Thy two breasts, etc. . .Mystically to be understood: the love of God
and the love of our neighbour, which are so united as twins which feed
among the lilies: that is, the love of God and our neighbour, feeds on
the divine mysteries and the holy sacraments, left by Christ to his
spouse to feed and nourish her children.
4:6. Till the day break, and the shadows retire, I will go to the
mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
4:7. Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee.
4:8. Come from Libanus, my spouse, come from Libanus, come: thou shalt
be crowned from the top of Amana, from the top of Sanir and Hermon,
from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of the leopards.
4:9. Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast
wounded my heart with one of thy eyes, and with one hair of thy neck.
4:10. How beautiful are thy breasts, my sister, my spouse! thy breasts
are more beautiful than wine, and the sweet smell of thy ointments
above all aromatical spices.
4:11. Thy lips, my spouse, are as a dropping honeycomb, honey and milk
are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments, as the smell of
frankincense.
4:12. My sister, my spouse, is a garden enclosed, a garden enclosed, a
fountain sealed up.
My sister, etc., a garden enclosed. . .Figuratively the church is
enclosed, containing only the faithful. A fountain sealed up. . .That
none can drink of its waters, that is, the graces and spiritual
benefits of the holy sacraments, but those who are within its walls.
4:13. Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates with the fruits of the
orchard. Cypress with spikenard.
4:14. Spikenard and saffron, sweet cane and cinnamon, with all the
trees of Libanus, myrrh and aloes with all the chief perfumes.
4:15. The fountain of gardens: the well of living waters, which run
with a strong stream from Libanus.
4:16. Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind, blow through my
garden, and let the aromatical spices thereof flow.
Canticle of Canticles Chapter 5
Christ calls his spouse: she languishes with love: and describes him by
his graces.
5:1. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat the fruit of his
apple trees. I am come into my garden, O my sister, my spouse, I have
gathered my myrrh, with my aromatical 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, my dearly beloved.
Let my beloved come into his garden, etc. . .Garden, mystically the
church of Christ, abounding with fruit, that is, the good works of the
elect.
5:2. I sleep, and my heart watcheth: 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 of the drops of the nights.
5:3. I have put off my garment, how shall I put it on? I have washed my
feet, how shall I defile them?
5:4. My beloved put his hand through the key hole, and my bowels were
moved at his touch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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