ENARRATIONES IN CANTICA CANTICORUM

1187AAt the beginnings of books the reasons must be stated, how and why the book itself was composed — reasons which Jerome calls the prooemium. The author, then, of this work of which we intend to treat had three names: he who, to the number of his names, composed three books, and distinguished their purpose by the interpretation of the names themselves. In the first book, then, tenderly and sweetly, after the manner of a father lovingly admonishing his son and, as it were, offering him milk, he instructs each of the faithful who is as yet less strong and not yet willing to renounce earthly things altogether. In which book, on account of this great sweetness, he is named Idida, which means beloved. For in it he teaches that the harlot must be fled, and the fellowship of the wicked, and the other things worthy to be done with honor and uprightness — one, however, as we have said, still 1187Bdwelling in the world. His second name is Coeleth, which in Greek is called ecclesiastes, in Latin concionator. Now we call that man a preacher who in the assembly of men, that is in the council, is a public orator, fearing no one in the utterance of truth, flattering no one: which this man does in his second book. For, as if by certain steps of ascent — in order to bring to perfection the one whom he would draw by his teaching, to whom first, mercifully yet lawfully, he had granted the use of these earthly things together with works of mercy (since he believed that a carnal and still weak mind could not hold heavenly and more perfect things) — now, as though [he were] stronger and able to take up higher things, he invites him in this second book to the contempt of all earthly things; and he shows how fleeting and how transitory 1187Care all temporal things, saying thus: Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity (Eccle. I, 2). This indeed pertains to the contemplative [life] — namely, to despise all worldly things and to gape after heavenly ones; but that which had been granted in the first book, to the active life. Moreover, for the sake of what thing he would urge [one] to undertake so great a labor, he shows in this his third book, to those who attend spiritually, by certain earthly similitudes — to this end indeed, that through the contempt of earthly things we might be able to attain to the glory 1188Aof eternal things. In which work he is called Solomon, that is, the peaceable one.

This book is called the Song of Songs, and that too in the plural, on account of the great excellence of its dignity. For Solomon first made parables, namely the book of Proverbs, in which he plainly shows how we should rightly use these worldly things; which pertains to the active life, and can be called simply a Song. Now Proverbs are called precepts concerning human life [given] through certain similitudes. Then he made Ecclesiastes, in which he announced that all worldly things are to be despised, as when he says: All things are vanity; and it is a certain step from the active to the contemplative, and can be called simply a song. After these he made this book, in which he teaches concerning the love of God, as though 1188Bthe world had already been despised: which pertains to the contemplative life; hence it is called the Song of Songs, namely a song more excellent than the two aforesaid, and than the other like ones. The name of this book in Hebrew is Sir hasirim, which among us amounts to the Song of Songs. Solomon is said, according to these three books which he made, to have had thirty names: according to the parables he is called Idida, that is, beloved: for there, instructing the untaught, he began to be loved by them: by which name Christ is signified, who by excellence is called beloved: of whom God [says]: This is my beloved Son (Matth. XVII). Ecclesiastes is the name both of the book and of the author, and is interpreted preacher, namely one making diverse people consent to the same thing. For diverse people are called together in that book that they may consent among themselves in the contempt of the world: which 1188Cis drawn from the similitude of a singer, who governs the voices of diverse people into one harmony. Likewise by this name Christ is signified, who is the true preacher, teaching that earthly, transitory things are to be spurned, and heavenly ones to be loved. He is also called Ecclesiastes, because he excellently governs the Church and calls it together to one faith. According to this book he is called Solomon, that is, the peaceable one, by which likewise he signifies Christ, who is the true peaceable one and calls all together to the love of himself. 1189AThe author is also called, in Proverbs, an ethicist, that is, one treating of morals. The same [is called], in Ecclesiastes, a physicist, that is, one treating of the nature of things. In the Song, a theologian, discoursing of divine things. In this book the subject-matter is the bridegroom and the bride, the friends of the bridegroom (who are also called paranymphs), and the friends of the bride. Now the bridegroom is God, since he pledges himself to the Church; namely, that if she keep faith with him, not committing fornication with the demon, he will at last join her to himself in marriage. The bride is said to be the Church, namely those firm in the faith, since, perfectly receiving the faith, she pledges herself to God and renounces the pomps of Satan. The friends of the bridegroom are said to be, as it were, the holy angels and the more perfect, such as the apostles, who help the bridegroom to retain his beloved, admonishing and helping the Church, that she may not commit fornication with a stranger, but cleave to God alone 1189B. The friends of the bride are said to be those still tender in the faith, who do not fully know how to love the Bridegroom, but already show themselves apt to imitate the bride, so that, being thus well instructed by the bride, they too may become the bride. Now he treats of this subject-matter in this manner: showing how in this life the bridegroom addresses his beloved, both by himself and through his friends, and with how great affection she receives the words of the bridegroom, and how the friends of the bride show themselves ready to imitate the bride, and how they speak to the bride, and sometimes to the Bridegroom himself. For Solomon, still holding the gift of wisdom, illumined by the Holy Spirit, prophesies how the Church, before the coming of Christ, and thereafter according to her several states down to the end of the world, will conduct herself toward God. The end and purpose too is that he may impel his hearers to the love 1189Cof God. Now this author writes like a comic poet, namely saying nothing in his own person, but bringing in the very characters speaking: and because in no [other] love are words of love found so tender as between bridegroom and bride, he makes them speak, as it were, in the words of carnal love. And these are the first words of the Church now close to the coming of Christ, and now, with exceeding love, desiring his presence; like those who said: Do you think I shall see [it]? Do you think I shall last? Do you think that Nativity will find me? And as a carnal bride, to whom the bridegroom had already pleased exceedingly through messengers, now disdaining the envoys, longing for his presence, would say: Let him come himself, that being present he may speak with me and kiss me — so here those faithful just before Christ say:

1189D« Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth, for thy breasts are better than wine, fragrant with the best ointments; thy name is oil poured out, therefore the maidens have loved thee. »

God himself, as he was foretold through the patriarchs and through the prophets, this same one now — let him kiss me, that is, let him now delight me with the kiss, that is, with the presence, of his mouth, that is, of his Son, who is called the mouth of the Father just as also the Word, because through him the Father is made manifest to the world. For thy breasts are better. Here the Church now present speaks with Christ. As though she should say thus, turning herself to him out of exceeding affection: For thy breasts, the evangelical teaching, are better than wine; which teaching is a sweet refreshment and pleasant like milk. It is better than 1190Awine, that is, than the teaching of the philosophers, which does not nourish but intoxicates, and makes those who receive it grow proud, and leads at last to destruction. Or by wine let us understand the carnal understanding of the Old Testament. We can also by the breasts understand the twofold love, or the two Testaments spiritually understood, or spiritual graces; and yet the meaning will be the same as the aforesaid. The breasts, I say, are fragrant, that is, sweet-smelling, and drawing men to themselves by their odor. For that teaching gives off a sweet smell, and draws to itself by its good repute and fame; with the best ointments, that is, through the best ointments. For in the evangelical teaching there are ointments, that is, spiritual gifts which are the best, compared to the carnal ointments with which lovers used to be anointed, that they might please the better — or also those dining. Now these 1190Bointments are rightly called the best: for those whom they anoint they make true kings and priests. Oil poured out. Another reason why she had desired him: because thy name is poured out, like oil poured out. Oil indeed, while it is in the vessel, neither gives forth odor nor heals pains; but poured out it both emits odor and heals pains: so the name of God, while he was still held enclosed in the bosom of the Father, was little or not at all known: but after he took flesh, visiting the world by his presence, he set himself forth to be known by all; he sent forth an odor, that is, fame and good repute of himself: and, poured in, through the sufferings of those who well received his preaching, he healed [their] sins as well. Therefore the maidens, namely, because thou art so worthy and so sweet, therefore not only I, but also the 1190Cmaidens, that is, the lesser and more fragile, still tender in the faith, have loved thee, that is, out of all things they have chosen thee alone as the one to be loved. For although they still take consolation for themselves from temporal things, yet they judge that God is to be preferred to those temporal things.

« Draw me after thee: we will run in the odor of thy ointments. The king has brought me into his storerooms. We will exult and rejoice in thee, mindful of thy breasts above wine. The upright love thee. »

Draw me after thee. The contemporaries of Christ, seeing that his ascension, as it were, now threatens, and the absence of his consolation, ask him to draw them after himself, that is, to make them his imitators. And he fittingly says draw, as if by a certain violence. For violence seems 1190Dto be done, where a body born in sins is freed from sins. We will run in the odor. The voice of the friends of the bride. Hearing the goodness of the Bridegroom, and that the greater ones wish to become his imitators, they say to the bride, namely to their teachers, having now tasted the sweetness of God: Thou wilt go after him, and we too will surely run with thee, that is, we will labor with thee to obtain the joy of the marriage, placed and founded in the odor, that is, in thy preaching and fame, which draws us, which is [the odor] of thy ointments, that is, proceeding from the spiritual gifts through which thou workest. She rightly says we will run, for not by being slothful and acting sluggishly shall we attain to that heavenly prize. The king has brought me in. The voice of the Church to the lesser ones whom she has raised. Hearing indeed that they 1191Adesire God, they wish to invite them to the same, as if those greater ones should answer thus: You say that you will run with me; and one must run well, because for those who arrive there is the highest refreshment. And she shows that this lies open to her when she says: The king has brought me, that is, he has given manifest knowledge, into his storerooms, that is, into the secret things of the Church, namely that I may know what the mysteries signify — as that in baptism the Spirit is given, that infants are saved by grace alone, and the like, which do not lie open to all. Or by the storerooms let us understand the fullness of blessedness, that is, the eternity of life, just as in storerooms a great abundance of goods is wont to be laid up; and perfect men are, in hope, already brought into the blessedness of eternity. We will exult. The voice of the lesser ones who, having advanced somewhat through faith, now dare to speak to the Bridegroom in these words: 1191BBecause thou, Lord, hast already brought thy bride into thy secret places, therefore we too will prepare ourselves as fit, that we may be brought in with her: and this is we will exult, namely in the body, that is, we will work well with exultation, and we will rejoice in soul, because in gladness we will think good things. Or we will rejoice, namely, if we do good things, not compelled but willingly: and this in thee, that is, we will attribute all things to thee as to the first cause, from which every good radically proceeds; and this we will do mindful of thy breasts, that is, of thy sweet teaching, above wine, as was said above. The upright love thee, namely, we ought well to exult in thee and to love thee, because all who are upright do this; wherefore, unless we do this, we cannot be upright. The end is plain in all the aforesaid, because 1191Cwhether we wish to imitate the more perfect or the lesser, by their words we are invited to the love of God.

« I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the skins of Solomon. Do not consider that I am dark, because the sun has discolored me. The sons of my mother have fought against me: they set me as keeper in the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not kept. Show me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou feedest, where thou liest down at noon, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions. »

I am black. The voice of the bride to the lesser ones. For the bride, hearing the promise of the lesser ones that they would run with her, fearing lest they fail in persecution — 1191Dinasmuch as these had as yet tasted nothing but the love of God alone, and reckon the saints as madmen, because they are held contemptible in the world — forewarns them not to consider the evils, namely so as to desist for this reason from their promise, but to attend to what rewards they may obtain for the persecution, so that she says in this manner: You say that you will run with me, but then you must be blackened in the body, just as I, on account of many tribulations, am black outwardly. And she puts the effect for the cause. Outwardly indeed I am black, but inwardly beautiful, that is, adorned with good virtues, I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that is, whom I have begotten to the faith, you who also now see peace. Now these lesser ones are called daughters because they are of the fragile sex, and can quickly be deceived and called away from the faith; and because greater guardianship 1192Aand care is to be applied to them than to sons, namely the stronger ones; and because these, when confirmed, beget others — I say that I am black like the tents of Kedar, that is, like Kedar dwelling in tents. Kedar was a son of Ishmael, as is said in Genesis XXV and I Paralipomenon I, but so wicked that he was received by no one in the house, but always dwelt in tents; of whom Origen [says]: « His hand against all, and the hand of all against him. » I am black like Kedar, beautiful like the skins of Solomon. The skins indeed in which Solomon dwelt were well stripped of hair, and dyed red, adorned with various paintings; so holy men are stripped of all superfluity, and are adorned with many kinds of virtues. He rightly compares the saints to skins, because as a skin is called the hide of a dead animal, so the saints, mortifying 1192Bthemselves, become, as it were, simply skins. And he rightly added of Solomon, since these skins, namely the saints, are that tabernacle in which the true peaceable one does his warfare.

