Commentary on the Song of Songs, Liber I
Let him kiss me — drama reminder; historical vs spiritual§1
1Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. We must remember what we warned in the preface: this little book, having the look of an epithalamium, is written in the manner of a drama. We said a drama is where certain persons are brought on who speak, and others sometimes come forward, others withdraw or approach, and so the whole is carried on in changes of persons. This, then, will be the form of the whole little book, and according to it a historical exposition will be fitted by us as we are able. But the spiritual understanding will, the Lord granting, be opened in what follows.
Latin · §1
Osculetur me ab osculis oris sui. Meminisse oportet illud quod in praefatione praemonuimus, quia libellus hic epithalamii habens speciem dramatis in modum conscribitur. Drama autem esse diximus ubi certae personae introducuntur quae loquuntur, et aliae interdum superveniunt, aliae recedunt aut accedunt, et sic totum in mutationibus agitur personarum. Haec ergo erit totius libelli species, et secundum hanc pro viribus historica a nobis aptabitur expositio. Spiritalis vero intelligentia, Domino praestante, in sequentibus aperietur.
Kisses of his mouth — not one kiss but many§2
2The Bride therefore prays and says: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. She desires not one kiss but kisses. The kisses of the Word are illuminations and teachings by which the soul is touched. So long as kisses were sent through the prophets and the law, the kiss of the Bridegroom’s own mouth had not yet been given. But now the more perfect Bride desires that the Word himself be present to her and speak mouth to mouth, as was said to Moses.
Latin · §2
Sponsa ergo orans dicit: Osculetur me ab osculis oris sui. Non unum osculum, sed oscula desiderat. Oscula Verbi sunt illuminationes et doctrinae quibus anima tangitur. Quamdiu per prophetas et legem oscula mittebantur, nondum ipsius oris sponsi osculum datum erat. Nunc autem sponsa perfectior ipsum Verbum desiderat sibi praesens adesse et ore ad os loqui, sicut Moysi dictum est.
Your breasts better than wine; fragrance of ointments§3
3For your breasts are better than wine. The breasts of the Word are teaching that nourishes little ones with milk and the perfect with solid food. The letter of the law is compared to wine, which sometimes intoxicates toward the letter without the spirit. Christ’s breasts are better, because they bring grace and truth. The fragrance of your ointments is above all spices: the name of Christ and the fame of his preaching have filled the whole world with fragrance.
Latin · §3
Quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino. Ubera Verbi doctrina est lacte nutrimens parvulos et solido cibo perfectos. Vino legis littera comparatur, quae aliquando inebriat ad litteram sine spiritu. Ubera Christi meliora sunt, quia gratiam et veritatem afferunt. Odor unguendorum tuorum super omnia aromata: nomen Christi et fama praedicationis eius universum mundum replevit odore.
Your name is ointment poured out; young women love you§4
4Your name is ointment poured out. The name of Jesus has been poured out everywhere. As ointment, when the alabaster is broken, fills the house, so Christ’s name, when preached in the world, has filled all things. Therefore the young women have loved you — beginning souls and churches that have newly believed, drawn by the fragrance of his name.
Latin · §4
Unguentum effusum nomen tuum. Nomen Iesu ubique diffusum est. Sicut unguentum fracto alabastro domum implet, sic Christi nomen orbe praedicato omnia replevit. Propterea adulescentulae dilexerunt te — animae incipientes et ecclesiae quae nuper crediderunt odore nominis eius attractae.
Draw me after you; the king brought me to his chambers§5
5Draw me after you; we will run into the fragrance of your ointments. The Bride asks to be drawn, because without the Word’s drawing she cannot run. The king has brought me into his chambers: the secrets of wisdom and the mysteries of the Scriptures. Let us exult and rejoice in you: not in ourselves, but in the Bridegroom. Mindful of your breasts above wine: rightly do they love you.
