Song of Solomon 1:8

¹Where has your beloved gone, you fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?

⁹How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us?

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

⁵By faith Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. ⁶Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

⁷By faith Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear,^[+] prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. ⁹By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. ¹²Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen^[+] them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. ¹⁶But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his only born^18[+] to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,” ¹⁹concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.

²¹By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²²By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

²³By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

²⁴By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, ²⁶considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. ²⁷By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. ²⁸By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

²⁹By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

³¹By faith Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

³²What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets— ³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,³⁴quenched the power of fire,escaped the edge of the sword,from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. ³⁵Women received their dead by resurrection.Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned.They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword.They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated— ³⁸of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

³⁹These all, having been commended for their faith, didn’t receive the promise, ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

¹⁰Take, brothers, for an example of suffering and of perseverance, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

²¹Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

³⁴Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

¹Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is as a flock of goats, that descend from Mount Gilead.

¹⁵Behold, ^[+] you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are like doves.

⁷You are all beautiful, my love. There is no spot in you.

¹How beautiful are your feet in sandals, prince’s daughter! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skillful workman. ²Your body is like a round goblet, no mixed wine is wanting. Your waist is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies. ³Your two breasts are like two fawns, that are twins of a roe. ⁴Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bathrabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon which looks toward Damascus. ⁵Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head like purple. The king is held captive in its tresses. ⁶How beautiful and how pleasant you are, love, for delights! ⁷This, your stature, is like a palm tree, your breasts like its fruit. ⁸I said, “I will climb up into the palm tree. I will take hold of its fruit.” Let your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the smell of your breath like apples. ⁹Your mouth is like the best wine, that goes down smoothly for my beloved, gliding through the lips of those who are asleep.

¹⁰I am my beloved’s. His desire is toward me. ¹¹Come, my beloved! Let’s go out into the field. Let’s lodge in the villages. ¹²Let’s go early up to the vineyards. Let’s see whether the vine has budded, its blossom is open, and the pomegranates are in flower. There I will give you my love. ¹³The mandrakes produce fragrance. At our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and old, which I have stored up for you, my beloved.