Do not consider. I say that I am black, but do not attend to this, so as to desist for this reason from what has been begun: because the sun, that is Christ, who is the true brightness, has discolored me; namely, for his sake I have suffered all these things, who will at last be able to reward me. The sons of my mother. She shows through what ministers of his God so proved her in persecutions, namely through the sons of my mother, who first begot me in carnality. She ought to have been to me a spiritual mother, and to nourish me with the milk of divine understanding. These my brothers fought against me with diverse kinds 1192Cof persecutions: and thus, by persecuting, they set me as keeper in the vineyards, that is, in the churches of the Gentiles. My own vineyard, that is, the vineyard which by nature I ought to have cultivated and kept, I have not kept. Here we note that state of the Church when the apostles transferred themselves from Judea to the Gentiles, as the apostle Paul says in Acts XIII: Because you have rejected us, and shown yourselves unworthy of the word of God, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. Show me. The voice of the Church of those who, Judea being dismissed, now begins to build among the Gentiles; and here she prays to God not herself, but in the person of those who are newly converted: and here she prays to God, that he may give them knowledge of himself, namely that they may know in whom God dwells so that they may imitate them; and that they may also know who 1192Dare heretics so that they may not follow them; so that she says thus: I am set as keeper in the vineyards, and that I may be able to keep them, and thence present fruit to thee, show me, that is, to these new ones — which is surely to thy honor — where thou feedest, that is, in whose working thou art refreshed; or where thou feedest, that is, to whom thou offerest food, namely thy body or the refreshment of the divine word. Show me also where thou liest down, that is, restest, namely where no offense may disturb thee, at noon, that is, in the splendor of thy majesty, or in the fervor of charity: namely those who are not in the evening, so that love should now grow cold in them, nor in the morning, so that it should be only tender in them. Show, I say, thou whom my soul loves, that is, the whole affection of my mind; and she adds the reason why she prays this, lest I begin, that is, therefore I pray that thou show me, 1193Alest I begin — that is, lest these of the Gentiles, still new in the faith, begin to wander and to hold to byways after the flocks of thy companions, that is, by imitating the heretics, who are called the companions of Christ, because, that they may the better deceive, they preach something of the truth, agreeing with Christ, but are diverse by inserting heresies among it. But if they agreed in all things, they would be called not companions, but, as it were, the very same. Or companions because they themselves call themselves his companions and friends. He rightly says flocks because they are both many and without true reason.

« If thou knowest not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth and depart after the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds. To my cavalry among the chariots of Pharaoh have I likened thee, my beloved. Beautiful are thy cheeks like [those] of a turtledove, thy neck 1193Blike necklaces. We will make thee little chains of gold, inlaid with silver. »

« While the king was in his repose, my nard gave forth its odor. A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me; he shall abide between my breasts. A cluster of Cyprus is my beloved to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi. »

If thou knowest not thyself. The voice of the bridegroom. And here he does three things: he threatens, he coaxes the bride, and he also sets forth the means by which the Church may be able to obtain knowledge of herself. The connection. Dost thou seek knowledge of me? For which it is necessary for thee, O fair one — [fair] in virtues and in my choosing — that thou know thyself, namely thy dignity which I gave thee through faith, and by giving thee my body and blood, 1193Cand moreover the other spiritual gifts; because if thou knowest not thyself, in what dignity thou art from this, that thou art my bride, go forth from the fellowship of the Church, and depart, that is, be made far from the Church, so that thou even lose the virtues which thou hadst before. Depart, I say, after the footsteps, that is, by imitating the works, of the flocks, and thus feed the kids, that is, take delight in thy foul acts, and let them be food for thee; and this, beside the tents of the shepherds, by imitating those who call themselves shepherds and warriors for God in tents, and are not, but are heretics; or beside the tents of the true shepherds, and not within. For the heretics wish to draw the authority for their uncleannesses from the Holy Scriptures in which holy men do warfare for God — as certain men called Nicolaitans, whose heresy is condemned, Apocalypse II; and [condemned] by the Church in it. But certain heretics 1193D, 24, q. 3, who preach that women are to be held in common, and say that the Apostle said all things are to be held in common, and other things of this kind. To my cavalry. Having set down the threats, he sets down blandishments, as if he should say: If thou knowest not thyself, go forth; but thou oughtest not to go forth or to be ignorant of thyself, because I have so honored thee as to make thee my beloved, and to free thee from Egypt; which was prefigured in the liberation of the children of Israel from Egypt, Exodus XII. Now the Gentile world is led out of Egypt, that is, out of the darkness of unbelief, and out of the power of Pharaoh, that is, out of the yoke of the devil, through the Red Sea, because through baptism, where all the enemies are submerged, that is, all sins; and this he says, I have likened thee to a cavalry, that is, to that in which I did warfare, going among the chariots, 1194Athat is, among the chariots, or in the time of the chariots of Pharaoh. By the chariots in which the powerful sat is denoted the pride or the fickleness of this world. Beautiful are thy cheeks. Having set down threats and blandishments, he shows that there are in her means by which she might retain knowledge of herself. I said, if thou knowest not, go forth — which thou needest not do, because thou hast cheeks and a neck by which thou canst hold true knowledge. The cheeks are called that part of men which grinds food and sends it into the belly: so in the Church the higher ones are called cheeks, those who grind the Scriptures and make the lower ones capable of them; and as in the cheeks there is a sign of modesty, so they always preach modesty and chastity — which cheeks are beautiful, namely with many virtues, and are like [those] of a turtledove, because as the turtledove never has 1194Bbut one mate, nor sings except by moaning, so these have Christ alone as bridegroom, and moan very often for their own faults and those of others. The office of the neck is that through it the ground food may descend into the belly, and that it may hold the body to the head; by which are signified the disciples of those higher ones, as Timothy was to Paul, through whom the Scriptures descend to the lower ones, and these by their preaching join the Church to Christ. The neck, I say, being like necklaces. A necklace warns some where they may take refuge, and protects the breast of the one wearing it, lest anyone lay hands on it; so these by their teaching both protect the Church, lest the adulterer devil lay hands on her, and warn the lesser ones of the Church where they may take refuge and whom they may follow. Little chains of gold. The voice of the friends of the bridegroom. Wishing to help the bridegroom, 1194Cas to how the Church may remain in the knowledge of herself, they say: The bridegroom gives thee cheeks and a neck, and we will give the ornaments of the ears. If the same ones who are the cheeks or the neck speak these things, it does no harm. A muraenula (little chain) is named from the muraena (moray), which coils itself into a circle; and by the murenae we signify rounded and perfect sentences, with which the saints adorn the inner ear, that is, the understanding; of gold, that is, seasoned with divine wisdom and charity, inlaid with silver, that is, distinguished with the best eloquence. Or the sentences and the wisdom which they have in themselves they know how to dispense to each one by honorable arrangements according to his measure — to the wise, as they are, to the humble likewise. Silver, which is a metal that rings better than the others, and by it eloquence is signified. And this we will do 1194Dwhile the king is in [his] repose, that is, in the confession of God, namely bodily removed from the Church; or this is carried over to what follows: While the king was. The voice of the Church answering thus: The bridegroom and his friends give me such ornaments, and therefore my beloved [is] to me, that is, to my honor, he shall abide between my breasts, that is, in my inmost love; and the cause is put first, as if she should say: Rightly ought I to love him, because he himself gave me nard, namely virtues, and this while he was in his repose, that is, in his passion, [in his] resurrection — namely because he himself suffered and rose again, and from this he gave me virtues which gave forth their odor, that is, [an odor] befitting them, to wit, good fame. Or, while the king was in his repose, that 1195Ais, because he chose the tranquillity of my mind in which to dwell, therefore my nard gave forth its odor. Nard is an ointment made from a lowly herb, and the herb itself is likewise called nard, by which humility is signified; and it is of a hot nature, by which charity is signified. The beloved, I say, shall abide between the breasts, and he himself will be to me both great sorrow and great joy — namely, for all the adversities which he himself suffered I shall grieve, and for those by which he was not burdened, I shall rejoice; and this he says: A bundle of myrrh. By myrrh is denoted bitterness, because it is a most bitter thing, and therefore bodies anointed with it remain whole, because on account of its great bitterness the worms do not approach. By the bundle is denoted a multitude of bitternesses. Likewise my beloved shall be to me a cluster 1195Bof Cyprus, that is, a great joy. By the cluster we have wine, in which is gladness. Cyprus is a place in which the best wine grows. The Church rejoices together with the bridegroom, as over the resurrection and the like. I said « my beloved shall abide between my breasts, » and this in the vineyards of Engaddi, that is, in the churches, where there is a fountain of the kid, because there the foul are washed in baptism, and become white. Now Engaddi is interpreted fountain of the kid, or temptation of the eyes. Now the Church is set in the temptation of the eyes in this world, in which all things are set before us for the tempting of the eyes.

« Behold, thou art beautiful, my beloved, behold, thou art beautiful, thy eyes [are those] of doves. »

« Behold, thou art beautiful, my beloved, and comely; our bed 1195Cis flowering, the beams of our houses are of cedar, our panels of cypress. »

Behold, thou art beautiful. The voice of the bridegroom, hearing toward himself so great an affection of the bride, in that she had said: « My beloved shall abide between my breasts, » answers her:

Because I abide with thee with so great love, « behold, thou art beautiful. » Which he sets down twice: note that she is beautiful both in body and in soul. Thy eyes [are those] of doves, that is, dove-like, namely gazing simply, and lacking gall and envy.

Thy eyes, that is, thy preachers, who provide for thee as the eyes for the body, shall be of doves. It is said intransitively, that is, they shall truly be doves, that is, having the seven virtues, which are denoted by the seven natures of the dove. For the dove dwells beside the streams, 1195Dso that, when a hawk is seen, it may plunge and escape; it chooses the better grains, it nourishes another's young, it does not tear with its beak, it lacks gall, it nests in the caverns of the rock, it has moaning for song. So the holy preachers dwell beside the streams of Holy Scripture, by which their hearts are watered, so that by their protection they may escape from the diabolical assault. The better grains, that is, the better sentences, namely not those of the heretics, they choose. Another's young, that is, men, at first estranged from Christ, who had been young ones, that is, sons of the devil, they nourish by their teaching and example. They do not tear with the beak, that is, they do not pervert good sentences by tearing them in the manner of the heretics. They lack gall, that is, they lack irrational anger. They nest in the caverns of the rock, that is, in the wounds 1196Aof the death of Christ, who is the most firm rock, they place their nest, that is, in faith in the death of Christ they place refuge, or hope. For by the nest refuge and hope are designated. For the dove, when rain comes on, flees to the nest, and has its hope in the nest. It has moaning for song, that is, as others take delight in song, so they [take delight] in tribulation and moaning. The dove has also this nature, that it recovers lost sight; so also the preachers and provisors of the Church, when some gift of the Holy Spirit has been lost through some fault, recover it, like David, who recovered the spirit of prophecy which he had lost. It has likewise this nature, that it flies in flocks. In the same way the preachers, in flocks, that is, holding the catholic faith, strive toward the heights by the steps of good works and virtues. For 1196Bas many good works as we do, by so many steps do we hasten to God. The dove defends itself with its wings; so good preachers protect and defend themselves with the sentences of the Fathers.

Behold, thou. The voice of the bride. Thou, O bridegroom, callest me beautiful, and such I must be because thou art beautiful, and therefore, unless I were beautiful, I could not be joined to thee. Beautiful is said according to [his] divinity, comely according to [his] humanity. The bed: the bridegroom is beautiful, and the bride beautiful, and therefore their coverings are beautiful. By the bed we have those in whom God [dwells], because, to whatever small degree he rests in those in whom he himself rests, the Church is not offended, but rests. Now such [persons] are flowering, that is, having the beginnings of good works. By the flower, therefore, we understand the beginning, since 1196Cthe flower precedes the fruit. The beams of the houses: by the beams we understand those strong ones who bear the weight of the Church, who are of cedar. The cedar is a tree that does not rot, and by its odor kills the worms; so these, since they have eternity now at least in hope, both by their preaching and their good fame kill the vices in the hearts of others. The panels are things hanging from the beams, and are ornaments of the house, and by this are signified those who, hanging from the more perfect, adorn the Church by good instruction and by fame, who are of cypress. The same [is meant] of the cypress as was said of the cedar. When he says of your houses, he gives us to understand that Church of the Gentiles, now somewhat grown up.

1196D« I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters. »

« As the apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. Under the shadow of him whom I had desired I sat, and his fruit was sweet to my throat. The king brought me into the wine cellar, he set charity in order within me. Support me with flowers, surround me with apples, because I languish with love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. »

I am the flower. The voice of the bridegroom, and he stirs the Church to endure the passion, and sets himself before them as an example, because without his own necessity he endured many things, as if he should say: I have called thee beautiful, and thou art [so], like the lily 1197Aamong thorns. For as thorns, moved by the wind, tear the lily and pierce it, so the daughters, that is, those given over to the softnesses of the world, agitated by the inspiration of the devil, rend the holy Church; nor oughtest thou to flee, but rather be a lily, because I, when I had no need, was a lily — that is, I was the flower of the field, and I was a lily, namely pricked by many persecutions; I indeed who was a lily so as to be pricked, was also a lily, that is, the glory of the valleys, that is, of the humble. Christ is rightly compared to a flower, because as a flower is born of itself, and is the glory of the field, so Christ, born without human seed, was the glory of the Church and of the whole world. As the apple tree. The voice of the Church saying thus: My beloved admonishes me to the passion, and I am ready to obey him, relying on his support, who is like the apple tree. As the apple tree draws travelers, 1197Bboth by the odor of its fruit and by its good shade, and then by the refreshment of its fruit, more than the other trees, so Christ [draws] both by the odor of good working and by the shade, that is, protection, which he confers by spiritual gifts, and by the fruit, that is, the Eucharist, better than anyone of all. And thence she adds: Under his shadow I sat, that is, in his protection against the heat of the devil they rest; his fruit, that is, his body and blood, or the refreshment of the divine word, is sweet to my throat, that is, to my heart. Besides these things also the king brought me, namely he who is able to sustain and defend me in every tribulation, into the cellar, into a certain gathering of the Gentiles, which is enclosed by faith and works like a cellar — thus he multiplied the Church; he says wine-cellar, because the Church serves wine, that is, the love of God 1197Cwith which those who drink are inebriated, so much that they forget their kindred and their former life. With these things he set charity in order within me, that is, he arranged charity in me by order, namely that in the first place, according to dignity, I should love God, and him with all my strength, then my neighbor, and this in diverse degrees. In the first place, [my] father; last of all, [my] enemy, and this for the sake of God. Now charity is founded in us in this order, that we should first love ourselves, and afterward our neighbor, that is, that the same nature which we wish to be saved in ourselves, we should wish to be saved everywhere; and because we love our own nature, we are led to the love of the Creator of this nature, and so the love of God, which is held the worthier, is held later in time. Whence John: « If anyone does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God 1197Dwhom he does not see? (I Joan. IV.) » And because he has done these things for me, therefore I languish with love of him, that is, I afflict myself even to the failing of the flesh; and because I so languish, therefore support me, that is, bring me consolation from the initiated and the perfect. By the flowers, the beginnings; by the apples, the ripe works, namely of the perfect. For the consolations of the saints are the good works of others. His left hand. Solomon says in Proverbs III: « Length of days is in his right hand, and in his left hand riches and glory, » and so here we understand by the left, or the sinister [hand], temporal things; by the right, eternal things. And thence the bride says: « I languish with love of him, » but he will not desert me, because « his left hand, » that is, these temporal things, are under my head, that is, under my mind, because 1198Amy mind despises these things, and yet is sustained by them; for it could not keep watch and do the other things of this kind, if the body were not refreshed by them. The left hand, I say, [is] under [my] head, and his right hand, that is, eternity, will at last receive me — [that eternity] which now I hold by hope alone. As the left hand is less worthy than the right, so are temporal things than eternal.

