my darling, yea, this is my friend.)

6 Thou fairest of women, whither went [away] thy darling? whither bowed [down] thy darling? and we shall seek him with thee. (O most beautiful of women, where did thy darling go? where did thy darling lie down? yea, we shall seek him with thee.)

² My darling went down into his orchard, to the garden of sweet smelling spices, that he be fed there in [the] orchards, and gather lilies.

³ I to my darling; and my darling, that is fed among the lilies, be to me. (I am for my darling; and my darling, he who is fed among the lilies, is for me.)

⁴ My love, thou art fair, sweet and shapely as Jerusalem, thou art fearedful as the battle array of hosts set in good order. (My love, thou art as beautiful as Tirzah, and as lovely as Jerusalem, and thou art as awesome as the battle array of armies set in good order.)

⁵ Turn away thine eyes from me, for they made me to flee away; thine hairs be as the flocks of goats, that appeared from Gilead (thy hair is like the flocks of goats, that appeared from Gilead).

⁶ Thy teeth be as a flock of sheep, that went up from [the] washing; all be with double lambs, either twins, and no barren there is among them. (Thy teeth be like a flock of sheep, that went up from the washing; all of them be with double lambs, or with twins, and there is no barren among them.)

⁷ As the rind of a pomegranate, so be thy cheeks, without thy privates. (Like the rind of a pomegranate, so be thy cheeks, behind thy veil.)

⁸ Sixty be queens, and eighty be secondary wives; and of young damsels is none number. (There be sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and of young women, or of maidens, there is no number.)

⁹ One is my culver, my perfect spousess, one is to her mother, and is the chosen of her mother; the daughters of Zion saw her, and preached her most blessed; queens, and secondary wives, praised her. (But only one is my dove, my perfect spousess, the only daughter of her mother, yea, the chosen of her mother; the daughters of Zion saw her, and proclaimed her most blessed; queens, and concubines, praised her.)

¹⁰ Who is this, that goeth forth, as the morrowtide rising, fair as the moon, chosen as the sun, fearedful as the battle array of hosts set in good order? (Who is this, who goeth forth, like daybreak, beautiful as the moon, chosen as the sun, as awesome as the battle array of armies set in good order?)

¹¹ I came down into mine orchard, to see the apples of (the) great valleys, and to behold, if vineries had flowered (and to see, if the vines had flowered), and if the pomegranate trees had burgeoned.

¹² I knew not; my soul troubled me, for the chariots of Amminadib. (But I knew not anything for sure; and my soul troubled me, like the chariots of Amminadib.)

¹³ Turn again, turn again, thou Shulamite; turn again, turn again, that we behold thee. What shalt thou see in the Shulamite, but companies of hosts? (Return, yea, return, O Shulamite; return, yea, return, so that we can see thee. How all of thee love to behold the Shulamite, as she danceth before thee!)

7 Daughter of the prince, thy goings be full fair in shoes; the jointures of thy hips be as brooches, that be made by the hand of a craftsman. (Daughter of the prince, thy feet be so beautiful in thy shoes; the curves of thy hips be like brooches, that be made by the hand of a craftsman.)

² Thy navel is as a round cup, and well-formed, that hath never need to drinks; thy womb is as an heap of wheat, beset about with lilies. (Thy navel is like a round cup, that is well-formed, and never lacketh for drinks; thy belly is like a heap of wheat, surrounded by lilies.)

³ Thy two teats be as two kids, twins of a capret. (Thy two breasts be like two kids, or two fawns, yea, the twins of a gazelle.)

⁴ Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes be as [the] cisterns in Heshbon, that be in the gate of the daughter of [the] multitude; thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon, that beholdeth against Damascus. (Thy neck is like an ivory tower; thine eyes be like the pools in Heshbon, that be at the gate of Bathrabbim; thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon, that looketh toward Damascus.)

⁵ Thine head is as Carmel; and the hairs of thine head be as the king’s purple, joined to troughs. (Thy head is held high like Mount Carmel; and the hair on thy head is like the king’s purple, braided with ribbons.)

⁶ Most dear spousess, thou art full fair, and full shapely in delights. (My dear spousess, thou art so beautiful, and so shapely, and so delightfully formed.)

⁷ Thy stature is likened to a palm tree, and thy teats to clusters of grapes. (Thy stature is like a palm tree/Thou art stately like a palm tree, and thy breasts be like clusters of grapes.)

