Kisses of his mouth — not one kiss but many
The 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
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.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on the Song of Songs, Liber I (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–20.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII (GCS 33, 1925), Rufinus’s Latin of Commentary Liber I. Lawson ACW 26 was not used as wording. This page is Liber I §§1–20 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII = GCS 33 (1925) (Latin · Commentary Liber I §§1–20)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.