« I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and the harts of the fields, that you stir not up, nor make to awake, the beloved, until she herself will. »

« The voice of my beloved: Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. My beloved is like a roe and a young hart. Behold, he himself stands behind our wall, looking through the windows, gazing 1198Bthrough the lattices; and my beloved speaks to me: Arise, prosper, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come. For now the winter has passed, the shadow has gone and departed; the flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning has come. The voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land, the fig tree has put forth its green figs, the flowering vines have given their odor. Arise, my beloved, my fair one, and come, my dove, in the holes of the rock, in the caverns of the wall. Show me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears. For thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely. »

I adjure you. The voice of the bridegroom. Seeing his beloved languish with love of him, and now persist wholly in tranquillity of mind and in contemplation, he commands the lesser ones 1198Cand subjects not to move her away from that rest by sins and disobediences: as if he should say thus: because my beloved languishes with love of me, therefore I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that is, you who are begotten in the vision of peace, by the roes and the harts of the fields, that is, if you wish to have the natures of the roe and the hart, which the saints have. The nature of the roe is to seek the heights, to be of clear sight — whence it is called dorcas, that is, seeing clearly; to choose clean pastures; if it be pierced through by an arrow it knows how to heal itself — so the saints both seek the height of the virtues, and gaze upon the Scriptures clearly and subtly, and are refreshed by the clean pasture of the divine word, and if they are wounded by some arrow of the devil, they cure themselves by penance and prayer, running to Christ, who, as though he were dittany, casts the iron out of the wounded. The nature of the hart 1198Dis this, that it runs swiftly, and when several pass from place to place, they help one another to bear the burdens of their heads; they swallow down the serpent, and afterward run back to a living fountain, and, having as it were drunk, cast out the poison and are renewed; so the saints run swiftly through this field of the world, striving toward the true fatherland, and bear one another's burdens, having compassion on one another and ministering what is necessary; and if at any time they have received poison, that is, the inspiration of the devil, they run back to Christ the living fountain, by which they may both vomit out the poison of the devil which they received, and be renewed unto God. If you wish to become such, O daughters of Jerusalem, that is, you [who are] still tender, I adjure you not to stir up my beloved, that is, not to move her away from that rest of mind in which 1199Ashe languishes, contemplating God, so that she should have to labor for you; nor to awaken [her], so that you should in any way interrupt her rest by sinning — for which, if she perceive it, she will labor — even though she need not labor. The voice of my beloved. The voice of the bride. Understanding the affection of the bridegroom toward her, when he forbade [them] to rouse [her]. This voice, she says, is my beloved's, that is, he who commands this loves me; and because he said until she herself will, I understand that he wishes me to descend to beget some to God; for which he gives me his own example and help — concerning which the Apostle likewise gives us both example and authority, when he says to the Philippians I: « I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, » [which is] much better, but to remain in the flesh [is] necessary for your sake, namely for a time. Behold, he. He sets down the example 1199Bof himself, as if he should say: Well ought I to descend to acquire some for God, because behold, thus did he himself; and this is: He who so admonishes me came into human nature, leaping upon the mountains, that is, setting his feet and dwelling in those who are mountains according to the perfection and eminence of the virtues, and he also made them leap, like Paul, whom from a persecutor he quickly made the highest preacher — leaping, I say, upon the mountains, bounding over the hills, by which [are meant] those somewhat lower than the mountains, in whom, although God does not leap as [he does] in the apostles and in the other mountains, yet he bounds over them, that is, touches them with his shadow, because he shows them a certain knowledge of his mysteries, though not so full as to the most perfect. Like, and well is he able to leap, because he is like a roe, because never 1199Cdid anyone have the natures of the roe so much as Christ. He is like a young hart of the servants. For he is the son of the harts, that is, of the prophets and patriarchs, who were swift harts. Christ is compared to a young hart, because as a young hart is light, oppressed by no mass of flesh, marked with spots, so Christ was pressed by no mass of flesh, and marked with all the virtues. Behold, he himself. The example having been shown in Christ, she shows that his help is present to her, as if she should say: I ought to labor in the acquisition of others as he himself did, and I shall accomplish it, because he is ready to help me; which is: He himself stands, ready to bring help to those beginning, behind our wall, that is, in the flesh of our nature, which in others besides Christ is properly called a wall, because it is a wall between God and men, since 1199Dthe flesh is the kindling of sin. Other translations have behind the building, because whoever begins to build in the virtues, Christ stands behind the wall, that is, secretly administers helps, looking through the windows, that is, visiting and consoling them manifestly, through the open Scriptures, as through the Gospels, or through manifest miracles, gazing through the lattices, that is, through the narrow and obscure Scriptures, as through the prophecies, or through unknown miracles, or through the blinding of the Jews, etc. A lattice is a narrow opening in a wall. My beloved speaks to me, and gazes upon me, and admonishes me, where I may announce him in this manner. Arise, that is, descend from thy contemplation that thou mayest gain some for me. Make haste, since the time is short, 1200Amy beloved, that is, whom I have chosen out of all, dove, on account of simplicity, beautiful one, according to the virtues; and thus come, because to acquire others is for thee to come to me. For now. These too are the words of Christ, but the bride represents them as said to herself:

I say, arise, preach, and thy preaching will not be unfruitful, because unbelief and persecution has now ceased among the Gentiles, and this is [the meaning of] winter, that is, unbelief has now ceased among the Gentiles — not that they had yet received the faith, but they were showing themselves apt. The shadow, that is, persecution, that is, the bruising hail, has now gone and departed, that is, has now so far ceased, that those who used to persecute, now follow; the flowers, that is, the beginnings of the virtues, have appeared in our land, that is, in the Church, which is well cultivated. The time of pruning, that is, 1200Bof purgation, that is, of cutting away the superfluous things through penance, and, if any be unwilling, of casting [them] out of the Church through excommunication. The voice of the turtledove, that is, the admonition of the Holy Spirit, well received, in our land. The turtledove, which seeks the heights, properly signifies the Holy Spirit, whose [office] it is to confer the height of the virtues. The dove likewise, which dwells in the valleys, properly signifies the same Spirit, because it is his [office] to give humility. The fig tree, that is, Judea, has put forth and let fall its green figs, that is, empty fruits, according to the carnal understanding of the law, which do not come to ripeness, because they do not lead through to perfection. Judea, on account of its empty works, is compared to a fig tree, which makes empty fruits, that is, green figs, which never come to ripeness. The vines, that is, those entering the Church, 1200Cflowering, that is, beginning to work well, have given [their] odor, that is, have sent forth good fame of themselves. By all these things, namely when he says: Persecution has now ceased, and other things of this kind, he notes the state of the Church now well grown up among the Gentiles; and on account of this, arise, my fair beloved, labor among others, and thus come, my dove, in the holes of the rock. The dove indeed nests in the rock, but not [where it is] closed, rather where there are holes, that is, receptacles, and protections against kites and other troublesome things. By the rock we have Christ, on account of solidity, in whom are holes, that is, receptacles, because he casts out no one coming to him, and to them he is a protection against heretics and the other assaults of the devil; or by the holes let there be understood the very wounds 1200Dof the Lord's body, which the Church is commanded to announce and in them to found your faith. The dove also builds in the caverns of the wall. A wall (maceria) is called a joining-together of stones, where the stones are so arranged that none falls away, and there are caverns there, that is, certain receptacles. By the wall are signified those who from diverse nations are gathered into the union of the faith of the Church, and are so arranged that none falls away or dissents from the catholic institution; and in it are caverns, that is, they themselves are receptacles of all who come to them; and such, in brief, is the collected meaning. Arise, beloved, and be a dove in the holes of the rock and the caverns of the wall, that is, with simplicity announce Christ, who does not exclude those who come, but protects [them]; 1201Aand preach his wounds, and announce the life of the saints as to be imitated, in which there will be a refuge for those who approach their following. Show me. These too are the words of the bridegroom, but the Church represents them. The bridegroom said to me, « Arise, » and he also said this: « Show me, » that is, so that it may please me and also that thou mayest be an honor to me, thy face, that is, thy good working, and let thy voice, that is, admonition and reproof, sound in my ears, that is, be delightful to me; and truly thou wilt please me, because thou art sweet, and thy face [is] comely, that is, [thy] works are beautiful — whose voice and works had once displeased me.

« Catch us the little foxes that destroy the vineyards; for our vineyard has flowered. My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his, who feeds among the lilies, until 1201Bthe day dawn and the shadows decline. Return, be thou like, my beloved, to a roe and to a young hart upon the mountains of Bethel. »

Catch. Again the words of the bridegroom, but the Church represents them; and the bridegroom asks his friends to help the Church, namely by removing the heretics, as if he should say — to the beloved: arise — and to his friends: Catch, that is, circumvent, and expose their false and useless sentences; the foxes, that is, the heretics, who on account of their cunning are compared to a fox; the little foxes, that is, those who show themselves humble and just so that they may the better deceive; therefore I say catch, because they destroy, that is, they make pits and gnaw away the vineyards. For the vineyard, and there is need that they be caught, because the vineyard, that is, the Church 1201Cof the Gentiles — since with great care I have discharged [it] — has flowered, that is, has now shown in itself certain beginnings of virtues, whose fruit the heretics prepare to hinder. My beloved, as if she should say: In the aforesaid ways my beloved admonishes me, and my beloved himself is always my helper, and therefore I will be obedient to him, and cleaving [to him], as much as I shall be able, that I may acquire some for him who feeds, that is, is delighted and refreshed, among the lilies, that is, in the works of those who are lilies, that is, made white in the virtues, until the day dawn, that is, the common resurrection, which will be the true light, and will refresh us with all exultation after the labors of this life, and until the shadows decline, that is, [until] the ignorances of this life pass away. Meanwhile God is delighted in our good works, which afterward will not be. Return. The Church herself, 1201Dwishing to labor for the correction of other Gentiles, asks God himself to help her, namely to show himself to those to be acquired; and this is, return, that is, condescend to these, and breathe upon them inwardly, because otherwise our labor will be unfruitful; or return, because thou hast departed from them through the sins of the first parent — return to [their] knowledge, and that thou mayest dwell in these, I say. Return and be like a roe and a young hart. The nature of the roe and the young hart is that, although they dwell on the summit of the mountains, they nevertheless descend into the hills, that they may be seen by those below. Of a roe, I say, being upon the mountains of Bethel, that is, of the house of God. For since Christ dwells on the mountains, that is, in the more eminent ones on account of the virtues, he is asked to descend from 1202Athem and through them, even to the knowledge of those below.

