@jumpsh00ps
Joined on July 4th, 2017, this user has been a member for 3,259 days and is the 39th person to register an account.
Has 13 submissions, the first one uploaded on May 7th, 2017 and the most recent on November 7th, 2017.
Of those, 0 have been featured and 0 have won Users' Choice.
On average, each submission earns 1,473 downloads.
In total, they have been download 19,156 times.
Counting every individual stickfigure, including the contents of all packs, this user has technically made and submitted 20 stickfigures.
On average, when this user rates stickfigures, they are 99% positive.
Has made 499 comments on non-activity pages of the site. Alternatively, this user has made 3,412 comments on actual activity pages of the site.
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Song of Songs 3:1-11 MSG
[1-4] Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, I longed for my lover. I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful. So I got up, went out and roved the city, hunting through streets and down alleys. I wanted my lover in the worst way! I looked high and low, and didn’t find him. And then the night watchmen found me as they patrolled the darkened city. “Have you seen my dear lost love?” I asked. No sooner had I left them than I found him, found my dear lost love. I threw my arms around him and held him tight, wouldn’t let him go until I had him home again, safe at home beside the fire. [5] Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem, by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer: Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you’re ready. [6-10] What’s this I see, approaching from the desert, raising clouds of dust, Filling the air with sweet smells and pungent aromatics? Look! It’s Solomon’s carriage, carried and guarded by sixty soldiers, sixty of Israel’s finest, All of them armed to the teeth, trained for battle, ready for anything, anytime. King Solomon once had a carriage built from fine-grained Lebanon cedar. He had it framed with silver and roofed with gold. The cushions were covered with a purple fabric, the interior lined with tooled leather. [11] Come and look, sisters in Jerusalem. Oh, sisters of Zion, don’t miss this! My King-Lover, dressed and garlanded for his wedding, his heart full, bursting with joy! -
Replying to comment by:Song of Solomon 2:1-17 AMPC
[1] [SHE SAID] I am only a little rose or autumn crocus of the plain of Sharon, or a [humble] lily of the valleys [that grows in deep and difficult places]. [2] But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters. [3] Like an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved [shepherd] among the sons [cried the girl]! Under his shadow I delighted to sit, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. [4] He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]. [5] Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. [6] [I can feel] his left hand under my head and his right hand embraces me! [Deut. 33:27; Matt. 28:20.] [7] [He said] I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field [which are free to follow their own instincts] that you not try to stir up or awaken [my] love until it pleases. [8] [Vividly she pictured it] The voice of my beloved [shepherd]! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. [John 10:27.] [9] My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind the wall of our house, he looks in through the windows, he glances through the lattice. [10] My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. [11] For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. [12] The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. [13] The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. [14] [So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. [15] [My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom. [16] [She said distinctly] My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks among the lilies. [Matt. 10:32; Acts 4:12.] [17] [Then, longingly addressing her absent shepherd, she cried] Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, return hastily, O my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart as you cover the mountains [which separate us]. -
Song of Songs 2:1-17 MSG
[1] I’m just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon, a lotus blossom from the valley pools. [2] A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds— that’s my dear friend among the girls in the village. [3-4] As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me! [5-6] Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love! His left hand cradles my head, and his right arm encircles my waist! [7] Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem, by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer: Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you’re ready. [8-10a] Look! Listen! There’s my lover! Do you see him coming? Vaulting the mountains, leaping the hills. My lover is like a gazelle, graceful; like a young stag, virile. Look at him there, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes—ready! My lover has arrived and he’s speaking to me! [10b-14] Get up, my dear friend, fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Look around you: Winter is over; the winter rains are over, gone! Spring flowers are in blossom all over. The whole world’s a choir—and singing! Spring warblers are filling the forest with sweet strains. Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed, and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms. Oh, get up, dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Come, my shy and modest dove— leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing and your face is ravishing. [15] Then you must protect me from the foxes, foxes on the prowl, Foxes who would like nothing better than to get into our flowering garden. [16-17] My lover is mine, and I am his. Nightly he strolls in our garden, Delighting in the flowers until dawn breathes its light and night slips away. Turn to me, dear lover. Come like a gazelle. Leap like a wild stag on delectable mountains!-
Song of Solomon 2:1-17 AMPC
