As for me, I will sing about your strength; I will praise your loyal love in the morning. For you are my refuge ¹  and my place of shelter when I face trouble. ² 

Proud men hide a snare for me; evil men ¹  spread a net by the path; they set traps for me. (Selah)

I purchased male and female slaves, and I owned slaves who were born in my house; ¹  I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks – than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. ² 

I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures ¹  taken from kingdoms and provinces. ²  I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight ³  – a harem of beautiful concubines! ⁴ 

The Beloved to Her Lover: Oh, how I wish you were ¹  my little brother, ²  nursing at my mother’s breasts; if I saw ³  you outside, I could kiss you – surely ⁴  no one would despise me! ⁵ 

I take no delight ¹  when they offer up to me ²  frankincense that comes from Sheba or sweet-smelling cane imported from a faraway land. I cannot accept the burnt offerings they bring me. I get no pleasure from the sacrifices they offer to me.’ ³ 

I will purify them from all the sin that they committed against me. I will forgive all their sins which they committed in rebelling against me. ¹ 

Indeed! All lives are mine – the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one ¹  who sins will die.

I will destroy her vines and fig trees, about which she said, “These are my wages for prostitution ¹  that my lovers gave to me!” I will turn her cultivated vines and fig trees ²  into an uncultivated thicket, so that wild animals ³  will devour them.

Ephraim boasts, ¹  “I am very rich! I have become wealthy! ²  In all that I have done to gain my wealth, ³  no one can accuse me of any offense ⁴  that is actually sinful.” ⁵ 

My enemies, ¹  do not gloat ²  over me! Though I have fallen, I will get up. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. ³ 

But Jacob replied, “First ¹  sell me your birthright.”

In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

“‘If in spite of these things ¹  you do not allow yourselves to be disciplined and you walk in hostility against me, ² 

“‘If in spite of this ¹  you do not obey me but walk in hostility against me, ² 

I will shoot three arrows near it, as though I were shooting at a target.

He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I’m ¹  an Amalekite.’

They confronted ¹  me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me. ² 

The Lord repaid ¹  me for my godly deeds; ²  he rewarded ³  my blameless behavior. ⁴ 

The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; ¹  he took notice of my blameless behavior. ²