1 Whither has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Whither has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you? 2 My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies. 3 I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine; he pastures his flock among the lilies. 4 You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. 5 Turn away your eyes from me, for they disturb me-- Your hair is like a flock of goats, moving down the slopes of Gilead. 6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, that have come up from the washing, all of them bear twins, not one among them is bereaved. 7 Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. 8 There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number. 9 My dove, my perfect one, is only one, the darling of her mother, flawless to her that bore her. The maidens saw her and called her happy; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her. 10 "Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?" 11 I went down to the nut orchard, to look at the blossoms of the valley, to see whether the vines had budded, whether the pomegranates were in bloom. 12 Before I was aware, my fancy set me in a chariot beside my prince. 13 Return, return, O Shulammite, return, return, that we may look upon you.
Commentary on Song of Songs 6
6:1 this is a picture of those with little faith inquiring from God's people for direction to the Lord of salvation.
6:2 That is, “Who feeds and delights in my soul, which is His garden, among the lilies of my virtues, perfections, and graces.” (St. John of the Cross)
6:4 Up to now, the voice of the people of God praising and seeking the Lord, who is not far away from where His lovers are. What follows is His reply. (St. Bede)
6:6 washing: that is the washing of Baptism. (St. Anselm)
6:8 queens are those who devote themselves to the teachings of the kingdom of heaven. Concubines are those who proclaim Christ along with love for worldly things. Maidens without number are those who devote themselves to obey the commandments though they are not teachers or preachers. (St. Bede) |
6:9 only one: Although there are many diverse people in the Church, among them there is one faith, one baptism, one God. mother: that would be the Church that is already in Heaven. (St. Bede)
6:11 These are the words that the Lord will use when the Jews will turn to Christ at the end of the world. Nut orchard is reference to Judea. (Honorius of Autun)
6:12 the Jews here wil be pierced by penitence, and acknowledges that she has strayed through blindness all this time. chariot: chariot of faith. prince: Christ. (St. Bede)
6:13 these are thw words of the Church to the Jews, because for a long time they were imprisioned in a discordant religion. (St. Bede) Shunamite: the word means 'made captive.' (Alcuin) |
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