[1] [SHE SAID] I am only a little rose or autumn crocus of the plain of Sharon, or a [humble] lily of the valleys [that grows in deep and difficult places]. [2] But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters. [3] Like an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved [shepherd] among the sons [cried the girl]! Under his shadow I delighted to sit, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. [4] He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]. [5] Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. [6] [I can feel] his left hand under my head and his right hand embraces me! [Deut. 33:27; Matt. 28:20.] [7] [He said] I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field [which are free to follow their own instincts] that you not try to stir up or awaken [my] love until it pleases. [8] [Vividly she pictured it] The voice of my beloved [shepherd]! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. [John 10:27.] [9] My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind the wall of our house, he looks in through the windows, he glances through the lattice. [10] My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. [11] For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. [12] The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. [13] The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. [14] [So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. [15] [My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom. [16] [She said distinctly] My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks among the lilies. [Matt. 10:32; Acts 4:12.] [17] [Then, longingly addressing her absent shepherd, she cried] Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, return hastily, O my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart as you cover the mountains [which separate us].2024-01-17 13:56:08 UTC
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Replying to comment by:
Song of Solomon 2:1-17 AMPC
[1] [SHE SAID] I am only a little rose or autumn crocus of the plain of Sharon, or a [humble] lily of the valleys [that grows in deep and difficult places]. [2] But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters. [3] Like an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved [shepherd] among the sons [cried the girl]! Under his shadow I delighted to sit, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. [4] He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]. [5] Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. [6] [I can feel] his left hand under my head and his right hand embraces me! [Deut. 33:27; Matt. 28:20.] [7] [He said] I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field [which are free to follow their own instincts] that you not try to stir up or awaken [my] love until it pleases. [8] [Vividly she pictured it] The voice of my beloved [shepherd]! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. [John 10:27.] [9] My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind the wall of our house, he looks in through the windows, he glances through the lattice. [10] My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. [11] For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. [12] The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. [13] The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. [14] [So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. [15] [My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom. [16] [She said distinctly] My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks among the lilies. [Matt. 10:32; Acts 4:12.] [17] [Then, longingly addressing her absent shepherd, she cried] Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, return hastily, O my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart as you cover the mountains [which separate us]. -
Song of Songs 2:1-17 MSG
[1] I’m just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon, a lotus blossom from the valley pools. [2] A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds— that’s my dear friend among the girls in the village. [3-4] As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me! [5-6] Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love! His left hand cradles my head, and his right arm encircles my waist! [7] Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem, by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer: Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you’re ready. [8-10a] Look! Listen! There’s my lover! Do you see him coming? Vaulting the mountains, leaping the hills. My lover is like a gazelle, graceful; like a young stag, virile. Look at him there, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes—ready! My lover has arrived and he’s speaking to me! [10b-14] Get up, my dear friend, fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Look around you: Winter is over; the winter rains are over, gone! Spring flowers are in blossom all over. The whole world’s a choir—and singing! Spring warblers are filling the forest with sweet strains. Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed, and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms. Oh, get up, dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Come, my shy and modest dove— leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing and your face is ravishing. [15] Then you must protect me from the foxes, foxes on the prowl, Foxes who would like nothing better than to get into our flowering garden. [16-17] My lover is mine, and I am his. Nightly he strolls in our garden, Delighting in the flowers until dawn breathes its light and night slips away. Turn to me, dear lover. Come like a gazelle. Leap like a wild stag on delectable mountains!-
Song of Solomon 2:1-17 AMPC
[1] [SHE SAID] I am only a little rose or autumn crocus of the plain of Sharon, or a [humble] lily of the valleys [that grows in deep and difficult places]. [2] But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters. [3] Like an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved [shepherd] among the sons [cried the girl]! Under his shadow I delighted to sit, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. [4] He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]. [5] Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. [6] [I can feel] his left hand under my head and his right hand embraces me! [Deut. 33:27; Matt. 28:20.] [7] [He said] I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field [which are free to follow their own instincts] that you not try to stir up or awaken [my] love until it pleases. [8] [Vividly she pictured it] The voice of my beloved [shepherd]! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. [John 10:27.] [9] My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind the wall of our house, he looks in through the windows, he glances through the lattice. [10] My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. [11] For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. [12] The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. [13] The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. [14] [So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. [15] [My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom. [16] [She said distinctly] My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks among the lilies. [Matt. 10:32; Acts 4:12.] [17] [Then, longingly addressing her absent shepherd, she cried] Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, return hastily, O my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart as you cover the mountains [which separate us].2024-01-16 14:39:03 UTC
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Replying to comment by:
The Amplified Classic is easier to understand here.
