Literal Commentary on the Song of Songs

A literal commentary on the Song of Songs, with interpretations according to the literal sense. Again, by the grace of God, a literal commentary on the Song of Songs, that is, the Song of Songs and the Praise of Praises, has come to be, with a few words from the book of the Song of Songs, that is, the Praise of Praises or the Song of Songs, interpreted literally. When it is well established that, along with spiritual interpretations, this also is done in a profitable manner below. The Nestorians, foolish and ignorant as they are, persist in earthly interpretations and do not ascend to spiritual ones; concerning Solomon and Pharaoh's daughter, they interpret this book and say that it was composed because he was mocked by the Hebrews on account of her, since she was a black woman like the women of Egypt, and a foreigner to the people, and short in stature, while he was small in comparison with his father, so that he would not be moved to go to war with the people; he composed this song and gave it to the singers, and with melody and chant, like the Psalms, he made it known. For there is not in this book the name of the Lord God. However, it is among the books of the Holy Scriptures. Conclusion: The Church interprets it as the Bride, that is, the soul, for Solomon, that is, the Messiah. When it shows that the love of the Messiah for her is not diminished. And by means of those that are seen, which are the interpretations, it reveals the flame of his love for her. For the good things are more to me than the wine of intoxication, and the fragrance of the thought is intoxicating; my soul is drunk with your love and filled with joy from your closeness to me. To my scent, with your good fragrances, how are they to me like spices? When the form of a sweet tree or other plants are burned in the fire, they are chosen.

the anointing of myrrh. The Jews, the anointing suffices, for many roots are mixed in it. Blackness and beauty, for the blackness of the soul in sin, but beauty in that it was turned to repentance. Like the tents of Qedar, for they saw the tents of the Qedarites, the Arabs, and understood that the blackness is that of the hair in their tents. That is their dwelling and their habitation, which has for them cold and heat and hail and rain. And like the curtains of Solomon, for they were also found in the garments of Solomon, for they were also found in the garments of Solomon, also on the faces of the door and the carpets that are spread before them, which are of purple, the son of the color of blackness. For as long as this is not scattered because of blackness, nor the soul because of its sinfulness, but it becomes beautiful after its repentance. The sons of my mother, that is, the Nestorians, the disciples after the natural ones, said that the sons of my mother are called Egyptians by the Hebrews, because they are from one father and one mother. And they placed a guard over the vineyards, that is, the vineyards of the queens of the rest, which was established by the administration over all of them. And the vineyard that was not guarded, that is, that did not care for itself, because that Solomon cared for his own, and this interpretation is great, that is, where: where is the shepherdess? The shepherd is upon the fragrance, making known. And where is the great one, the quadrangular one, upon the spirit and peace. And the noon upon the brightness of the activity, which with the likeness of the clouds said the hand of what the shepherd and the old man, the fourth, at noon, and is dragged. The name of the root upon the revelation makes known, and at the time is taken upon the high horse. When the scheme of the hand, the rock, its form, and he looks at his feet.

again are called "waves," like the shores of the sea, those of the waves, like rocks and their banks, a cliff and a wave, and the sea enters into them. And they are suitable for the mooring of ships. Here, concerning the wave of the three branches in their forms, he says: "The shining ones of the jewel" — the shining ones are the limbs that are set with a jewel, or they are thin plates of gold in which are set carbuncles and clusters of jewels, by which hair was made to grow, placed on temples and heads. "Gardens" — with many pomegranates it is called "gardens," because the root of the garden extends to all its sides. And they say that the anointing of the anointing of the sinful woman for her lord was with this compound. "The henna of the cypress" — the scribe calls the henna of the cypress "life." Henna again calls the good root of pomegranates and something of fragrance. Others call the henna of the cypress "the jasmine of the branches." Others call the henna of the cypress "henna," like the plaster that is placed on the head of a vine trellis so that the fruits may hang. The Jewish henna is that which, like plaster, seeks in Judah and the incense of the vine, and Jericho, which is dark in vineyards and vines, is paved with shade. "Arqadqatiraqe" — "qatiraqe" are called boards that are engraved, squared, and set beautifully in ceilings and suitable for beams and columns. Again, "qatiraqe" is called a tree of cypress in leaves and fruits. "The rose of the foundations" — it is also called "the rose of the foundations" because it resembles a rose in its appearance. "The rose of the foundations" — when the rose of the foundations blooms, that which appears in the foundation, which resembles a rose, is called.

