Imagery, symbolism and themes

Imagery and Symbolism

‘Come buy' – the Goblins' opening words echo a famous invitation in the Bible from God to his people:

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Isaiah 55:1 TNIV

However, unlike the freedom of the biblical offer, the goblins are seeking to entrap those who accept their food.

The animalistic goblin men - The poem describes the goblins in terms of animals.

One had a cat's face,
One whisked a tail,
One tramped at a rat's pace,
One crawled like a snail,
One like a wombat prowled obtuse and furry,
One like a ratel tumbled hurry skcurry. (lines 71-6)

Honey badger, photo by Matěj Baťha, available through Creative Commons A ‘ratel' is a honey-badger. Their animal-like features highlight their base nature and their wild passions and desires. Like animals, they are unpredictable and as their attack on Lizzie demonstrates, have the potential to become ferocious. The fact that they are neither fully animal nor fully human emphasises the fact that they are unnatural and unrestrained. It also increases the distinction that can be made between them and the two sisters.

Fire - The image of fire occurs repeatedly throughout ‘Goblin Market' and is used in various ways to depict life, passion, lust, life and health:

Amongst the list of fruits with which Rossetti uses to open the poem, she includes ‘Bright-fire-like barberries' (line 27). Amongst the long overwhelming list, it is easy to miss the use of the term ‘fire-like'. Its implicit inclusion could indicate the danger hidden by the fruit's ripe look and appealing and texture
After her first taste of the goblin fruit, Laura returns to the brook ‘most like a leaping flame' (line 218). Compared to Lizzie who accompanied her in a state ‘most placid in her look' (216), Laura's passion is shown to be unhealthy and dangerous
Laura falls into a swift decline when she is no longer able to enjoy life after tasting the goblin fruits:

‘She dwindled, as the fair full moon doth turn
To swift decay and burn
Her fire away' (lines 278-80)

Here, the extinguishing of her fire indicates the diminishment of her life. Immediately turning grey (line 277) and worn, she loses interest in the tasks she used to enjoy

Laura reclaims her life and reignites her spirituality by clinging to and kissing Lizzie. As a result:

‘Swift fire spread through her veins, knocked at her heart,
Met the fire smouldering there
And overbore its lesser flame' (lines 507-8)

When Laura realises the sacrifice Lizzie has made for her sake, she associates fire with light and asks her, ‘Must your light like mine be hidden' (line 480). In this, she alludes to an image from the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament:

‘Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven'. (Matthew 5:15-16) TNIV

At the end of the poem, we are reminded that Lizzie's intention was to ‘win the fiery antidote' for her sister (line 557). An antidote is a medicine which counteracts the effect of poison or disease. The fact that this antidote was ‘fiery' indicates its potential to destroy as well as to heal.

Roots and shoots

Lizzie warns Laura not to buy the fruits of the goblin men and reflects, ‘Who knows upon what soil they fed / Their hungry thirsty roots?' (lines 44-5)
After Laura tasted the goblin fruit, Rossetti writes that ‘Her tree of life drooped from the root' (line 260)
As a warning, Lizzie reminds Laura of Jeanie who, after enjoying the goblin's fruits, ‘pined and pined away' (line 154) until she died. Her recognition that no grass grows on her grave suggests decay and lack of fruitfulness
Laura sets her hopes on a kernel stone and hopes it will take root and produce more delicious fruit for her to taste. When it fails, she declines further into depression and listlessness.

Honey from the rock … man rejoicing wine – these references allude to biblical phrases denoting goodness (God's provision for his people Psalms 81:16 Psalms 104:14-15) – however, the goodness of the goblins' fruit is illusory

Lizzie as a Christ-like figure - When Lizzie tells her sister to: ‘Eat me, drink me', (l.471) she echoes the words of Jesus at the Last Supper. See Aspects of literature > Big ideas from the Bible > Last Supper, communion, eucharist, mass.
In her sacrificial act of buying the goblin fruit to save her sister, Lizzie becomes a kind of Christ figure. According to the New Testament, Jesus described himself as the ‘Son of Man' who ‘g[a]ve his life as a ransom for many'. Mark 10:45. See Aspects of literature > Big ideas from the Bible > Redemption, salvation.