Song of Solomon 1:1-17 AMPC
[1] THE SONG of songs [the most excellent of them all] which is Solomon’s. [I Kings 4:32.] [2] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! [she cries. Then, realizing that Solomon has arrived and has heard her speech, she turns to him and adds] For your love is better than wine! [3] [And she continues] The odor of your ointments is fragrant; your name is like perfume poured out. Therefore do the maidens love you. [4] Draw me! We will run after you! The king brings me into his apartments! We will be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall [when we were favored with] your love, more fragrant than wine. The upright [are not offended at your choice, but sincerely] love you. [5] I am so black; but [you are] lovely and pleasant [the ladies assured her]. O you daughters of Jerusalem, [I am as dark] as the tents of [the Bedouin tribe] Kedar, like the [beautiful] curtains of Solomon! [6] [Please] do not look at me, [she said, for] I am swarthy. [I have worked out] in the sun and it has left its mark upon me. My stepbrothers were angry with me, and they made me keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard [my complexion] I have not kept. [7] [Addressing her shepherd, she said] Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon. For why should I [as I think of you] be as a veiled one straying beside the flocks of your companions? [Ps. 23:1, 2.] [8] If you do not know [where your lover is], O you fairest among women, run along, follow the tracks of the flock, and [amuse yourself by] pasturing your kids beside the shepherds’ tents. [9] O my love [he said as he saw her], you remind me of my [favorite] mare in the chariot spans of Pharaoh. [10] Your cheeks are comely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels. [11] We will make for you chains and ornaments of gold, studded with silver. [12] While the king sits at his table [she said], my spikenard [my absent lover] sends forth [his] fragrance [over me]. [13] My beloved [shepherd] is to me like a [scent] bag of myrrh that lies in my bosom. [14] My beloved [shepherd] is to me a cluster of henna flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi [famed for its fragrant shrubs]. [15] Behold, you are beautiful, my love! Behold, you are beautiful! You have doves’ eyes. [16] [She cried] Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved [shepherd], yes, delightful! Our arbor and couch are green and leafy. [17] The beams of our house are cedars, and our rafters and panels are cypresses or pines. -
Now, we start Song of Songs, A.K.A. Song of Solomon.
Song of Songs 1:1-17 MSG
[1] The Song—best of all songs—Solomon’s song! [2-3] Kiss me—full on the mouth! Yes! For your love is better than wine, headier than your aromatic oils. The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook. No wonder everyone loves to say your name! [4] Take me away with you! Let’s run off together! An elopement with my King-Lover! We’ll celebrate, we’ll sing, we’ll make great music. Yes! For your love is better than vintage wine. Everyone loves you—of course! And why not? [5-6] I am weathered but still elegant, oh, dear sisters in Jerusalem, Weather-darkened like Kedar desert tents, time-softened like Solomon’s Temple hangings. Don’t look down on me because I’m dark, darkened by the sun’s harsh rays. My brothers ridiculed me and sent me to work in the fields. They made me care for the face of the earth, but I had no time to care for my own face. [7] Tell me where you’re working —I love you so much— Tell me where you’re tending your flocks, where you let them rest at noontime. Why should I be the one left out, outside the orbit of your tender care? [8] If you can’t find me, loveliest of all women, it’s all right. Stay with your flocks. Lead your lambs to good pasture. Stay with your shepherd neighbors. [9-11] You remind me of Pharaoh’s well-groomed and satiny mares. Pendant earrings line the elegance of your cheeks; strands of jewels illumine the curve of your throat. I’m making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry that will mark and accent your beauty. [12-14] When my King-Lover lay down beside me, my fragrance filled the room. His head resting between my breasts— the head of my lover was a sachet of sweet myrrh. My beloved is a bouquet of wildflowers picked just for me from the fields of En Gedi. [15] Oh, my dear friend! You’re so beautiful! And your eyes so beautiful—like doves! [16-17] And you, my dear lover—you’re so handsome! And the bed we share is like a forest glen. We enjoy a canopy of cedars enclosed by cypresses, fragrant and green.-
The Amplified Classic is easier to understand here.