« In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him and found him not. I will arise and go about the city, through the streets and the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves: I sought him and found him not. The watchmen who guard the city found me. Have you seen him whom my soul loves? When I had passed them a little, I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and will not let him go, until I bring him into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her who bore me. »

In my bed. The voice of the lesser ones; and where the conversion of the lesser ones is shown, the effect of the preaching of the 1202Bgreater ones is made manifest, as if the lesser ones should now answer thus: Thou, our mother, prayest God to inspire us, which is necessary for us, because otherwise we cannot come to him, because through the former life of our pleasures we cannot find him; and this is what she says: In my bed, that is, in worldly pleasures, in which I wholly rested, I sought him. For the mind of each one naturally dreams of the good and searches [for it]. I sought him, I say, but by night, that is, through ignorances, namely through these temporal things, as if someone through riches expects sufficiency. Him indeed whom my soul now loves, that is, the whole affection of my mind, and I found him not. For no one can attain God through these loves. That he sets down I sought twice notes the affection 1202Cof the seeker, and the manifoldness of the search. I will arise, etc. Because in the bed I did not find [him], therefore I will arise from the bed, namely I will leave the appetite of the world. And I will go about, namely I will diligently convert the frail ones, and seek the knowledge of God, [going about] the city, namely my mother Jerusalem, the assembly indeed of the saints, which preached to me, through the streets, that is, by inquiring of those who follow the stricter precepts. Through the broad ways we understand those who follow the laxer precepts, such as the married, to whom it is permitted to use the world. I sought him and found him not. She sets down the reason why she seeks from these, since I first sought where he was not, and did not find [him]. They found me. I said I will arise; I arose and sought; and [as] I was seeking they found me, that 1202Dis, they knew my affection — the watchmen, that is, the holy shepherds who guard the Church of God. When she says that she was found before she found, he notes to us the vigilance and diligence which the shepherds ought to have in the Church, namely that, from the moment anyone is moved by compunction, the shepherds should be ready to admonish him and to draw him to the knowledge of God. Have you [seen] him whom [my soul] loves. The watchmen found me speaking to them thus: Have you seen [him]? that is, have you had knowledge of my beloved; by this, that the seeker is said to have spoken first, though the seeker had first been found by the watchmen, he notes the diligence and great affection of the seeker. A little. I sought from them, but I was not content with their showing, but I passed higher, seeking him, and [that] through them, because they themselves instructed me how we ought to seek 1203Ahim; and at last I found [him], namely I tasted somewhat of [his] goodness and sweetness; she says a little for this reason, because without great labor [only some] knowledge of God is had. For from the moment God perceives the affection of the seeker, he himself offers himself, and spontaneously presses himself upon [her]. I found [him], I say, and I held [him], that is, I firmly cleaved [to him]: and I will not let him go until I bring him into the house of my mother, that is, into the fullness of the Gentile world, which raised me in carnal desires, and into the chamber of her who bore me, that is, until I make some of the Gentiles into a bed for him in which he may rest without offense. He says mother as regards upbringing, her who bore [me] as regards creation: and here the Church is noted in that state in which the fullness of the Gentiles entered in.

« I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the she-goats and the harts 1203Bof the fields, that you stir not up nor make to awake the beloved, until she herself will. Who is she that goes up through the desert like a little rod of smoke from the spices of myrrh and frankincense and of every powder of the perfumer? Behold, sixty valiant men surround the bed of Solomon, of the most valiant of Israel, all holding swords, and most expert in war, every man's sword upon his thigh, because of nocturnal fears. »

I adjure you. The voice of the bridegroom. For seeing the affection of this gentile people now brought in, which says: I will bring him into my mother's house, he charges his subjects again not to disturb her, just as he did above concerning the mother of this one. Who is this, The voice of the Jews. Seeing so full a conversion of the gentiles, in amazement they say: Who is this who goes up from virtue 1203Cto virtue, striving to come through to God himself through the desert, that is, through the whole gentile world, which is called a desert as being without any divine worship, namely without circumcisions and the other legal ordinances that we have? She goes up, I say, like a rod, that is, straight and slender, with a body made thin, not fattened, being a rod, of smoke, that is, light, weighed down by no burden of sins, but free to seek the heights. Of smoke, I say, not the kind that harms the eyes, but the kind that proceeds from spices, namely from any kind of virtues; and she specifies these very spices by their parts when she says of myrrh and frankincense. By myrrh we signify those who are given over to the bitternesses of the flesh, as the martyrs. By frankincense, which signifies prayers, we have those who devote themselves to prayer; and such is the sense: some go up 1203Dby mortification, some offer to God a good odor, namely the devotion of prayers; and not only by these two kinds of virtues is the ascent made, but through the whole powder. By the pigment we understand certain virtues; by the powder, those same virtues reduced to a kind of lowliness. For virtues are of no worth in arrogance, but a man ought to reckon himself vile, recognizing that he can never be sufficient of himself. Behold the little bed of Solomon. The voice of the Church of the gentiles herself, answering. The Church of the gentiles invites the Jews to the love of Christ, just as the queen of the South (III Reg. X), coming from afar to hear the wisdom of Solomon, would invite those present and familiar to the same. You ask what I am, and I tell you that I am the bride 1204Aof Solomon; and this you can recognize by these tokens of his, all of which you will find in me. This she says: Behold the little bed, O Solomon, that is, in plain view you have that there is among us a little bed, that is, there are such among us in whom the true peaceful one rests without offense; and this little bed sixty valiant men surround, that is, we have guardians in the Church. By the sixty we have the perfect in the ten precepts. He calls them valiant because they are humble and able to resist adversaries; and all these are chosen from the strongest of Israel, that is, of the men who see God; and all these are holding swords, that is, the word of God, and all know well how to strike with that sword, and, that is, most learned in wars. Here it is given us to understand that such ought pastors to be, who, since they have divine knowledge 1204Bwithin, may also know how to expound it fittingly by preaching to each one according to his measure. Each one's sword, that is, the word of God committed to each of them, each one sets upon his thigh, that is, his flesh, because each one demonstrates in himself the mortification of the flesh which he preaches to others, on account of the nightly fears, that is, on account of the hidden assaults and suggestions of the devil.

« King Solomon made himself a litter of the wood of Lebanon; its pillars he made of silver, the couch of gold, the ascent of purple, the midst he paved with charity for the sake of the daughters of Jerusalem. Go forth, and see, O daughters of Sion, King Solomon 1204Cin the diadem with which his mother crowned him on the day of his espousal, and on the day of the gladness of his heart. »

He made a litter. Here the Church shows that certain tokens of Solomon are found in her, by which she might be recognized as the bride of the true peaceful one; she shows others too. A litter means a portable chair, so called from carrying, in which the judge sits, as if she said: Besides the things aforesaid he has made among us certain judges in whom and through whom he himself would judge; and such men he did not choose weak or unclean, but of the wood of Lebanon. By the wood we note that they are sturdy and are not broken by adversities. By Lebanon, which is interpreted whitening, it is signified that they are clean and made white with virtues. The pillars, that is, the supporters, namely the more perfect judges upon whom 1204Dthe others lean, he made of silver, that is, ringing clearly with the highest brightness of the divine eloquence. The couch of gold. The couch is that on which someone's head is laid for rest; by which we understand those who rather gaze upon the divinity of God, and these are golden, that is, radiant with charity and wisdom. The ascent, that is, those who ascend through the steps of the virtues, who, as it were, do not ascend, because of themselves they do nothing good, but Christ ascends in them, through whom, or by whose help, we do all good. Such men he made of purple, that is, ready for any persecution; and this he paved, that is, adorned with charity, namely so that charity might be the ornament to all the other virtues, as blessed Paul most beautifully sets forth (I Cor. XIII). With charity, I say, in the midst, that is, which could be 1205Aequally shared by all; or he paved with charity, that is, all the other lower virtues, and paved them, because except through charity they profit nothing, as St. Paul amply declares (I Cor. III); or, in the midst, namely the aforesaid, as the litter, and the rest set in the midst, he paved. And all these ornaments the king placed in us for the sake of the daughters of Jerusalem, that is, for the sake of the lesser and still tender ones to be encouraged, so that they too might hasten toward these dignities, namely that they might become a litter, an ascent, and all the rest likewise. Or let us say for the sake of the daughters of Jerusalem, namely for the sake of the Jews, so that the Jews, considering our dignity, might be converted. Go forth. Again the voice of the Church of the gentiles to the Jews, as if she said: By all these ornaments you can recognize me as the bride of Christ, and therefore, that you too may have such things, 1205BO daughters of Sion, that is, you Jews. She puts Sion for all Judea. Go forth, that is, laying aside carnality cleave to Christ; and that you may be able to go forth, see, that is, consider King Solomon, that is, Christ in the diadem, that is, the victory of the passion which he attained through his mother, namely the Synagogue, which fastened him to the cross. Or otherwise, consider Christ in the diadem, that is, in the passion in which he obtained the crown of the vanquished devil: by which passion his mother crowned him, namely the Synagogue which fastened him to the cross. The mother, I say, who crowned him on the day of his espousal, that is, of Christ, and when Christ was made the bridegroom of the Church, namely first in the womb of the Virgin. For that womb of hers is called the bridal chamber of the espousal, because there the divinity, joining itself to human nature, 1205Cfrom which through sin it had been separated, thereafter espouses itself to the rest of the same nature. Secondly, and better to the purpose, we say that the espousal was made in the passion to those who had founded their faith in it. O daughters of Sion, recognize the king himself on the day of the gladness of his heart, that is, the resurrection and the ascension; and consider the other things which will all call you back to the love of him.

« How fair thou art, my love, how fair thou art! thy eyes are of doves, besides that which lies hidden within. Thy hair is as a flock of goats that have gone up from Mount Gilead. Thy teeth as a flock of shorn sheep that have gone up from the washing. All with twin offspring, and there is none barren among them. As 1205Da scarlet ribbon are thy lips, and thy speech is sweet. As a piece of a pomegranate, so are thy cheeks, besides that which lies hidden within. As the tower of David is thy neck, which is built with bulwarks. A thousand shields hang from it, all the armor of valiant men. Thy two breasts are as two twin fawns of a roe, which feed among the lilies until the day break, and the shadows decline. »

How fair thou art. The voice of the bridegroom, considering the affection of that gentile Church, which would wish to draw to itself as friends any whom it could, commends her on that account. The eyes, that is, thy overseers who diligently gaze upon the Scriptures, are dove-like, that is, gazing with simplicity, and shining with every inner simplicity: 1206Adove-like eyes, I say, besides that which lies hidden within, that is, apart from the intention, which is far more fair. Thy hair, that is, those cleaving close to the head, and subtle and slender like true poor men, are as a flock of goats. A flock, on account of the multitude: they are called goats because they both seek the heights and have the other virtues — goats, as we said before; which go up from the mountain, that is, from the eminence of the virtues, striving toward perfection. The mountain, I say, of Gilead, that is, where there is the heap of testimony; for the saints do not keep their virtues in silence, but bring forth in manifold ways the testimony of Christ. Gilead is called the heap of testimony for this reason, that Jacob and Laban his uncle there built a heap of stones, as a testimony of their peace. Thy teeth, namely those that are set in the jaws 1206Band by which food is ground, are those saints who grind the Scriptures and render them intelligible to the lesser ones; and such are they as flocks of shorn sheep: flocks, because many; shorn, for this reason, that just as a sheep in shearing lays aside its old growth, so these have laid aside all their oldness, which go up from the washing. The saints indeed go up to the virtues from the washing of baptism, and all, according to their greater part — the eyes as well as the head and the teeth — are begetting sons to God from either people, namely the Jewish and the gentile. All are with twin offspring, because each one has faith and works. As a scarlet ribbon are thy lips. The office of a ribbon is to bind the hair about the head; so the lips, that is, the preachers through whom God speaks, bind the hair to Christ, 1206Clest it flow away from the head. He calls it scarlet on account of the redness of the Lord's passion. Or by the hair may be understood the thoughts which depend from the mind and adorn it. For these thoughts are held in check by the preaching of the divine word, and are bound about the mind. Thy speech, that is, thy teaching, sweet, nourishing like milk. As a piece of a pomegranate. The pomegranate is red on the outside, but when it is broken it appears white within: so are thy cheeks, that is, those more perfect saints are within like the teeth, on the outside they are worn down by many persecutions, and are vile to the world. But within they are found, when known, white with many virtues, besides that which lies hidden within, that is, the intention, which is far more fair. As the tower of David is thy neck, that is, the saints, through whom the 1206DScriptures come down to the lesser ones, have also the other offices of the neck; and they are as a tower, that is, a defense of the others who flee to them, in which the true David dwells and does battle; which tower is built with bulwarks, that is, with firm and excellent judgments, with which they drive far off the assaulting enemies. A thousand shields are those lingering about the neck; those have the bulwarks; but those going forth to wars receive from those who are the neck all the judgments with which they may protect themselves, and this she says by the thousand shields; and they receive also other judgments with which they may vanquish others and draw them to themselves: and this is what she adds, all the armor of valiant men. Thy two breasts, that is, thy preachers, in whom is contained the holy teaching from the gentile and Jewish 1207Apeople; or even the peoples themselves who are nourished by the teaching, are as two twin fawns of a roe, that is, the fawns have the virtues that the roe has, and they are twins, that is, like one another, and agreeing in the same ordinance. Or we may understand by the two breasts the two Testaments, which now are not said to disagree with one another; or it may be said of all the aforesaid. They feed, that is, are refreshed and delighted, among the lilies, that is, in the whiteness and sweet odor of good works. Meanwhile, I say, until the day break, namely eternal blessedness, and the shadows decline, that is, until these ignorances pass away.

