Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever.
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,
Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows?
Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead.
May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!
though you men lie among the sheepfolds— the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold.
your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
My dove, my perfect one, is the only one, the only one of her mother, pure to her who bore her. The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.