Song of Solomon 1:1-17 AMPC
[1] THE SONG of songs [the most excellent of them all] which is Solomon’s. [I Kings 4:32.] [2] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! [she cries. Then, realizing that Solomon has arrived and has heard her speech, she turns to him and adds] For your love is better than wine! [3] [And she continues] The odor of your ointments is fragrant; your name is like perfume poured out. Therefore do the maidens love you. [4] Draw me! We will run after you! The king brings me into his apartments! We will be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall [when we were favored with] your love, more fragrant than wine. The upright [are not offended at your choice, but sincerely] love you. [5] I am so black; but [you are] lovely and pleasant [the ladies assured her]. O you daughters of Jerusalem, [I am as dark] as the tents of [the Bedouin tribe] Kedar, like the [beautiful] curtains of Solomon! [6] [Please] do not look at me, [she said, for] I am swarthy. [I have worked out] in the sun and it has left its mark upon me. My stepbrothers were angry with me, and they made me keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard [my complexion] I have not kept. [7] [Addressing her shepherd, she said] Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon. For why should I [as I think of you] be as a veiled one straying beside the flocks of your companions? [Ps. 23:1, 2.] [8] If you do not know [where your lover is], O you fairest among women, run along, follow the tracks of the flock, and [amuse yourself by] pasturing your kids beside the shepherds’ tents. [9] O my love [he said as he saw her], you remind me of my [favorite] mare in the chariot spans of Pharaoh. [10] Your cheeks are comely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels. [11] We will make for you chains and ornaments of gold, studded with silver. [12] While the king sits at his table [she said], my spikenard [my absent lover] sends forth [his] fragrance [over me]. [13] My beloved [shepherd] is to me like a [scent] bag of myrrh that lies in my bosom. [14] My beloved [shepherd] is to me a cluster of henna flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi [famed for its fragrant shrubs]. [15] Behold, you are beautiful, my love! Behold, you are beautiful! You have doves’ eyes. [16] [She cried] Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved [shepherd], yes, delightful! Our arbor and couch are green and leafy. [17] The beams of our house are cedars, and our rafters and panels are cypresses or pines.2024-01-16 14:31:39 UTC
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This is the last chapter of Ecclesiastes. We’ll start on Song of Songs in a minute.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 MSG
[1-2] Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire. [3-5] In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen. The shades are pulled down on the world. You can’t come and go at will. Things grind to a halt. The hum of the household fades away. You are wakened now by bird-song. Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past. Even a stroll down the road has its terrors. Your hair turns apple-blossom white, Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body. Yes, you’re well on your way to eternal rest, While your friends make plans for your funeral. [6-7] Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over. Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends. The body is put back in the same ground it came from. The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it. [8] It’s all smoke, nothing but smoke. The Quester says that everything’s smoke. [9-10] Besides being wise himself, the Quester also taught others knowledge. He weighed, examined, and arranged many proverbs. The Quester did his best to find the right words and write the plain truth. [11] The words of the wise prod us to live well. They’re like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd. [12-13] But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else. The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you. [14] And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil. -
Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 MSG
[1] Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns. [2] Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night. [3-4] When the clouds are full of water, it rains. When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls. Don’t sit there watching the wind. Do your own work. Don’t stare at the clouds. Get on with your life. [5] Just as you’ll never understand the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman, So you’ll never understand the mystery at work in all that God does. [6] Go to work in the morning and stick to it until evening without watching the clock. You never know from moment to moment how your work will turn out in the end. [7-8] Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour, Remembering that there will also be many dark days And that most of what comes your way is smoke. [9] You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it. [10] Live footloose and fancy-free— You won’t be young forever. Youth lasts about as long as smoke. -