« I will go to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hills of frankincense. Thou art all fair, my love, and there is no spot in thee. Come from Lebanon, my bride, come from Lebanon, 1207Bcome, thou shalt be crowned, from the top of Amana, from the summit of Sanir and Hermon, from the dens of lions, from the mountains of leopards. Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister, my bride, thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes and with one hair of thy neck. How fair are thy breasts, my sister, my bride. Thy breasts are fairer than wine, and the odor of thy ointments above all spices. Thy lips, my bride, are a dropping honeycomb, honey and milk are under thy tongue, and the odor of thy garments as the odor of frankincense. A garden enclosed, my sister, my bride, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed. Thy shoots are a paradise of pomegranates, with the fruits of apples, of camphire with spikenard, spikenard and saffron, the sweet cane and cinnamon with all the trees of Lebanon, myrrh and aloes with 1207Call the chief ointments. A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, which flow with a rush from Lebanon. Arise, north wind, and come, south wind, blow through my garden, and the spices thereof shall flow. »

I will go to the mountain of myrrh, as if the bridegroom himself should say: Such are thy members, and I, beyond this, will make all things better, by bestowing and multiplying grace; and this he says: I will go, that is, I will bestow grace upon the mountain of myrrh and upon the hills of frankincense. By the mountain of myrrh we have the martyrs, by the hills of frankincense the confessors who present to the Lord the sweet odor of prayers; and deservedly will I do this for thee, because thou art all fair, and a spot, that is, anything criminal, is not in thee. And because thou art such, come to me from Lebanon, that is, from 1207Dthe good working done in life, come according to the soul, namely the soul going forth from the body. Come from Lebanon, because the whiteness of the virtues and good working leads it through to God; come by taking up again the body in the common resurrection, and then thou shalt be crowned, that is, thou shalt receive the recompense of the victories. In body and soul thou shalt be crowned, from the top of Amana, that is, from the greater ones of those in whom the devil keeps watch, that the devil may tear some to pieces. For Amana is interpreted the tooth of vigils. And thou shalt be crowned from the summit of Sanir, that is, from the princes of those who by certain ignorances and follies deceive men. Sanir is interpreted a nocturnal bird, and by this we understand ignorances and those secretly deceiving; and with these thou shalt be crowned from Hermon, that is, thou shalt convert some who were Hermon, that 1208Ais, anathema, which is a separation, namely thou shalt call back to the Lord such as were now not only said to be separated, but were separation itself from God. Thou shalt be crowned, I say, from the dens, that is, from those in whom the lion lies down and rests, that is, the devil openly raging. And this is the sense: Thou shalt receive a reward, both for open persecutions as for the aforesaid, and thou shalt be crowned from the mountains of leopards, that is, from the heretics whom thou dost convert even from among the enemies, who are called mountains for their excessive pride; leopards, because they are marked out by various sects and heresies, as the leopard by various spots. Thou hast wounded my heart. I say, come, thou shalt be crowned, because I greatly love thee; and I say this, thou hast wounded my heart by thy love. He names her sister, because she is of the same nature according to humanity, and co-heir of the kingdom 1208Bthrough the grace of adoption, as St. Paul sets forth (Rom. VIII; Gal. IV.) Thou hast wounded, I say, my heart. The repetition is from the excessive affection of love. Thou hast wounded, I say, with one of thine eyes, that is, because they are united in me by beholding and seeking one thing, those who are the eyes in thee; and likewise those who are thy hairs; therefore also thou hast wounded my heart, because thy breasts, that is, thy teaching, which is nourishing milk, are fair, that is, sweetly nourishing the peoples for God; thy breasts, that is, thy very teaching, are fairer than wine, that is, than all worldly wisdom, which inebriates and makes those who have it grow proud; and the odor, that is, the good report of the spiritual graces that are in thee, surpasses all spices, that is, all earthly ointments; and on account of this, therefore, O bride, thou hast wounded my heart, because thy lips, that is, 1208Cthe holy preachers through whom thou speakest, are a honeycomb, that is, a vessel containing honey, that is, the sweetest teaching, and not denying it to others, but they are a dropping honeycomb, because by the word they furnish nourishment to others. Under thy tongue, that is, in the hidden place of thy heart: which is said to be under the tongue, because what is there is made manifest through the tongue; there is honey and milk, rearing the little ones, rearing the grown as well. By the milk, which is the nourishment of children, we have the teaching by which the lesser are reared; by the honey, which children will not taste, nor the mother's breasts that have been but little touched by it, but which the grown gladly eat, we have the teaching by which the greater are fed. Or otherwise, honey and milk, that is, these bodily nourishments, are under thy tongue, that is, lower and more unworthy 1208Dthan thy tongue, that is, than the spiritual teaching which is on thy tongue, and the odor of thy ointments, that is, the good report of thy works, by which thou coverest what is shameful, is as the odor of frankincense, that is, as pleasing to God as good devotion in the prayers of the saints; for these please God together in a person, prayers and good works; for the one does not please without the other. A garden enclosed. Therefore, with the aforesaid, thou hast wounded my heart, because thou art properly a garden, that is, bringing forth diverse kinds of virtues, in which I delight and am fed, just as a garden brings forth diverse kinds of herbs. A garden, I say, enclosed, that is, fortified and walled about with faith and works, so that never in thee lies open an approach to enemies and thieves. Thou art also a fountain sealed. The Church is called a fountain on account of baptism, by which are washed all 1209Awho are the Church. Or a fountain, because the Church herself has in herself the divine wisdom, from which flow many waters, namely many teachings. That he said "garden" twice was out of the excessive affection of one who loves; or by this he gives to understand a garden from the Jews, and a garden from the gentiles. Thy shoots. He called her a garden; now he sets forth what kind of fruit that garden brings forth, that is, pomegranates and the like; and this he says, « Shoots, » that is, those whom thou dost beget to God, are pomegranates, that is, red, and ready for any persecution, with the fruits of apples, that is, with ripe apples. By these we understand those saints who, though they are not given over to sufferings, yet do ripe works with whose odor God is refreshed; and such apples are to me a paradise, that is, delights; for God delights in 1209Bsuch as someone in a paradise. Again thy shoots are of camphire with spikenard. For camphire is a slender rod that grows to a great height, and has grains from which a royal ointment is made, and it has with it spikenard, which is a lowly herb. By camphire we have the saints who grow to a great height of virtues, and bring forth grains, that is, good works with which God is anointed and delighted, and they are always with the humility which is signified by the spikenard. Again thy shoots are spikenard with saffron. Saffron is an herb having a golden flower, by which is understood the divine wisdom, which ought not to be in anyone with fear, but with spikenard, that is, with humility. Thy shoots are also, together, the sweet cane, and cinnamon. The sweet cane is an herb having a red bark, and it purges 1209Cmost excellently the swellings of the lung: and cinnamon is of a lowly color, namely ashen. By the sweet cane we understand those who have in memory the Lord's passion, which takes away the swellings from their hearts, and they make themselves lowly, and comparable to ashes, presuming nothing of themselves, but attributing all things to the goodness of God. I say thy shoots. These with all the trees of Lebanon, that is, thou sendest forth together with the aforesaid all the trees, that is, all the strong and sturdy ones to bear the weight of the Church, who are of Lebanon, that is, made white in the virtues. Thy shoots are also myrrh and aloes, that is, those who suffer the greater and the lesser persecutions. For aloes is less bitter than myrrh. Or by myrrh let us understand the passion of martyrdom. By aloes, 1209Dwhich is bitter to the taste and, received within, heals, let us understand the mortification of the flesh through vigils and fastings, and the like, which, though they seem hard and intolerable to do, yet within heal the soul. With all the chief ointments, that is, all are chief ointments, that is, spiritual gifts, which are chief and more worthy than all carnal ointments; or by the chief ointments let us understand charity, which is first among all the virtues. He has shown the fruits; now he sets forth from where the garden itself has its watering, as if he said: In the garden is a fountain, that is, baptism, or divine wisdom: a fountain, I say, of gardens, watering the garden from the Jews and the garden from the gentiles; and not such a fountain as could quickly be emptied, but one that is a well, that is, high and deep, because the more 1210Adivine wisdom searches, the deeper it is found. Deep are the things which are signified in baptism; a well, I say, of waters, from which flow waters — waters indeed flow from the divine wisdom, which wash and render souls clean. There flow also from baptism waters, that is, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are received in baptism. Of living waters, I say, that is, waters giving life to souls; which run to the correction of the lesser ones from Lebanon, that is, from the greater and from the perfect who are made white in the virtues. They flow, I say, and not sparingly, but abundantly and with a rush. Arise, north wind. As if he said: My garden ought to send forth such fruits, and that its fruit may not perish, Arise, north wind, that is, thou devil, and flee. The north wind freezes the trees, because it is cold, that it may destroy the fruit; so the devil binds 1210Band freezes by removing charity from the heart of men, that they may not bring forth to God the fruit of good working. Arise, I say, north wind, and come, south wind, that is, thou warm wind, namely Holy Spirit, bestowing the ardor of charity, and blow through the garden, by removing the freezing of unbelief and breathing in the love of God: and so let the spices thereof flow, that is, the fruits, namely the fragrances of good works. Or otherwise: Because my love is such a garden and ought to send forth fruit of this kind, therefore arise, thou north wind, that is, devil, stir her; and thou, south wind, Holy Spirit, refresh her with thy warm breeze, and both blow through my garden. For the north wind, stirring the trees, makes them germinate, that the south wind succeeding may make them bring forth fruit; so persecution, the fervor of charity succeeding, the grace 1210Cof the Holy Spirit makes the Church bear fruit.

« Let my beloved come into his garden, that he may eat the fruit of his apples. I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spices, I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, O most beloved. »

Let my beloved come. The voice of the bride of the gentiles herself. The Church, marking indeed that Christ had so commended her, calling her a garden and the like, and had also commanded the south wind to blow through her, prays him to come himself, namely by multiplying his grace in her, as if she said: Because I ought to bring forth fruit of this kind 1210Dwhich I can by no means do, let him come, therefore, that is, let him multiply his grace in me, which is his coming, and so let him eat, that is, be satisfied with good apples, namely the works of her people; apples, I say, which are fruits, that is, not in flower, but in ripeness, namely let him delight in the ripe and perfect works of her people. I am come into the garden. The voice of the bridegroom to the Church. Thou prayest that I come into the garden, but I have already come, that is, by bestowing and multiplying grace I have visited my Church, and this is what he says, I am come into my garden, and from this my garden I have gathered my myrrh, that is, I have collected and stored up in the secret places the myrrh, that is, the holy martyrs whom I have collected as martyrs, with my spices, that is, the spices, that is, my confessors in whose prayers I delight, 1211Aas one in good fragrances. I have eaten, that is, easily and with delight I have received and stored up those who were a honeycomb with the honey, that is, so dripping the sweetest teaching, namely I have gathered certain preachers, or otherwise, I have gathered the myrrh, and others who were ripe; those who were not yet ripe I have led to perfection, that they might bring forth fruit for me, and this is, I have eaten, that is, I have brought over into my body certain ones, making them my honeycomb. I have drunk the wine, that is, likewise I have brought back into my body certain ones who had been wine, and moreover fervent in faith and truth and inebriating others with teaching with the milk, that is, with my simple ones who are nourished with milk, that is, the teaching of faith, not being high-minded, and these I have drunk, that is, I have with delight and without labor incorporated into myself; or I have drunk, because such ripe ones 1211BI have taken up to blessedness. Eat. Again the voice of the bridegroom to his friends, and he admonishes them, that, unbelief being removed through him — because there are certain still lukewarm and torpid ones — they may labor upon them, and remove the ignorances of the heart from them. And here is noted the state of the Church according to these our times, where it is more faithfully preached: As if he said, I have eaten certain ones and drunk, and you, my friends, eat and drink, that is, delight in those who, at your preaching, have laid aside their wicked works and ignorances. To eat he says of those whom one must grind and acquire with labor. To drink he says of those who quickly acquiesce. Drink, I say, and be inebriated, that is, out of the excessive delight of correcting them, as if drunken lay aside all temporal cares, and forget the whole of your persecution, so that you may render them 1211Cpure to God.

« I sleep, and my heart waketh. The voice of my beloved knocking: Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled, for my head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the nights. I have put off my tunic, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? My beloved put his hand through the opening, and my belly trembled at his touch. I arose up to open to my beloved. My hands dropped myrrh, and my fingers were full of the choicest myrrh. I opened the bolt of my door to my beloved, but he had turned aside and had passed on. »

I sleep. The voice of the Church, as if she said: Thou chargest 1211Dus to labor and to preach for the building up of others, but I sleep, that is, I have betaken myself to tranquillity of mind, sleeping and ceasing from the cares of the world, and my heart waketh, that is, my reason, intent upon God, contemplates the heavenly things alone, just as a good friend, even while sleeping, dreams of her friend. The voice of my beloved. I say I sleep, but I must interrupt my rest, since there is the voice, that is, the admonition of my beloved, knocking, that is, admonishing me to preach through many signs and sayings of the saints, through these words, open to me, that is, by preaching make open the hearts of others to me, that is, to my honor, and that there may be for me a dwelling in them. I said, open to me, and there is need, for my head, that is, certain prelates in my Church are full, that is, they have an abundance of fortified ignorances 1212Awhich are signified by the dew that falls in the nights. Or my head, that is, I myself am in them full of dew, and my locks. Locks are called hairs twisted back and cleaving ill to the head, and by this are signified those who, though they are of the Church, yet twist themselves back and flee away from the divine precepts, and so, by lengthening away from the head, are full of drops, that is, of great errors of the nights, because those errors proceed from the blindness of ignorance. I have put off. Thus the bridegroom admonishes me, but how shall I take up again the temporal care, so as to make provision for those corrected in food and the like — I who have already stripped myself of all these things? and this she says: I have put off my tunic, that is, I have laid aside all temporal cares, which I performed girt with a tunic. I have washed my feet, that is, with the tears of pious compunction I have purged 1212Beven the daily and light things, which cleave like dust to our affections; and how shall I defile them? But it is necessary for preachers sometimes to assume the form and gestures of one angry for the easier correction of certain sins, and so in such zeal they seem to defile their consciences; yet because thus they gain some for God, from God they receive a manifold reward. My beloved. I said, how shall I be entangled in secular cares by preaching to others, but I must do so because, since the Lord inspires them, and shows them ready to receive, how should I deny my office? and this is what she says. My beloved put, that is, inspired into my lesser ones, his hand, that is, his help and his working, namely how he himself worked, 1212Cand in what things they ought to imitate him, and how he himself helps those willing to work according to him; and this through the opening, that is, by visiting them secretly. And at his touch, that is, at the inspiration of the passion and of the other things which he did, and of his help. It trembled, that is, within itself it trembled, grieving over things past, longing to be instructed unto better things. I arose. The voice of the bride, bringing forth her obedience, as if she said: My lesser ones have now trembled at his inspiration, and therefore I arose, ceasing for a time from the rest of contemplation, and taking up again the labor of preaching, that I might open the hearts of others to the perfect knowledge of God, and at once my hands, that is, my workings, dropped myrrh, that is, were bitter. For preachers must in 1212Dthemselves demonstrate the mortification of the flesh, who declare the same to be done by others. For no one declares that the flesh, which is the kindling of sin, is to be nourished. My fingers, that is, certain discrete works of mine, are full of the choicest myrrh, that is, she shows the greatest mortifications of the flesh, both by preaching and by bringing forth the example of herself. I opened to my beloved, that is, I prepared the hearts of others for the knowledge of God, and this I did by removing the bolt from the door. By the door we understand the ignorances and blindnesses which block the hearts, that they may not be moved forward to doing well. By the bolt we mean the cause by which someone is held in ignorances of this kind, as when someone rejoicing in worldly things puts forward an excuse, because he is the supporter of a widowed mother: But he had turned aside. I say that I opened the door, but 1213Abefore I had opened, he had turned aside, that is, had manifested himself to them. And here he touches the goodness of God, who, from the moment someone has begun to will him, is himself ready to help, and for his own gifts to render him a reward. I say he had turned aside, but when he had passed on, that is, he had shown himself incomprehensible to them.