and the depth of the sea, those that are called "waves," those that in their appearance are like shores, and their scent is like that of jasmine. For the shortness of love is like the shortness of the body, all the more necessary things are found for it. Here also, the shortness of spiritual love, all the trials and opposing winds of its pain are found. Or by "goats," he calls goats that are sharp in strength and in running, those whose standing and growth are with the fruits of the field. The peel, that is, the rind, is like the island of the islands that ascends, or upon the white stones is its word, or upon the dwellings of the sea, those that when their waves are calmed and they descend to the shore and ascend, their appearance is more visible. And in those that are like white stones and not black goats, for all are similar to goats and dwellings, a sign, and all are births, and in this he teaches about the truth and steadfastness of the stones. The cross of the Romans, to the outer shell, he says that it resembles a rose. The need, he asks of the books, that is, the need is like the tower that David sought at the wall of Jerusalem. The figs upon the fruits of the fig trees and the fruits of the pomegranates teach thus, the figs are from the fruits of the pomegranates with different bodies. The neck and the form were when the neck is with the side and the form is with the front. He taught the anchors. Just as in a heavy ship, when anchors and chains are hung on it, like the catapults, it appears more glorious, so also the form of the church in the rows of gold and also of pearls, like the rows of the prophets and apostles that are hung on it, it gleams from the head of the nations, that is, the inhabitants.

Come, O spiritual bride, to my embrace, and pass from your heart, as you are a sojourner and a stranger, with Christ the bridegroom. A little and a curse, with these two mountains. The cedar of Lebanon. Myrrh and aloe of the trees. The reed from which the spice of perfume is made. Their standing is not of my will and my order, but it is a small piece of wood with a sweet scent, and if it is brought near to fire it heats up, and if it is thrown into hot water, likewise, and in the oil of anointing it is dissolved. And camphor is cold, and rose is hot, and the trees are. Saffron is a mixture. Myrrh and its aloe are hot. Upon the banks of waters, the banks are called "waves," or small shores, those that with the meadows are joined to the islands of clouds, or with the paradises, or like gardens to the channels of desires. They swim in milk and sit when they drink water with their brightness and the running of the waters receive more radiance in their houses. Like beds, the beds for the storehouse and for the sowing of seed are called. Like a circle of gold that is stamped with gold stones. That which, when it is bound with other bodies with gold, are set in it stones in the form of a plate of the chief of priests. Or again, upon empty vessels it is stretched and set with good stones. Its belly, the work of the hour, upon the bellows, the bellows of sweet water. For the hour is a turning of what is, a foundation and a firm one, set as work upon the stone of the turning, or like a vault. For when it turns in the bone of the elephant, it makes much beauty in its parts.

The name of Shilomitha is interpreted in three ways. The perfect one and the one full of peace and the humble one. And another small one is taken here. The rest of her is the womb. The rest is the mouth of the third one of the child in the womb. And after the birth of the child, the rest ceases with its need. The rest, because this gift is distinct for the breasts and the mouth. And the rest is like the form of a wineskin that is full of wine, for the drinking and not lacking. And also the rest holds the middle place between the stomach and the womb. For until the time of birth, the power of food and drink is allowed to enter as they are the upper boundary of the abdomen. Your eyes are like the days of the week. The week was a well-known city of the king of the Amorites, and abundant in waters and beautiful in springs and days. And on the other side of the Jordan, it was situated in the neighborhood of the peoples, and like a gate it was for the peoples for entering the land of the Moabites. At the gate of the daughter, and also before the gate of that city, the days and springs are a sight for many. Mount Carmel is that mountain with the border of the people of Galilee, for it is high and at its top there is a cleft, and in it he was sad at night. That which is bound in the streams, the streams of the waters of the intestines that are subdued in them, hair or curls, and at the face of the gate of the purple that is before the king, he calls the streams. Because it is rolled. Or he calls the stream to the tables that are tied to the purple of the king on their heads or on their shoulders for the remembrance of their deeds. Or perhaps he calls the streams of water. Thus, the village calls to the villages, and the end of this interpretation is complete.