Rossetti describes Lizzie's act of redemption through metaphor and simile:

Like a lily in a flood - A lily has traditionally been considered as a symbol of purity and innocence. A flood is an overwhelming deluge of water that is both destructive and indiscriminate. By describing Lizzie as a ‘lily in a flood', Rossetti suggests that she is able to retain her purity and innocence even under pressure and the force of destruction
A rock of blue-veined stone - Whilst linking Lizzie to a rock indicates her strength which cannot easily be broken, the allusion to her as a ‘blue-veined stone' suggests both her intrinsic delicacy and her status as a royal child (of God). The phrase ‘blue blood' indicates noble birth or descent. By combining this image with the image of a rock, which is used throughout the New Testament to speak of Jesus, an understanding of Lizzie as noble and royal is sustained
A beacon left alone - A beacon is a conspicuous object which gives out light to guide and assist those people struggling in the darkness. Lizzie can be described as a beacon in that, as Christ who is described repeatedly as a ‘light' throughout the New Testament, she demonstrates a pure and holy way of living, ‘alone' and apart from the evil that exists in the world

A fruit-crowned orange tree - By describing her as ‘fruit-crowned', the poem indicates the goodness that Lizzie's acts produce:
- In the New Testament, Jesus is himself described as the ‘tree of life' and talks about how followers who exemplify his life will bear good ‘fruit' Matthew 7:17, [John 15:4,86]
- The word ‘crowned' denotes royalty and nobility. By using the term ‘crowned' in a description of Lizzie, Rossetti draws attention to her noble qualities of leadership and perseverance
- Lizzie's purity is conveyed by it being an orange tree: orange blossom is a symbol of chastity (hence its use at weddings).

Investigating imagery and symbolism

Which of these symbols do you find the most striking and why?
- Fire
- Roots and shoots
- Honey from the rock
- A lily in a flood
- A rock of blue-veined stone
- A beacon left alone
- A fruit-crowned orange tree
What do the symbols you have considered say about Lizzie's character?
- What do they indicate about growth?
- Which words indicate strength?
Think about the depiction of colour here. Where else in the poem is colour used?
- What is the effect of this use of colour?

Themes

Sisterhood and female community

During the 1860s, Rossetti worked as a volunteer at a home that supported women who were coming out of prostitution. In addition, she was very much influenced by the establishment of Anglican Sisterhoods (see Religious context: Tractarianism). As a result, many of her poems focus on two or more women working for a common purpose.

Throughout Goblin Market, Rossetti speaks of the shared bond that exists between Laura and Lizzie. She describes them as ‘two pigeons in one nest' and ‘two blossoms on one stem' (lines 185, 188) and concludes the poem with the reflection that ‘There is no friend like a sister' (line 560).
Many common factors also see goblin Market as an exploration of female sexuality.

The dangers of the marketplace

The poem opens with a long list of different ripe fruits. This list is overwhelming and confusing. Many are fruits imported from different countries such as dates, lemons and oranges. These would have been a novelty for many Victorian readers and their inclusion in the poem suggests an awareness of the changing commercial marketplace.

Laura buys the fruit from the goblin men with a curl of her hair. They compare it to coins when they speak of the ‘gold' upon her head and highlight its ‘precious' nature (lines 123, 126). This accords with the folklore tradition that fairies highly prize golden hair.

More about hair: Hair was a massive cultural commodity in Victorian culture. It was common to exchange locks of hair and put them in jewellery and other ornaments. Throughout the poetry of the period, women's hair has been variously depicted as a weapon, a veil, a snare, a web and a noose.

Investigating themes

In what ways is Laura's hair a commodity?
- What do you think it signifies?
In her depiction of the marketplace, what comments do you think that Rossetti is making about Victorian society?

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. ²Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. ³Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. ⁴Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. ⁵Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. ⁶Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; ⁷let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. ¹²For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

¹Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. ²Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. ³Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. ⁴Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. ⁵Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. ⁶Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: ⁷Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: ¹¹So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. ¹²For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. ²And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ³Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. ⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. ¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. ¹³You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. ¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ¹⁷Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ²¹You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. ²²But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. ²⁷You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. ²⁸But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. ³¹It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. ³²But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. ³³Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn. ³⁴But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷Let what you say be simply Yes or No; anything more than this comes from evil. ³⁸You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. ⁴³You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

¹And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: ²And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ³Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ⁷Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. ¹⁰Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹²Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. ¹³Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. ¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²¹Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. ²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; ²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. ²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. ²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. ²⁷Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. ²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³¹It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: ³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. ³³Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: ³⁴But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: ³⁵Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. ³⁷But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. ³⁸Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: ³⁹But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. ⁴¹And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴²Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. ⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? ⁴⁷And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? ⁴⁸Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! ²Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. ³Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. ⁴For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob. ⁵He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known: ⁶I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. ⁷In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah ⁸Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! ⁹There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. ¹⁰I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. ¹¹But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. ¹²So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. ¹³Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! ¹⁴I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. ¹⁵Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. ¹⁶But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.