Ecclesiastes 10:1-20 MSG
[1] Dead flies in perfume make it stink, And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom. [2] Wise thinking leads to right living; Stupid thinking leads to wrong living. [3] Fools on the road have no sense of direction. The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!” [4] If a ruler loses his temper against you, don’t panic; A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage. * * * [5-7] Here’s a piece of bad business I’ve seen on this earth, An error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge: Immaturity is given a place of prominence, While maturity is made to take a backseat. I’ve seen unproven upstarts riding in style, While experienced veterans are put out to pasture. * * * [8] Caution: The trap you set might catch you. Warning: Your accomplice in crime might double-cross you. [9] Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous. Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous. [10] Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work; Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle. [11] If the snake bites before it’s been charmed, What’s the point in then sending for the charmer? * * * [12-13] The words of a wise person are gracious. The talk of a fool self-destructs— He starts out talking nonsense And ends up spouting insanity and evil. [14] Fools talk way too much, Chattering stuff they know nothing about. [15] A decent day’s work so fatigues fools That they can’t find their way back to town. * * * [16-17] Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup, And whose princes party all night. Lucky the land whose king is mature, Where the princes behave themselves And don’t drink themselves silly. * * * [18] A shiftless man lives in a tumbledown shack; A lazy woman ends up with a leaky roof. [19] Laughter and bread go together, And wine gives sparkle to life— But it’s money that makes the world go around. [20] Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide. -
Ecclesiastes 9:1-18 MSG
[1-3] Well, I took all this in and thought it through, inside and out. Here’s what I understood: The good, the wise, and all that they do are in God’s hands—but, day by day, whether it’s love or hate they’re dealing with, they don’t know. Anything’s possible. It’s one fate for everybody—righteous and wicked, good people, bad people, the nice and the nasty, worshipers and non-worshipers, committed and uncommitted. I find this outrageous—the worst thing about living on this earth—that everyone’s lumped together in one fate. Is it any wonder that so many people are obsessed with evil? Is it any wonder that people go crazy right and left? Life leads to death. That’s it. [4-6] Still, anyone selected out for life has hope, for, as they say, “A living dog is better than a dead lion.” The living at least know something, even if it’s only that they’re going to die. But the dead know nothing and get nothing. They’re a minus that no one remembers. Their loves, their hates, yes, even their dreams, are long gone. There’s not a trace of them left in the affairs of this earth. [7-10] Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure! Dress festively every morning. Don’t skimp on colors and scarves. Relish life with the spouse you love Each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange For the hard work of staying alive. Make the most of each one! Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily! This is your last and only chance at it, For there’s neither work to do nor thoughts to think In the company of the dead, where you’re most certainly headed. * * * [11] I took another walk around the neighborhood and realized that on this earth as it is— The race is not always to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor satisfaction to the wise, Nor riches to the smart, Nor grace to the learned. Sooner or later bad luck hits us all. [12] No one can predict misfortune. Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds in a trap, So men and women are caught By accidents evil and sudden. [13-15] One day as I was observing how wisdom fares on this earth, I saw something that made me sit up and take notice. There was a small town with only a few people in it. A strong king came and mounted an attack, building trenches and attack posts around it. There was a poor but wise man in that town whose wisdom saved the town, but he was promptly forgotten. (He was only a poor man, after all.) [16] All the same, I still say that wisdom is better than muscle, even though the wise poor man was treated with contempt and soon forgotten. [17] The quiet words of the wise are more effective Than the ranting of a king of fools. [18] Wisdom is better than warheads, But one hothead can ruin the good earth. -
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 MSG