« My soul melted, when my beloved spoke. I sought him, and found him not; I called him, and he did not answer me. The keepers who go about the city found me, they struck me, and wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my cloak. »

My soul. The voice of those lesser ones whom she called above the belly, or of the Church herself correcting, but in the person of the one corrected, so as to say thus: My beloved visited 1213Bme by putting his hand through the opening, and admonished me through his preachers, and therefore my soul, that is, reason and understanding, was melted, that is, illumined by the warmth of the Holy Spirit, and separated from the hardness of unbelief, when my beloved spoke, that is, after I heard the voice and admonition of God. I said that he had turned aside and passed on, and because he passed on, I sought him, that is, I labored to obtain the perfect knowledge of him, and found him not. I called, that is, I sent up prayers that he himself might perfectly reveal himself to me, and he did not answer me, that is, I did not obtain the effect of my calling. As I thus sought, they found me, that is, those true shepherds knew my affection, whom she calls watchmen, because they apply watchfulness and diligence to guard their flocks and to gain others for God, who 1213Cwent about the city, namely diligently searched out individuals, that they might correct the ignorances of the erring. I say, that they found me and struck me, that is, they moved me to compunction by the grief and remembrance of things past, they wounded me, with the love of God, they took away my cloak, that is, they removed from me all the coverings of error, the keepers of the walls, that is, the greater ones, as the bishops who guard those who are walls and a defense of others, as bishops and other such whom above we called watchmen.

« I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him that I languish with love. What manner of one is thy beloved of the beloved, O thou most fair among women? What manner of one is thy beloved of 1213Dthe beloved, that thou hast so adjured us? My beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands. »

I adjure you. Now she who has been brought in speaks, and admonishes her companions to help her seek, and this she hints when she says: If you find the beloved, that you tell him that I languish with love, so that, my love and affection being known, he may fully manifest himself to me. What manner of one is thy beloved? The voice of the one who is admonished to seek. As if he said: Thou askest that I seek and point him out to thee, but first make known by what signs I may recognize thy beloved, and this is what he says — What manner of one is thy beloved according to divinity of the beloved? What manner of one is thy beloved according to humanity. And I ask what manner of one he is for this reason, that I hear he is wonderful. Therefore because thou hast so adjured us. My beloved. 1214AThe voice of her who just now admonished the others to seek and to point out to her her friend, and she describes to them certain things about him, that they may imitate such a one, and understand him to be far higher, and this is what she says: My beloved is white, that is, made white with much virtue, ruddy on account of the passion, chosen out of thousands, that is, out of all things, because among all things nothing else better could be found through which the human race could be redeemed.

« His head is the finest gold. His locks are as the shoots of palm trees, black as a raven. His eyes are as doves upon the little streams of waters, which are washed with milk, and sit beside the fullest flowings. His cheeks are as beds of spices set by the perfumers; his lips are lilies dropping the choicest myrrh 1214B. His hands are turned and golden, full of hyacinths. His belly is of ivory, set with sapphires. His legs are pillars of marble, which are founded upon bases of gold. His form is as of Lebanon, chosen as the cedars. His throat is most sweet, and he is wholly desirable. Such is my beloved, and he is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou most fair among women? whither has thy beloved turned aside? and we will seek him with thee. »

His head. Just now she described him according to humanity; now she shows him according to the other part, that is, according to divinity. His head, that is, the divinity which is the head of the Lord's manhood, is the finest gold, that is, the divine wisdom of God, best and perfect, through which he made all things. His locks, that 1214Cis, those cleaving to the head, subtle and slender, are as the shoots, that is, always tending to the higher things. For "shoots" are called the branches of the palm which go out at the top, and always direct themselves on high, and the conquerors bear them; and therefore well does she compare to them the hairs of Christ, who are the true conquerors, which such locks are black, that is, despicable to the world. As a raven, that is, talkative and chattering like a raven. Or otherwise: Like ravens, because it is the nature of the raven not to feed its young until they are black, that is, like itself. Meanwhile there rest in their mouth little flies coming to a certain stench of theirs, and these they devour; so the saints wish to feed with spiritual food no one whom they do not see like themselves, that is, renouncing the devil 1214Dand obedient to the catholic faith. His eyes, that is, those who by a subtle gaze penetrate the Scriptures, and foresee for others. They are as doves upon the little streams and beside the fullest flowings. It is the nature of the dove to nest or build beside the water, that it may refresh itself there, and that it may see there the shadow of the kite or the hawk, so that it can escape; so the saints tarry beside the waters, that is, the divine Scriptures, that they may be refreshed thence, and there may foresee for themselves against the snares of the devil. By the little streams we understand the lesser teachings, as the expositions and sermons of the saints. By the fullest flowings we understand the teaching of the Gospels, where the human correction is fully contained. He calls the doves washed with milk, because those faithful ones whom he calls eyes are purged and cleansed with milk, that is, with sweet and pleasant teaching, and 1215Awith the love of the Holy Spirit. His cheeks, that is, those higher saints who grind the Scriptures, and render them intelligible to the lesser ones, are as beds, that is, land well tilled and planted by God himself. Beds, I say, of spices, that is, from which the sweetest odors of prayers and works are presented to God; and these beds, that is, these saints, are set by the perfumers, that is, by the holy apostles and prophets, who build them up by their teaching and plant them, who are called perfumers, because they grind all things by reducing them to humility, just as the perfumers grind the spices to powder. His lips, that is, the preachers through whom he speaks, are dropping, that is, announcing myrrh, that is, the bitternesses of the flesh; for no preacher teaches that the flesh is to be nourished. The choicest, he says, because 1215Bthe flesh ought most of all to be mortified, because the more the flesh is mortified, the more robust the spirit becomes. His hands, that is, the workers even in secular acts, who are therefore called his hands, because even in such things God works, are turned, that is, made smooth and gentle, so that in them God is not offended; they are golden, that is, working by divine wisdom; they are also full of hyacinths, that is, of heaven. For they are good workers of hands, wholly intent upon the heavenly things, and through divine wisdom they know how to work; by the hyacinth we signify heaven, which is of an airy color. His belly, that is, the softer part of the Church, as the married who use the world more freely, are of ivory, that is, chaste. For the elephant is of a cold nature, whence by ivory we signify chastity. For ivory is of so cold 1215Ca nature that a cloth laid upon ivory is not burned by a coal. The belly, I say, set with sapphires, that is, sometimes intent upon the heavenly things. For the married must sometimes attend to the cares of their wives, and sometimes also persist in contemplation — such ones the Apostle calls divided (I Cor. VII). By the sapphire, which is of an airy color, we understand heaven. His legs, that is, those who are near the last times, as those who bear him and announce him in these last times, are pillars, that is, supporters of others, of silver, shining and resounding with the brightness of the divine eloquence, founded upon bases of gold, that is, upon the apostles and prophets, who are golden, because they are full of charity and wisdom. His form is as of Lebanon, as if she said: Why should I enumerate 1215Dindividual things? His form, that is, he himself wholly, namely head and body, are as Lebanon, that is, made white and fragrant. Chosen, that is, Christ himself according to his own person; as the cedar, because just as the cedar is a more worthy tree among all others, so Christ is above all men; and as it is incorruptible, and by its odor kills worms, so Christ spiritually. His throat, that is, the inner word, namely the sense of his words, is most sweet to all who receive. What more? He is wholly desirable. Behold, I have described to you what manner of one my beloved is, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you too may cleave strongly to him whom you recognize to be such, and you ought to believe me concerning him, because he is my friend, that is, familiar to me and well known. 1216AWhither is he gone. Again the voice of those who are admonished to seek, and, having heard his quality, they seek as it were the place and land in which they may seek him, just as worldly friends would speak to one another, and one would admonish another to help her seek her friend, so as to say: O thou most fair among women, that is, among all women, that is, the philosophers, who are called women, because they nourish others in their sects. Most fair, I say, tell me whither he is gone, that is, within what place I shall be able to find him. This she says according to that in which he is incomprehensible, namely according to his own essence. Whither has he turned aside, she says according to those things which can be known about him, as if she said: Tell me who are those in whom God dwells, and to whom God grants the knowledge of himself, and why we seek, 1216Bbecause behold we will seek him with thee. And there is noted a great affection among those who thus invite one another to search out the knowledge of God.

« My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of spices, that he may feed there in the gardens, and gather the lilies. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, who feedeth among the lilies. »

My beloved. The voice of those who invite others to seek God, so as to say thus: You seek whither my beloved has turned aside, and behold I announce to you that in his Church he is known, and there he dwells, and this she says, he is gone down into his garden, that is, from the kindred of the angels he humbly abased himself, by taking flesh, down to the knowledge of men; 1216Che is gone down, I say, to the bed, that is, to those who are a bed, that is, who are land well tilled, and planted according to the will of God. A bed, I say, of spices, that is, those who bring forth to God the sweet odor of prayers and works. He is gone down, I say, for this, that he may feed and delight in the gardens, that is, in the faithful of his Church. And gather the lilies, that is, take up and store away in his secret places, the lilies, that is, those made white in the virtues; or gather and draw to himself certain ones in his Church whom he may make lilies, that is, made white with every virtue. I am my beloved's. And again concerning this thou oughtest to believe me, because I obey my beloved in what I can, and am well familiar to him, and therefore my beloved is present to me, furnishing his help and his knowledge, who 1216Dfeeds and delights among the lilies.

« Fair art thou, my love, sweet and comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army set in array. Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have made me flee away. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, which have appeared from Gilead. Thy teeth as flocks of sheep, which have gone up from the washing. All with twin offspring, and there is none barren among them. As the rind of a pomegranate, so are thy cheeks, besides thy hidden things. There are sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and of young maidens there is no number. One is my dove, my perfect one, she is the one of her mother, the chosen of her that bore her. The daughters of Sion saw her, and proclaimed her most blessed; the queens and concubines praised her. »

1217AThou art fair. The voice of the Bridegroom. Christ, hearing the affection of the Church, therefore commends her when he says: Thou art fair, my love, etc. He calls her fair according to this, that she has so great a will to know him; sweet because she invites others to the same, not begrudging that her Bridegroom has other loves; he calls her comely according to her works. As Jerusalem, that is, as fair as the heavenly Jerusalem, and comely as thy mother, namely that Church which begot thee and reared thee, terrible to enemies, as an army set in array, because I do battle in thee, and thou dost battle in my service, as one wars in a camp, and thou art set in array through the institution of the saints. Turn away thine eyes. Thou art so praiseworthy, but nevertheless cease to think what thou now believest, that thou canst attain to the perfect knowledge 1217Bof me; and this he says, before thine eyes, that is, the understanding which thou exercisest toward the full knowledge of me, or those very eyes gazing more subtly, because they, to fly away, that is, to be separated from all human knowledge, have made me, namely because the more subtly and loftily one searches out God, the more lofty and incomprehensible he knows him to be. Now, because he said: Turn away thine eyes, lest she should complain that she is more unworthy than her mother, that is, Jerusalem, he commends her as he did the mother above, when he says: thy hair, etc. I said: Turn away thine eyes, and yet thou hast eyes, etc., equally fair as that Church which preached thee. He did not say that she should turn away her eyes because it is a sin to wish to know God fully, but it is a sin to think one can attain it. There are threescore queens. Queens or wives are all those in the holy Church who 1217Cbeget sons to God out of the love of God alone, not from hope of worldly gain; but concubines are those who preach not out of the love of God, but for the sake of temporal good, and yet beget good sons to God. The concubines, however, are cast out of the house of the head of the household, but the sons are kept. The maidens are those who are begotten. And this he says because of these beauties; thou hast both queens and the rest, who are said to be threescore. By threescore, which is made up of ten and six, namely those perfect in the ten precepts of the law according to the six works of mercy. By fourscore, which is made up of eight and ten, we have those who, although they keep and preach the ten precepts somewhat, nevertheless are engaged in worldly affairs. But the number eighty, when it is taken in a 1217Dbad sense, designates the cares and entanglements of temporal things, because both the course of the world is turned about through four seasons, and the world itself is divided into four regions — east, west, north, and south. Concubines, therefore, are those who announce Christ out of love of temporal things. My dove is one. Since he names so many members of the Church, someone might suppose that discord and never union is found in the Church, and therefore, removing this, he says: Although I have named so many parts of the Church, she herself is nevertheless one, that is, united in faith, and she is one with her mother, that is, she is as much one as her mother, that is, that Church which nourished and reared this one with sweet doctrine. And she is the one of her that bore her, that is, like her who bore her, and like those preachers who converted her, 1218Aand he takes "mother" as regards instruction, "she that bore her" as regards conversion; and because she is such, as has been shown through all that has been said above, therefore whatever other daughters saw her admired her, and the queens and concubines proclaimed her most blessed on account of the glory to come, and the queens and concubines praised her for her virtues in the present life.