¹Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. ²Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. ³Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. ⁴For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. ⁵This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not. ⁶I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots. ⁷Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah. ⁸Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; ⁹There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. ¹⁰I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. ¹¹But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. ¹²So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. ¹³Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! ¹⁴I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. ¹⁵The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. ¹⁶He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, ²covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. ³He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; ⁴he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. ⁵He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. ⁶You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. ⁷At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. ⁸The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. ⁹You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. ¹⁰You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; ¹¹they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. ¹²Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. ¹³From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. ¹⁴You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth ¹⁵and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. ¹⁶The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. ¹⁷In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. ¹⁸The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. ¹⁹He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. ²⁰You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. ²¹The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. ²²When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. ²³Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. ²⁴O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. ²⁵Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. ²⁶There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. ²⁷These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. ²⁸When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. ²⁹When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. ³⁰When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. ³¹May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works, ³²who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! ³³I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. ³⁴May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. ³⁵Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

¹Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. ²Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: ³Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: ⁴Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: ⁵Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. ⁶Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. ⁷At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. ⁸They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. ⁹Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. ¹⁰He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. ¹¹They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. ¹²By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. ¹³He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. ¹⁴He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; ¹⁵And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart. ¹⁶The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; ¹⁷Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. ¹⁸The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. ¹⁹He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. ²⁰Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. ²¹The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. ²²The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. ²³Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. ²⁴O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. ²⁵So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. ²⁶There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. ²⁷These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. ²⁸That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. ²⁹Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. ³⁰Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. ³¹The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. ³²He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. ³³I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. ³⁴My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. ³⁵Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. ²And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? ³He answered them, What did Moses command you? ⁴They said, Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away. ⁵And Jesus said to them, Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. ⁷Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, ⁸and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. ¹⁰And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹And he said to them, Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, ¹²and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. ¹³And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ¹⁵Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. ¹⁶And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. ¹⁷And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? ¹⁸And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments: Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother. ²⁰And he said to him, Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth. ²¹And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. ²²Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. ²³And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁴And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. ²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, Then who can be saved? ²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God. ²⁸Peter began to say to him, See, we have left everything and followed you. ²⁹Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, ³⁰who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first. ³²And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, ³³saying, See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. ³⁴And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise. ³⁵And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. ³⁶And he said to them, What do you want me to do for you? ³⁷And they said to him, Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory. ³⁸Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? ³⁹And they said to him, We are able. And Jesus said to them, The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, ⁴⁰but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. ⁴¹And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. ⁴²And Jesus called them to him and said to them, You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. ⁴⁶And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. ⁴⁷And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! ⁴⁸And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me! ⁴⁹And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, saying to him, Take heart. Get up; he is calling you. ⁵⁰And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. ⁵¹And Jesus said to him, What do you want me to do for you? And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight. ⁵²And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

¹And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. ²And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. ³And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? ⁴And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. ⁵And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. ⁶But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. ⁷For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; ⁸And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. ⁹What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ¹⁰And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. ¹¹And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. ¹²And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. ¹³And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. ¹⁷And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? ¹⁸And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. ¹⁹Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. ²⁰And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. ²¹Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. ²²And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. ²³And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁴And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁶And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? ²⁷And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. ²⁸Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. ²⁹And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, ³⁰But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. ³¹But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. ³²And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, ³³Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: ³⁴And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. ³⁵And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. ³⁶And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? ³⁷They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. ³⁸But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ³⁹And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: ⁴⁰But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. ⁴¹And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. ⁴²But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. ⁴⁶And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. ⁴⁷And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. ⁴⁸And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. ⁴⁹And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. ⁵⁰And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. ⁵¹And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. ⁵²And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Judge not, that you be not judged. ²For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ³Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴Or how can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. ⁶Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. ⁷Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ¹²So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. ¹³Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. ¹⁵Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. ²¹Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? ²³And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. ²⁴Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. ²⁸And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, ²⁹for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

¹Judge not, that ye be not judged. ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. ³And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? ⁵Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. ⁶Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. ⁷Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: ⁸For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ⁹Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? ¹²Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. ¹³Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ¹⁵Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ²⁰Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. ²¹Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. ²⁴Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ²⁶And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ²⁷And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. ²⁸And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: ²⁹For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

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