1 I come to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gather my myrrh with my spice, I eat my honeycomb with my honey, I drink my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink: drink deeply, O lovers! 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. Hark! my beloved is knocking. "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night." 3 I had put off my garment, how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet, how could I soil them? 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, upon the handles of the bolt. 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. 7 The watchmen found me, as they went about in the city; they beat me, they wounded me, they took away my mantle, those watchmen of the walls. 8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love. 9 What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us? 10 My beloved is all radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. 11 His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. 12 His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, bathed in milk, fitly set. 13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, as sweet flowers. His lips are lilies, distilling liquid myrrh. 14 His arms are rounded gold, set with jewels. His body is ivory work, encrusted with sapphires. 15 His legs are alabaster columns, set upon bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. 16 His speech is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Commentary on Song of Songs 5
5:1 garden: see note 4:12. drink deeply: that is, become spiritually drunk by enbracing God in entire love. (Alcuin)
5:2 I slept: while the Christian, even though he is asleep with his eyes, ought to be awake with his heart, as it is written in the person of the Church speaking. (St. Cyprian) beloved is knocking: For Christ stands at the door of your soul. For He says “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man open to Me, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him, and he with Me.” Rev 3:20 (St. Ambrose)
5:3 put off my garment: that is any worldly inpediment. (Alcuin) bathed my feet: that is the feet of the soul, and the water is the Word of God. (St. Ambrose)
5:4 The touch of the Beloved is the touch of love, and His hand is the grace He bestows upon the soul, and the opening through which He puts His hand is the vocation and the perfection, at least the degree of perfection of the soul; for accordingly will His touch be heavier or lighter, in proportion to its spiritual state. The belly that trembled is the will, in which |
the touch is effected, and the trembling is the stirring up of the desires and affections to love, long for, and praise God, which is the flowing of the balsam from this touch. (St. John of the Cross)
5:6-7 We read of the Bride, that although the voice of her Beloved touched her heart, she made trivial excuses, and delayed opening the door to Him, and so He withdrew Himself and “was gone.” (St. Francis of Sales) This pain and sense of the absence of God is wont to be so oppressive in those who are going onwards to the state of perfection, that they would die if God did not interpose when the divine wounds are inflicted upon them. (St. John of the Cross)
5:8-9 daughters of Jerusalem: those weak in faith, who are called "daughters" to emphasize their weak, feminine-like nature. fairest among women: that is God's people in comparison to other nations, because of their engagement to God. (Nicholas of Lyra)
5:10-16 These symbolic descriptions are a fitting response on the part of the Bride concerning the Bridegroom. (St. Bede) |
|