« Who is she that goeth forth like the rising dawn, fair as the moon, chosen as the sun, terrible as an army set in array? »

Who is she. The voice of the Jews, who, seeing so great an advance of the Churches among the Gentiles, beginning to be moved to compunction, marveling, not envying, say: Who is she, that is, of what sort and how great, who goeth forth 1218Blike the dawn, that is, is spread abroad through the earth, like the rising dawn, in whom are some as the moon, that is, enlightening those in darkness; some as the sun, that is, enlightening even certain bright ones, and there are some in her terrible to enemies, some are an army of the camp, namely fortified with the rampart of faith, and set in order with many virtues.

« I went down into the garden of nuts to see the apples of the valleys, and to look whether the vineyard had flourished, and the pomegranates had budded. I knew not: my soul troubled me for the chariots of Aminadab. Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may behold thee. »

I went down. The voice of the Bridegroom, so that he thus answers the Jews: You ask who she is? She indeed is my love and the garden into which I went down. Of nuts, for this reason: because 1218Cin a nut there is bitterness on the outside, within a certain fragile shell, and inside is the sweet kernel; in the same way the saints endure on the outside many bitternesses within the body, which is the fragile shell; but inside indeed is what is most sweet, which is the soul adorned with many virtues. I went down, I say, to see, that is, to test and to bestow help through grace on those who are apples, that is, offering ripe works to God, and are valleys, that is, humble; and to look. For God to look is to bestow grace and to test the faithful, whether the vineyards, that is, these on whom great cultivation is spent, had flourished, that is, had put forth the beginnings of virtues, and whether the pomegranates, that is, those who show themselves ready for any suffering, had budded, that is, had gained some 1218Dfruit for God. I knew not. The voice of the Jews stricken with compunction. Thou sayest that this is thy love, and lookest upon her by bestowing on her spiritual gifts; but I indeed knew not, because my soul, that is, the knowledge which I had in the law according to the carnal understanding, troubled me, that is, rendered me troubled away from the knowledge of God, for the chariots of Aminadab, that is, on account of the four Gospels of Christ which seem to me to destroy the law which I had received before. Aminadab is interpreted the willing one of the Lord, or for the people, by which is signified Christ, who of his own will offered himself to God, and this for the redemption of the people. By the chariots which are borne on four wheels, we understand the Gospel which is carried through the whole world by the four evangelists. 1219AReturn, return. The voice of the Church from the Gentiles. She indeed recognizes the error of the Jews, and admonishes them to conversion. And she sets down return four times, because she calls them back from the four parts of the world. He calls her Shulamite, that is, taken captive by the devil into Babylon, that is, into the confusion of vices. There was indeed a certain Shulamite taken captive in Babylon. Return, I say, that we may behold thee, that is, that we may see our life in thee, or that we may marvel at thee for thy exceeding goodness.

« What wilt thou see in the Shulamite, but the choirs of the camps? How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O prince's daughter! The joints of thy thighs are like jewels that are wrought by the hand of a craftsman. Thy navel is like a turned bowl, never wanting 1219Bcups. Thy belly is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies. Thy two breasts are like two young twin fawns of a roe, thy neck like a tower of ivory. Thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, which are in the gate of the daughter of the multitude. Thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon, that looketh toward Damascus. Thy head is like Carmel, and the hairs of thy head like the king's purple bound in the channels. How fair art thou, and how comely, dearest one, in delights! Thy stature is likened to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. »

What wilt thou see. The voice of Christ, and he admonishes the Church of the Gentiles to labor for the conversion of the Jews, because their labor and preaching will not be useless, as if he should say: Thou askest her to return, from which one must not cease, because thou wilt see in the Shulamite, that is, in the 1219CJews of the captivity by the devil, choirs, that is, those singing and chanting psalms to the Lord, choirs, I say, of the camps, that is, in whom God does battle, and who are well fortified. How beautiful! Again the Church from the Gentiles is admonished to the preaching of the Jews for another reason, namely, because it will be very useful, and this last Church, in which will be the converted Jews, will bear great fruit for God. Yet it is not said that all the Jews will at last be converted, but the greater part. Therefore labor, thou Church from the Gentiles, for the conversion of the Jews, because those thy steps will be very beautiful, that is, the last faithful who will carry thee and thy doctrine, beautiful, I say, in shoes, that is, in the mortification of the flesh, because shoes are made from dead animals, or in shoes, that is, in the apostles and other saints 1219Dby whose examples and authority the last will be protected, as feet by shoes. O prince's daughter, that is, of God. Or this may here be the voice of Christ to the Jews themselves by apostrophe. The joints of the thighs, that is, the joining together of the two peoples, like jewels, because they both fortify and admonish others, so that, considering their beauty and the spiritual gifts which flourish in them, they may wish to cleave to them; and they fortify their subjects against the snares of the devil, and teach them chastity. Jewels, I say, wrought by the power and working of the highest craftsman, that is, God himself.

Thy navel. In this part of the belly a woman has the seedbed of generation, and by this part, which is in the belly, we have those who, though they are among the carnal, 1220Aas the married, nevertheless have the seedbed of preaching and of begetting sons to God. And such as these are a bowl, that is, giving drink to and inebriating others with the love of God. A bowl, I say, turned, that is, so smoothed according to the will of God that the hand of God may find no roughness there, which bowl never wants cups, because to saints of this kind the doctrine with which they may give drink to others will never fail. Or holy preachers of this kind are called a navel for this reason: because, as the navel is in the middle of the belly, so these are in the middle of the people, preaching and reconciling them to God. Thy belly, that is, that softer part of the Church, who do not beget others, like a heap of wheat set about with lilies. He says a heap, because there are many such in the Church. He says of wheat, because such are also the sweet and delightful food 1220Bof God, and they are set about, that is, well fortified, with lilies, that is, in virtues. Two breasts, that is, preachers, who are breasts, namely vessels of milk, that is, of the doctrine that sweetly nourishes. Such as these are fawns, because light and nimble for running, not weighed down by the burden of the flesh; he says twins, because, as twin brothers, though they are different, yet are like one another, so these two peoples of the Jews and of the Gentiles will be like one another, because they will both follow and teach the same instruction of the law; of a roe, because they will have the virtues of a roe. Thy neck, that is, those who in the last Church will have the office of the neck, will be like a tower, because those who flee to them will find defense, he says of ivory on account of chastity. Thine eyes, that is, those holy foreseers who subtly gaze into the depth of the Scriptures, 1220Care like fishpools, that is, waters refreshing with the doctrine of the word of God all who thirst. In Heshbon, which is interpreted the girdle of sorrow, are those saints who are eyes and are called waters, and in Heshbon, because they are always girded with sorrow both for their own and for others' offenses, which fishpools, that is, doctrines, are in the gate, that is, ready for the refreshment of the daughter of the multitude, that is, of many sons. For they are, as it were, in the gate, because they are ready for all who wish to approach, to refresh them with spiritual water. Thy nose. In the nose is contained the discernment of a good and a bad smell, and by this are signified those who have the discernment of the good and the wicked, so that they may distinguish who are of good will, and instruct them, and who are dissemblers and deceitful, and reject them. Such as these are the tower of Lebanon, a tower, because 1220Dthey are a timely stronghold for those who flee, of Lebanon, because they are made white with virtues. Or a tower, because as a tower is a strong stronghold, so the saints in their discernment are not overcome, because they are strong, just as in their choosing they are not deceived, so as to judge good to be evil, or evil good, that looketh toward Damascus. Damascus was indeed always opposed to Jerusalem, and they mutually drew away one another's citizens, and Damascus is interpreted a drink of blood, by which are signified bloodthirsty persecutors who bring in persecution or rejoice in the evils of others, against whom the aforesaid saints look, so as to draw away some citizens from them, and bring them over into their own body. Thy head, that is, thy mind, or the higher ones in the Church, are like 1221ACarmel, that is, having the knowledge of circumcision. For they understand, by the foreskin cut off, where the seat of lust is, and through which all generation follows, that all the old generation is to be cut off from us, namely the putting away of all filth, which will at last be made perfect in the common resurrection. Carmel is interpreted the knowledge of circumcision. And the hairs of the head, that is, those who cleave most closely to the head of the Church, namely the true poor who cleave most closely to Christ, are also, as it were, the adornment of the head itself. Such as these are like the king's purple, that is, imitators of the passion of Christ, who is the true king, purple, I say, bound in the channels, that is, that their suffering be joined to and depending from the channels, that is, from their thoughts and hearts, namely, that when they set themselves forth as imitators of the passion of Christ, 1221Bthis may not be according to outward things only, but also according to inward things. Those vessels in which purples are dyed are called channels, and as purple, if it cleave well to the channel, is dyed better, so these are better fitted to the passion of Christ, if through outward and inward things they show themselves compassionate. How fair. Why go through each one? Thou art all fair, according to the inner virtues, and comely according to works, in delights, that is, in every spiritual refreshment. Thy stature, that is, thy uprightness, like a palm tree. For as the palm is always borne on high, so these faithful ones always strive toward the height of virtues, and thy breasts, that is, thy doctrines, are like clusters of grapes, that is, wine; for as wine does, so thy doctrines inebriate.

« I said: I will go up into the palm tree, and will take hold of its fruits. And thy breasts shall be like the clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy mouth like the smell of apples. Thy throat like the best wine, worthy for my beloved to drink, and for his lips and teeth to ruminate. I am my beloved's, and his turning is toward me. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field, let us abide in the villages. Let us rise up early to the vineyards, let us see if the vine hath flourished, if the flowers bring forth fruits, if the pomegranates have flourished. There will I give thee my breasts. The mandrakes have given their smell in our gates. All the fruits, new and old, my beloved, I have kept for thee. »

I said: I will go up. He sets down another reason why the Church from the Gentiles ought to preach to the Jews, as if he should say thus: Thou oughtest to preach, because thy preaching 1221Dwill be useful, and many will be converted, both because when converted they will be such and so worthy, as has been said, and because I myself came properly to redeem them, whence it is said, Matthew 15: « I am not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel, » and this he says, I said, that is, from eternity I disposed, I will go up into the palm tree, that is, onto the cross, in which a certain part is said to have been from that tree, or into the palm because there he obtained the victory over the devil, and triumphed over the winning of the world. I said I will go up and will take hold of its fruits, that is, they will beget sons for me, and will bring forth good works. Now the Bridegroom himself turns to her, when he says, and thy breasts, that is, thy doctrines, like the clusters not of the ivy, but of the vine, that is, both sweet to drink, 1222Aand inebriating some who diligently hear them, and thy smells, that is, the fame and devotion of thine own, like the smells of apples; for as apples by their smell attract some, so these also by their fame attract some to themselves and associate them. Those last Jews will indeed be very good, as the Apostle shows, who says, Romans 2: « And if the diminishing of them is the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? » For although not all will be converted, yet the greater part of them will be converted. The throat, that is, the inner words, namely the meaning of thy words, is like the best wine, that is, nourishing and inebriating men, so that they make them forget their whole former life. Worthy for the beloved. The voice of the Church, and she commends those words which are even so worthy that Christ received them from God the Father, 1222Bso that it is said thus: I call thy throat like the best wine, and so best that it is worthy for my beloved, that is, for Christ, to drink, that is, that Christ may drink them, that is, without labor and with delight, for the lips, that is, the preachers, and the teeth, that is, the stronger ones, who grind the Scriptures, worthy to be ruminated, that is, worthy that the lips and teeth should ruminate, namely grind and labor to understand. I am my beloved's, as if she should say: I am to be believed, because I am always present to him as a familiar friend from the knowledge of his secrets, and he loves me, and this he says: His turning is toward me, that is, he turns his love toward me. Come, my beloved. Now the Church, having heard the admonition of Christ, and being ready to preach to the Jews, invites the Bridegroom to be with her in that preaching, bestowing help upon her, as if she should say: Thou hast commanded me to preach to the Jews, which will profit nothing without thy help, and therefore, my beloved, come, that is, breathe upon them inwardly, and let us go forth, that is, let us step beyond the Gentiles into the field, that is, to the preaching of those who without great labor bear fruit, and let us abide in the villages, that is, in the building up and ordering of them. Let us rise up early, that is, let us labor zealously; for those who are zealous rise early to their works. By the vineyards we understand those on whom labor is spent before they yield fruit, and let us see if the vineyards, that is, those cultivated with such labor, had flourished, that is, had put forth the beginnings of virtues, if the flowers, that is, those in whom the beginnings of virtues already appear, bring forth fruit, that is, ripe works, and let us see if the pomegranates, 1222Dthat is, the future martyrs, had yet flourished. I said: Come, my beloved, to whom indeed thou oughtest to come with me, because there will I give thee, that is, to thy honor, my breasts, that is, my doctrine, by which I will gain for thee the best sons. The mandrakes. I say that there I will give thee my breasts, which I shall well be able to do, because the Jews themselves have already given me a good expectation of their conversion, namely, showing themselves fit to receive the faith. Mandrakes are herbs, and they have a likeness to human limbs without a head; by which are signified the Jews lacking a head, that is, Christ. By the gates we understand faith, because it is the gate and the entrance for all to salvation. All the fruits. I said that I would give thee my breasts, which I shall truly do, because I have kept for thee, 1223Athat is, to thy honor, the sentences of the New and Old Testament, by which I will make for thee some fruits, which sentences both sweetly give off fragrance, and so sweetly attract those who hear as apples do.