[1] There’s nothing better than being wise, Knowing how to interpret the meaning of life. Wisdom puts light in the eyes, And gives gentleness to words and manners. [2-7] Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don’t worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You’re serving his pleasure, not yours. The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, “What are you doing?” Carrying out orders won’t hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately. Yes, there’s a right time and way for everything, even though, unfortunately, we miss it for the most part. It’s true that no one knows what’s going to happen, or when. Who’s around to tell us? [8] No one can control the wind or lock it in a box. No one has any say-so regarding the day of death. No one can stop a battle in its tracks. No one who does evil can be saved by evil. [9] All this I observed as I tried my best to understand all that’s going on in this world. As long as men and women have the power to hurt each other, this is the way it is. [10] One time I saw wicked men given a solemn burial in holy ground. When the people returned to the city, they delivered flowery eulogies—and in the very place where wicked acts were done by those very men! More smoke. Indeed. [11] Because the sentence against evil deeds is so long in coming, people in general think they can get by with murder. [12-13] Even though a person sins and gets by with it hundreds of times throughout a long life, I’m still convinced that the good life is reserved for the person who fears God, who lives reverently in his presence, and that the evil person will not experience a “good” life. No matter how many days he lives, they’ll all be as flat and colorless as a shadow—because he doesn’t fear God. * * * [14] Here’s something that happens all the time and makes no sense at all: Good people get what’s coming to the wicked, and bad people get what’s coming to the good. I tell you, this makes no sense. It’s smoke. [15] So, I’m all for just going ahead and having a good time—the best possible. The only earthly good men and women can look forward to is to eat and drink well and have a good time—compensation for the struggle for survival these few years God gives us on earth. [16-17] When I determined to load up on wisdom and examine everything taking place on earth, I realized that if you keep your eyes open day and night without even blinking, you’ll still never figure out the meaning of what God is doing on this earth. Search as hard as you like, you’re not going to make sense of it. No matter how smart you are, you won’t get to the bottom of it. -
Ecclesiastes 7:1-29 MSG
[1] A good reputation is better than a fat bank account. Your death date tells more than your birth date. [2] You learn more at a funeral than at a feast— After all, that’s where we’ll end up. We might discover something from it. [3] Crying is better than laughing. It blotches the face but it scours the heart. [4] Sages invest themselves in hurt and grieving. Fools waste their lives in fun and games. [5] You’ll get more from the rebuke of a sage Than from the song and dance of fools. [6] The giggles of fools are like the crackling of twigs Under the cooking pot. And like smoke. [7] Brutality stupefies even the wise And destroys the strongest heart. [8] Endings are better than beginnings. Sticking to it is better than standing out. [9] Don’t be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head. [10] Don’t always be asking, “Where are the good old days?” Wise folks don’t ask questions like that. [11-12] Wisdom is better when it’s paired with money, Especially if you get both while you’re still living. Double protection: wisdom and wealth! Plus this bonus: Wisdom energizes its owner. [13] Take a good look at God’s work. Who could simplify and reduce Creation’s curves and angles To a plain straight line? [14] On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days So that we won’t take anything for granted. [15-17] I’ve seen it all in my brief and pointless life—here a good person cut down in the middle of doing good, there a bad person living a long life of sheer evil. So don’t knock yourself out being good, and don’t go overboard being wise. Believe me, you won’t get anything out of it. But don’t press your luck by being bad, either. And don’t be reckless. Why die needlessly? [18] It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it. [19] Wisdom puts more strength in one wise person Than ten strong men give to a city. [20] There’s not one totally good person on earth, Not one who is truly pure and sinless. [21-22] Don’t eavesdrop on the conversation of others. What if the gossip’s about you and you’d rather not hear it? You’ve done that a few times, haven’t you—said things Behind someone’s back you wouldn’t say to his face? [23-25] I tested everything in my search for wisdom. I set out to be wise, but it was beyond me, far beyond me, and deep—oh so deep! Does anyone ever find it? I concentrated with all my might, studying and exploring and seeking wisdom—the meaning of life. I also wanted to identify evil and stupidity, foolishness and craziness. [26-29] One discovery: A woman can be a bitter pill to swallow, full of seductive scheming and grasping. The lucky escape her; the undiscerning get caught. At least this is my experience—what I, the Quester, have pieced together as I’ve tried to make sense of life. But the wisdom I’ve looked for I haven’t found. I didn’t find one man or woman in a thousand worth my while. Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things. -