Latin · §5
Trahe me post te; curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. Sponsa se trahi petit, quia sine Verbi tractu currere non potest. Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua: secreta sapientiae et mysteria Scripturarum. Exsultemus et laetemur in te: non in nobis, sed in sponso. Memores uberum tuorum super vinum: recte diligunt te.
I am black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem§6
6I am black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. Black because of penitence and struggles in the body; beautiful because of the image of God and conversion. The tents of Kedar are black; Solomon’s curtains are adorned. Do not look at me because I am dark, for the sun has discolored me: the sun of trials sometimes scorches the soul, but does not take away inner beauty.
Latin · §6
Nigra sum sed formosa, filiae Hierusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis. Nigra propter paenitentiam et certamina in corpore; formosa propter imaginem Dei et conversionem. Tabernacula Cedar nigra sunt; pelles Salomonis ornatae. Ne videatis me quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol: tentationum sol aliquando animam adurit, sed non aufert pulchritudinem interiorem.
My mother’s sons fought me; keeper of vineyards§7
7My mother’s sons fought against me; they made me keeper of the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not kept. Mother’s sons: those who seem from the same synagogue or the same race persecuted the church — as Saul did. She was set as keeper of vineyards, that is of churches or souls; and while she keeps others, she sometimes neglects her own — not by fault of love of neighbor, but by the weight of care.
Latin · §7
Filii matris meae pugnaverunt contra me; posuerunt me custodem in vineis; vineam meam non custodivi. Filii matris: qui ex eadem synagoga vel ex eodem genere videntur, persecuti sunt ecclesiam — ut Saulus. Posita est custos vinearum, id est ecclesiarum vel animarum; et dum alias custodit, propriam aliquando negligit — non culpa amoris proximi, sed pondere sollicitudinis.
Tell me where you pasture at noon§8
8Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you lie down at noon, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions. Noon is full light and perfect knowledge. The Bride seeks the Word’s pastures not at evening or dawn but at noon. Without the Bridegroom’s showing she wanders among alien flocks — doctrines and sects.
Latin · §8
Indica mihi, quem diligit anima mea, ubi pascas, ubi cubes in meridie, ne vagari incipiam post greges sodalium tuorum. Meridies plena lux est et perfecta cognitio. Sponsa non vespere nec diluculo, sed in meridie pascua Verbi quaerit. Sine indicatione sponsi errat inter greges alienos — dogmata et sectas.
If you do not know yourself — goats, not sheep§9
9If you do not know yourself, O beautiful among women, go out and follow the tracks of the flocks, and pasture your goats beside the shepherds’ tents. Knowledge of oneself is the beginning of return to God. If the Bride does not know herself, she will pasture among goats — not sheep — and be separated from the Bridegroom. Beautiful among women: the church among souls, or the soul among virtues.
Latin · §9
Nisi cognoveris te, o pulchra inter mulieres, egredere et abi post vestigia gregum, et pasce haedos tuos iuxta tabernacula pastorum. Cognitio sui principium est reversionis ad Deum. Si se nescierit sponsa, inter haedos — non oves — pascetur et a sponso separabitur. Pulchra inter mulieres: ecclesia inter animas, vel anima inter virtutes.
Likened to my cavalry; ornaments until the king reclines§10
10I have likened you, my friend, to my cavalry among Pharaoh’s chariots. As far as the Lord’s cavalry differs from Pharaoh’s horses, so far the church differs from alien daughters. Your cheeks are beautiful as a turtledove’s; your neck as necklaces. We will make you ornaments of gold with studs of silver, until the king reclines. Angels and the Bridegroom’s friends prepare ornaments for a time; when the Bridegroom has risen from the passion, he himself will bestow perfect gold and silver.