« Who shall give thee to me for my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother, that I may find thee alone without and kiss thee, and now no one may despise me? I will take hold of thee and lead thee into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her that bore me. There thou shalt teach me, and I will give thee a cup of spiced wine, and the new wine of my pomegranates. His left hand under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. »

Who shall give me. Here is shown the effect of the preaching of the Church, because the Jews speak, hearing that Christ 1223Bis to be announced to them, and, kindled with love of him, they burst forth into these words, Who shall give me, that is, would that someone might announce to me my brother, that is, Christ born of my flesh, sucking the breasts of my mother, that is, brought up in the doctrine of the Synagogue. Now out of excessive love she turns to him. Who shall give me, I say, that I may find thee without, that is, that I may know thee as man, in whom I have shamefully erred, and kiss thee, that is, that I may delight in thy humanity now acknowledged, and now no one shall think me contemptible, who before was a contempt to all. I will take hold of thee, that is, we who before had been separated from thee will now firmly cleave to thee. I will take hold, I say, and lead into the house of my mother, that is, those who now serve the Synagogue I will make to serve Christ, and into the chamber of her that bore me, that 1223Cis, I will make certain ones of the Synagogue such that God may lie down and rest in them without offense. There, that is, while I announce thee to the sons of the Synagogue, thou shalt teach me, because I will open my mouth, and thou wilt fill it, as thou hast promised (Psal. LXXX), and I will give thee a cup, that is, I will convert for thee many of the Jews, who will be to thee a cup, that is, a delightful drink and refreshment through their good works and in many virtues. Such a drink God thirsts for, as he himself said on the cross, « I thirst (Joan. XIX), » namely, I bring over the human race into my body. A cup, I say, of spiced wine, that is, that the cup should be wine, that is, men glowing with love of God and inebriating others with the love of God. Which wine is spiced, that is, compounded with many spices, that is, with the diverse virtues 1223Dof the saints themselves, and I will give also a cup, new wine, namely wine that is hot, fervent, and boiling, by which are signified the holy martyrs fervent for the love of martyrdom, who are also called pomegranates, because outwardly red on account of their suffering, inwardly white on account of their virtue. His left hand, and I ought well to labor to gain such for him, because he himself bestows on me solace, both through temporal things and through the hope of eternal things.

« I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up, nor make the beloved to awake, till she please. Who is she that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I raised thee up: there thy mother was corrupted, there she that bore thee was violated. Set me as a seal 1224Aupon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell. »

I adjure you. The voice of the Bridegroom. For Christ, hearing so great an affection of the Church of the Jews, commends her as he did the former ones, and charges those subject to him not to disturb her. Who is she. The voice of the Church from the Gentiles. For seeing her daughter, the Church from the Jews, come to such perfection, rejoicing, not envying, she says with admiration, Who is she that cometh up. Through the steps of virtues, from the desert, and from her unbelief, in which she was deserted by God, flowing with delights, that is, abounding in many virtues, leaning upon her beloved, that is, Christ, whom everyone walking rightly has as a foundation. Under the apple tree. The voice of Christ 1224Bto that Church from the Jews now converted, and he commends to them his love. For it was fitting that, since this whole book is about the love of God, at the end of its treatise it should commend love. Continuation. The Church from the Jews has leaned upon me, her beloved. Set therefore, thou Church from the Jews, me upon thy heart, that is, as ruling thy heart and thy thoughts. And otherwise, upon, that is, as the suppressor of all thine iniquity; set me, I say, as a seal, that is, that it may be clear to friends that thou dost keep my secrets, and likewise that it may be clear to enemies that thou art not of their sect, or that the secrets which thou hast are closed and unknown from them. Or a seal, namely, so set me that thou keep in thy heart the image of me, namely, that thou dispose thyself like me both in suffering and in all other things according to thy measure, and set 1224Cme upon thy arm, that is, thy working, that thou mayest have me as ruler in all thy works. Set me, I say, as a seal, that is, that through thy very works it may be clear to friends that thou art a familiar friend to me, and that the enemies of their fellowship may understand thee to be estranged from their life and manners; and that they ought to do this, the cause has been set forth beforehand, when it was said: Under the apple tree, as if he should say: Deservedly oughtest thou to set me upon thy heart, because I freed thee when thou wast dead in sins, and this he says, thee lying and languishing under the tree, that is, under the sin committed by the tree, the apple, that is, in the sin of the first parent. Or, languishing, under the sin of the cross, which likewise was from this tree, that is, the apple tree. For it is read in the books of the Greeks that from the same 1224Dtree in which Adam sinned, a certain branch was carried to Jerusalem, and there, being planted, it grew up into a great tree, from which afterward the cross of the Lord was made, so that from that whence death had come, by the same life might be restored. It is also said that Adam was buried in the same place in which afterward the cross of the Lord was fixed; there, that is, in that tree, the mother was corrupted and violated, that is, the Synagogue. By "corrupted" he marks the penalty of sin in whomever it be, in the sentence by which from the crucifixion of the Lord the Jews had punishment, namely that destruction which Titus and Vespasian brought upon them. When he says "violated," he marks the eternal damnation which from that sin all who did not repent received. This verse is also continued otherwise thus: The Church has called me her beloved, and deservedly oughtest thou to love me, because 1225AI freed thee from the sin of the first parent. For it is strong. That is, therefore oughtest thou to set me upon thy heart, because my love is strong as death. For as death cannot be hindered from coming, so the love of God cannot be hindered by any persecution from working salvation, as Paul deduces (Rom. VIII). Or as death destroys the bodily senses, so does the love of God. For he who is well occupied with the love of God no longer draws any delight of the flesh from sight, nor from the other senses. Or as death, that is, the devil himself, who is the cause of all death. For as the devil, in enmity, confers damnation upon his own, so the love of God confers salvation. Jealousy, that is, the disposition of love, namely to accomplish those things which love demands — these are a care and unbearable to the flesh; as hell, 1225Bthat is, that jealousy is insatiable. For to no one in whom love abounds does it seem enough to give his own or to do the other things which love demands; nay, he would always wish to do more.

« The lamps thereof are lamps of fire and of flames. Many waters could not quench charity, neither shall the floods overwhelm it. If a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing. »

The lamps thereof. Again he describes the nature of that love, as if he should say: You ought to hasten to that love, because its lamps, that is, the ardors of this love, are like lamps of fire, that is, the ardors of the Holy Spirit, and this is what he says, of fire. For as fire supplies heat, so the Holy Spirit 1225Csupplies the fervor of love, and because there could be a fire that did not shine, he says and of flames, that is, the lamps of love are such that they also shine, namely, those who have these loves shine to others, because they enlighten others by word and example. We can also by lamps understand those men in whom love dwells as fire in a lamp. Many waters. Again he shows another nature of love, that we too may wish to embrace it, so that it is said thus: Such is love. But this love neither threats nor persecutions, small or great, will be able to quench. By water we understand threats and small tribulations of this kind, because they quench human loves. By floods we have greater adversities. If a man should 1225Dgive. Again he commends this love, that he may strongly invite us to preserve it, when he says that this is such that, if anyone give for it all his substance, that is, his whole possession, and himself besides, he despises it, that is, he will judge it contemptible in comparison with what he will obtain.

« Our sister is little, and hath no breasts. What shall we do to our sister in the day when she is to be spoken to? If she is a wall, let us build upon it silver bulwarks. If she is a door, let us join it together with boards of cedar. »

Our sister, says the Bridegroom. The law of love is so heavy; but the sister, that is, the Church from the Jews, who is called the sister of Christ, because she is both of the same flesh and a coheir of the kingdom with Christ, as she is newly converted, 1226Ais little, still tender in faith, and hath not breasts, that is, doctrine, of herself, and therefore, unless we furnish her help, she will not be able to bear the law of love. What shall we do? The Bridegroom says to his friends: Because our sister is still little, we must bestow help upon her, and what shall we do to her in the day when she is to be spoken to? In this present time in which she is to be instructed and spoken to, so that after this life she may be found worthy to be joined to Christ in marriage. What shall we do, I say this, namely: if she is a wall, that is, if there are any in this Church who are a wall and a defense of others. Let us build upon it silver bulwarks, that is, sentences by which they may know how to defend themselves and to assail others, and these silver, that is, ringing with the composition of eloquence, namely let us make them 1226Bwise and eloquent. If she is a door, that is, if there are any in this Church who bring others in, let us join it together, that is, let us add something that may be to their honor, let us join it together, I say, with boards, that is, let us add such as are boards, that is, subtle and well endowed for the will of Christ, that these such may be a help to those who are a door. With boards, I say, of cedar, that is, let such be added as are of cedar, that is, incorruptible, and by their smell killing worms.

« I am a wall, and my breasts are like a tower, since I am become before him as one finding peace. The Peaceable One had a vineyard in that which hath peoples. He delivered it to keepers: a man brings for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard is before me. A thousand are for thee, O Peaceable One, and two hundred for them that keep its fruits 1226C. »

I am a wall. The voice of the Church of the Jews, setting forth her perfection, so that she says thus: Thou sayest, If she is a wall, let us build. I indeed have a wall, that is, there are certain ones in me who are a wall and a defense of others, and there are in me breasts, that is, holy teachers who are like a tower, unassailable and invincible in their doctrines. I say that I have this, and from that time since I am become before thee, that is, in thy good pleasure, as one finding peace, I who before had had discord through sin. There was a vineyard. The Church from the Jews shows that she herself ought to find peace in Christ, because the Church from the Gentiles, which had received no worship of God, found peace with God, 1226Dand this she says: A vineyard, that is, the Church from the Gentiles, in whose cultivation there was the greatest labor, belonged to the Peaceable One, that is, found peace with God. In it, supply "peace," which hath peoples, that is, in which peace many of the Gentiles are with God, I say that the vineyard belonged to the Peaceable One, and on this account he delivered it to keepers, that is, he appointed in it shepherds and teachers, or angelic keepers, of which Church the dignity is so great that he who wishes to be a man, that is, to act manfully, should bring, dividing fittingly, a thousand pieces of silver, that is, all that he has of the world, let him bring, I say, and present to God for its fruit, that is, for eternal life, which is the fruit of the Church. My vineyard. The voice of the Bridegroom. Thou hast said that the Church from the Gentiles is at peace for me; not only does she please me, but my whole vineyard, that is, the whole Church, 1227Aboth from the Jews and from the Gentiles, is before me, that is, always exists in my good pleasure. A thousand are for thee, O Peaceable One, that is, the possession offered by all together is before me. But for those who keep its fruits, as holy shepherds who provide that the holy subjects lose not the fruits of eternity, there are two hundred pieces of silver, that is, a double price. For two hundred is double to a hundred. But the keepers of the holy Church offer a double price to God, because they both keep themselves unspotted for God and gain others, and therefore are rewarded with a double reward.

« Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken to thee: make me hear thy voice. Flee away, my beloved, and be like to the roe and to the young hart upon the mountains of spices. »

1227BThou that dwellest in the gardens. Because the Bridegroom had just now said to the Church: My vineyard is before me, and other such things, lest the Church should think that she was straightway to be taken to marriage, he forewarns her that again, while she is not taken up, she should labor and work, so that, being well prepared, she may be joined in marriage, and this he says: Thou, O bride, who art not yet led into the bridal chamber, 1228Abut still dwellest in the gardens; for each of the faithful dwells in the gardens, that is, in the Church, make me hear, that is, make thyself worthy of my hearing, and thou hast those through whom thou mayest convey to me both prayers and works, so that they please me — my friends, and this is what he says, the friends hearken, that is, they are ready to present thy good works to God. For this indeed litanies are made in the Church, that through the intercession of the saints we may deserve to find the Lord favorable. Flee away, my beloved, because I must dwell in the gardens, nor can I yet be joined to thee in the bridal chamber as thou wishest, that is, I endure the presence of thy body to be absent from me. But this I ask, that thou condescend to us, and show thy knowledge not only to the perfect, but through them to the lower ones. And this he says. Be like 1228Bto the roe and to the young hart of the stags, namely, descend into the hills that thou mayest be seen by the humble. Thou, I say, dwelling upon the mountains, that is, in the higher villages, who are eminent in virtues. The mountains, I say, of spices, that is, from which is brought forth to God the fragrance of virtues and of good work.