Ecclesiastes 6:1-12 MSG
[1-2] I looked long and hard at what goes on around here, and let me tell you, things are bad. And people feel it. There are people, for instance, on whom God showers everything—money, property, reputation—all they ever wanted or dreamed of. And then God doesn’t let them enjoy it. Some stranger comes along and has all the fun. It’s more of what I’m calling smoke. A bad business. [3-5] Say a couple have scores of children and live a long, long life but never enjoy themselves—even though they end up with a big funeral! I’d say that a stillborn baby gets the better deal. It gets its start in a mist and ends up in the dark—unnamed. It sees nothing and knows nothing, but is better off by far than anyone living. [6] Even if someone lived a thousand years—make it two thousand!—but didn’t enjoy anything, what’s the point? Doesn’t everyone end up in the same place? [7] We work to feed our appetites; Meanwhile our souls go hungry. [8-9] So what advantage has a sage over a fool, or over some poor wretch who barely gets by? Just grab whatever you can while you can; don’t assume something better might turn up by and by. All it amounts to anyway is smoke. And spitting into the wind. [10] Whatever happens, happens. Its destiny is fixed. You can’t argue with fate. [11-12] The more words that are spoken, the more smoke there is in the air. And who is any better off? And who knows what’s best for us as we live out our meager smoke-and-shadow lives? And who can tell any of us the next chapter of our lives? -
Ecclesiastes 5:1-20 MSG
[1] Watch your step when you enter God’s house. Enter to learn. That’s far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, Doing more harm than good. [2] Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better. [3] Overwork makes for restless sleep. Overtalk shows you up as a fool. [4-5] When you tell God you’ll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish drivel. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. [6] Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you. When called to account, you won’t get by with “Sorry, I didn’t mean it.” Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? [7] But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk There’s always this rock foundation: Fear God! [8-9] Don’t be too upset when you see the poor kicked around, and justice and right violated all over the place. Exploitation filters down from one petty official to another. There’s no end to it, and nothing can be done about it. But the good earth doesn’t cheat anyone—even a bad king is honestly served by a field. [10] The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, Nor the one who loves wealth with big profits. More smoke. [11] The more loot you get, the more looters show up. And what fun is that—to be robbed in broad daylight? [12] Hard and honest work earns a good night’s sleep, Whether supper is beans or steak. But a rich man’s belly gives him insomnia. [13-17] Here’s a piece of bad luck I’ve seen happen: A man hoards far more wealth than is good for him And then loses it all in a bad business deal. He fathered a child but hasn’t a cent left to give him. He arrived naked from the womb of his mother; He’ll leave in the same condition—with nothing. This is bad luck, for sure—naked he came, naked he went. So what was the point of working for a salary of smoke? All for a miserable life spent in the dark? [18-20] After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live. - Load More
Song of Solomon 3:1-11 AMPC
[1] IN THE night I dreamed that I sought the one whom I love. [She said] I looked for him but could not find him. [Isa. 26:9.] [2] So I decided to go out into the city, into the streets and broad ways [which are so confusing to a country girl], and seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I could not find him. [3] The watchmen who go about the city found me, to whom I said, Have you seen him whom my soul loves? [4] I had gone but a little way past them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who conceived me. [Rom. 8:35; I Pet. 2:25.] [5] I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field that you stir not up nor awaken love until it pleases. [6] Who or what is this [she asked] that comes gliding out of the wilderness like stately pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh, frankincense, and all the fragrant powders of the merchant? [7] [Someone answered] Behold, it is the traveling litter (the bridal car) of Solomon. Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel. [8] They all handle the sword and are expert in war; every man has his sword upon his thigh, that fear be not excited in the night. [9] King Solomon made himself a car or a palanquin from the [cedar] wood of Lebanon. [10] He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple, the inside of it lovingly and intricately wrought in needlework by the daughters of Jerusalem. [11] Go forth, O you daughters of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon wearing the crown with which his mother [Bathsheba] crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of his gladness of heart.
https://bible.com/bible/8/sng.3.1.AMPC