Latin · §10
Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te, amica mea. Quantum equitatus Domini differt ab equis Pharaonis, tantum ecclesia differt a filiabus alienis. Pulchrae sunt genae tuae sicut turturis; collum tuum sicut monilia. Murenulas aureas faciemus tibi cum vermiculis argenteis, donec rex accubuerit. Angeli et amici sponsi ornamenta interim parant; cum surrexerit sponsus a passione, ipse aurum et argentum perfectum largietur.
Therefore the young women loved you§11
11Therefore the young women have loved you. The young women are souls lately come to faith, drawn by the fragrance of Christ’s name to love the Bridegroom, yet not yet arrived at perfect charity. They have loved — not yet do they love perfectly in the present; it is promise and beginning. As far as the fragrance of the ointment reaches, so far the young women run; when the name has been emptied out in the passion, then they love more abundantly.
Latin · §11
Propterea adulescentulae dilexerunt te. Adulescentulae sunt animae nuper ad fidem venientes, quae odore nominis Christi attractae diligunt sponsum, nondum tamen ad perfectam caritatem pervenerunt. Dilexerunt, non diligunt in praesenti perfecte; promissio est et inchoatio. Quantum odor unguenti porrigitur, tantum adulescentulae currunt; cum exinanitum fuerit nomen in passione, tunc abundantius diligunt.
Draw me after you; we will run§12
12Draw me after you; we will run. The Bride asks to be drawn, because no one comes to the Word unless the Father draws him. She asks in the singular — draw me — and promises in the plural — we will run — because when one soul is drawn, many young women follow. Into the fragrance of your ointments: they run not first by sight, but by the fragrance of fame and preaching, until they see face to face.
Latin · §12
Trahe me post te; curremus. Sponsa se trahi petit, quia nemo venit ad Verbum nisi Pater traxerit eum. Singularis petit: trahe me; pluralis promittit: curremus — quia ubi una anima trahitur, multae adulescentulae sequuntur. In odorem unguentorum tuorum: non in visu primo, sed in odore famae et praedicationis currunt, donec facie ad faciem videant.
The king brought me into his chambers§13
13The king has brought me into his chambers. The chambers are the secrets of wisdom, hidden treasuries of knowledge. King Christ brings the soul from outside to what is within, from letter to spirit, from history to mystery. We will exult and rejoice in you: joy not in the chambers themselves, but in the king who brings her in.
Latin · §13
Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua. Cellaria sunt secreta sapientiae, thesauri scientiae absconditi. Rex Christus introducit animam de foris ad interiora, de littera ad spiritum, de historia ad mysterium. Exsultabimus et laetabimur in te: laetitia non in cellariis ipsis, sed in rege qui introducit.
Mindful of your breasts above wine; the upright love you§14
14Mindful of your breasts above wine; rightly do they love you. The breasts of the Word are better than the wine of the law. Those who are upright in heart, not perverse, love the Bridegroom. The wine of the letter sometimes intoxicates toward error; Christ’s breasts nourish toward life. Uprightness of heart is the measure of true love.
Latin · §14
Memores uberum tuorum super vinum; recti diligunt te. Ubera Verbi meliora vino legis. Qui recti sunt corde, non perversi, diligunt sponsum. Vinum litterae aliquando inebriat ad errorem; ubera Christi nutriunt ad vitam. Rectitudo cordis mensura est verae dilectionis.
Equity has loved you — charity without iniquity§15
15Equity has loved you. The young women say this as if making excuse, as though they do not yet perfectly love the breasts above wine. Equity is what loves Christ, because charity admits no iniquity. If you love me, keep my commandments: whoever loves, keeps; whoever keeps, has equity. As much iniquity as is in us, so far are we from the love of Christ.
Latin · §15
Aequitas dilexit te. Adulescentulae velut satisfacientes dicunt hoc, quasi nondum perfecte diligant ubera super vinum. Aequitas est quae diligit Christum, quia caritas nihil iniquitatis admittit. Si diligitis me, mandata mea servate: qui diligit, custodit; qui custodit, aequitatem habet. Quantum iniquitatis in nobis est, tantum longe sumus a dilectione Christi.