⁸ I said, I shall go up into a palm tree, and I shall take the fruits thereof. And thy teats shall be as the clusters of grapes of a vinery; and the odour of thy mouth as the odour of pomegranates; (I said, I shall go up into the palm tree, and I shall take of its fruits. And thy breasts be like clusters of grapes in a vineyard; and the aroma of thy breath is like the aroma of pomegranates;)

⁹ thy throat shall be as best wine. Worthy to my darling for to drink, and to his lips and teeth to chew. (yea, thy breath is like the best wine. Worthy for thy darling to drink, and flowing over my lips and teeth.)

¹⁰ I shall cleave by love to my darling, and his turning shall be to me.

¹¹ Come thou, my darling, go we out into the field; dwell we together in towns. (Come thou, my darling, let us go out into the fields, or into the countryside; and then stay we together in the towns.)

¹² Rise we early to the vinery; see we, if the vine hath flowered, if the flowers bring forth fruit, if [the] pomegranates have flowered; there I shall give to thee my loves. (Rise we up early, and let us go to the vineyard; and we shall see, if the vine hath flowered, and if the flowers have brought forth fruit, and if the pomegranate trees have flowered; and there I shall give my love to thee.)

¹³ [The] Mandrakes have given their odour in our gates; my darling, I have kept to thee all apples, new and eld. (The mandrakes have given their aroma at our gates; my darling, I have kept all the fruits for thee, new and old.)

8 Who may grant to me thee, my brother, sucking the teats of my mother, that I find thee alone withoutforth, and that I kiss thee, and no man despise me then? (Who shall grant me, that thou be my brother, yea, he who hath sucked at my mother’s breasts, so that if I find thee alone outside, and I kiss thee, no man shall despise me?)

² I shall take thee, and I shall lead thee into the house of my mother, and into the (bed-)closet of my mother; there thou shalt teach me, and I shall give to thee drink of wine made sweet, and of the must of my pomegranates (yea, my pomegranate wine).

³ His left hand shall be under mine head, and his right hand shall embrace me.

⁴ Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you greatly, that ye raise not, neither make the dearworthy spousess to awake, till she will. (Ye daughters of Jerusalem, I strongly command you, that ye raise not up, nor awaken the dearworthy spousess, until she desireth it.)

⁵ Who is this spousess, that goeth up from desert, and floweth in delights, and resteth on her darling? I raised thee (up) under a pomegranate tree; there thy mother was corrupted, there thy mother was defouled. (Who is this spousess, who cometh in from the desert, and who floweth in delights, and then resteth on her darling? I raised thee up under a pomegranate tree; there thy mother gave birth to thee, yea, there thy mother was in labour.)

⁶ Set thou me as a signet on thine heart, as a signet on thine arm; for love is strong as death, envy is hard as hell; the lamps thereof be [the] lamps of fire, and of flames. (Put thou me like a seal, or a lock, upon thy heart, yea, like a seal, or a lock, upon thy arm; for love is as strong as death, and envy is as hard as the grave; its lamps be lamps of fire, and lamps of flames.)

⁷ Many waters be not able to quench charity, neither floods shall oppress it. Though a man give all the chattel of his house for love, he shall despise, or reckon it, as nought. (A great many waters be not able to drown love, nor can the floods sweep it away. And even though a man might give all the possessions of his house for love, he shall reckon it as but nothing, or of no consequence.)

⁸ Our sister is little, and hath no teats; what shall we do to our sister, in the day when she shall be spoken to? (Our sister is little, or young, and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister, on the day when she shall be spoken for?)

⁹ If it is a wall, build we thereon silveren towers; if it is a door, join we together with boards of cedar. (If she is a wall, then we shall build silver towers upon her; if she is a door, then we shall altogether enclose her with cedar boards.)

¹⁰ I am a wall, and my teats be as a tower; since I am made as finding peace before him. (I am a wall, and my breasts be like towers; and so I am able to find peace with him/and so I am able to bring him peace.)

¹¹ A vinery was to the peaceable; in that city, that hath peoples, he betook it to keepers; a man bringeth a thousand pieces of silver for the fruit thereof. (Solomon had a vineyard in Baalhamon; he rented it out to guardians, or to farmers; and each of them bringeth a thousand pieces of silver to him as payment for its fruit.)

¹² The vinery is before me; a thousand be of thee peaceable, and two hundred to them that keep the fruits thereof. (My own vineyard is before me; so let the thousand pieces of silver be for thee, O Solomon, and two hundred more for those who guard thy fruits.)

¹³ Friends harken (to) thee, that dwellest in orchards; make thou me to hear thy voice. (Friends listen to thee, thou who livest in the garden; let me also hear thy voice.)

¹⁴ My darling, fly thou; be thou made like a capret, and a calf of harts, on the hills of sweet smelling spices. (My darling, fly thou; be thou made like a gazelle, or a hart calf, on the hills of sweet smelling spices.)