Virtues love Christ; he is justice and peace§16
16We can also take it thus: Equity has loved you — as if to say justice, truth, wisdom, chastity and each of the virtues have loved Christ. Nor is it strange: in other places Christ is usually taken as the substance of the virtues themselves. He himself is justice and peace and truth; and again these embrace him. Justice and peace have kissed.
Latin · §16
Possumus etiam sic accipere: aequitas dilexit te ac si diceretur iustitia, veritas, sapientia, pudicitia et singulae virtutes dilexerunt Christum. Nec mirum: in aliis locis ipsarum virtutum substantia Christus esse solet. Ipse est iustitia et pax et veritas; et rursum hae ipsum amplectuntur. Iustitia et pax osculatae sunt.
Same one as Bridegroom and Bride by economy§17
17The same one is called Bridegroom and Bride, according to places and times. As a bridegroom he has set a mitre on me, and as a bride he has adorned me with ornament. Christ fits his form to each cause: sometimes Bridegroom of the soul, sometimes Bride of the Father, sometimes wisdom that is sought, sometimes Word that seeks. Book I has set out these things concerning the kiss and the breasts and the name and the chambers and equity.
Latin · §17
Idem sponsus dicitur et sponsa, pro locis et temporibus. Sicut sponso imposuit mihi mitram, et sicut sponsam ornavit me ornamento. Christus formam sui singulis accommodat causis: aliquando sponsus animae, aliquando sponsa Patris, aliquando sapientia quae quaeritur, aliquando Verbum quod quaerit. Liber I haec de osculo et uberibus et nomine et cellariis et aequitate digessit.
Historical line of Book I gathered§18
18The historical shape: the Bride — church or soul — prays that the Word present give kisses of teaching; she says the breasts of grace are better than the wine of the letter; Christ’s name, ointment poured out, gathers the young women; drawn, they run; they are brought into the chambers of the mysteries; at last equity loves perfectly. This is the historical line of the First Book.
Latin · §18
Historica species: sponsa ecclesiae vel animae orat ut Verbum praesens oscula doctrinae tribuat; melius esse dicit ubera gratiae vino litterae; nomen Christi unguentum diffusum adulescentulas colligit; tracta currunt; in cellaria mysteriorum introducuntur; aequitas tandem perfecte diligit. Haec historiae linea Libri Primi.
Spiritual sense of Book I gathered§19
19The spiritual sense: the kiss is union of Word and soul; the breasts are the teachings of both Testaments; wine is the killing letter; ointment is the Spirit and the preaching of Jesus’ name; drawing is grace; chambers are contemplation; equity is purity of heart without iniquity. Whoever is not yet fit for these remains a young woman and follows the fragrance until she receives the perfect kiss.
Latin · §19
Spiritalis intelligentia: osculum est unio Verbi et animae; ubera dogmata utriusque Testamenti; vinum littera occidens; unguentum Spiritus et praedicatio nominis Iesu; tractus gratiae; cellaria theoriae; aequitas puritas cordis sine iniquitate. Qui ad haec nondum aptus est, adulescentula maneat et odorem sequatur, donec osculum perfectum accipiat.
Liber I CLOSEOUT — toward Nigra sum§20
20End of the First Book. In the following Book we shall pursue, the Lord granting, what is said: I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem. Thus far, from Let him kiss me through Equity has loved you, as we were able, with Rufinus interpreting, we have expounded. Glory to you, Christ, Word and Bridegroom. Amen.
Latin · §20
Finis Libri Primi. Sequenti Libro de eo quod dicitur: Nigra sum et formosa, filiae Hierusalem, prosequemur, Domino praestante. Hactenus de Osculetur me usque ad Aequitas dilexit te, quantum pro viribus, Rufino interpretante, exposuimus. Gloria tibi, Christe, Verbum et Sponsus. Amen.