Greek original · 111 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss · long chapter, split into parts; this part covers 1:1209–1:1319 (2527 verses in all)
for just as the astringency of the pomegranate's rind both nourishes and guards the sweetness of the fruit contained within, so the austere, continent, and rigorously disciplined life becomes a guardian of the goods of self-control.
And here too the praise of this virtue is twofold, both through the things that appear openly in a seemly life, and through the things accomplished in the passionlessness of the soul; of which, as the Apostle says, the praise is not from men but from God.
For the modesty that shines upon a man's deeds has its own praise from things manifest, but lies also outside, among the wonders that are kept silent and hidden, which are beheld by that eye alone which looks into the secret things.
The marriages, the migrations, the wars, the constructions of buildings—all these were prefigured, according to a certain reason, for the admonition of the life that came after;
For the war against the foreigners counsels us to play the man against wickedness, while the zeal concerning marriages sets before us, through riddles, the cohabitation of the virtues.
In like manner also the migration suggests the founding of a settlement of the virtuous life; and all that was diligently done by them concerning the constructions of buildings enjoins us to take care over our own houses, those that are built up through virtue.
How is that part of the Church whose name is 'neck' compared to this tower? First, then, it is proper to examine what part in our body is designated by the name 'neck,' and then thus to fit the name to the member of the Church.
Now that which is rooted in the midst of the shoulders, holding up the head upon itself and becoming as a base for what lies above, is named the neck; the back part of which rests upon bones, while the part projecting in front is free of the encasement of bones.
But the nature of the bone here is not, after the likeness of the forearm or the shin, continuous with itself and undivided; rather, since the bones are in many places divided in the form of vertebrae, their union with one another comes about through the sinews and muscles and ligaments that grow around them, and through the marrow that passes tube-like along the middle.
And in the front parts the neck contains the windpipe, which is a receptacle for the breath that is settled and flows into us from without, by which the fire in the heart is fanned toward its natural activity; and it contains also the passages of nourishment through the throat and larynx, conveying everything introduced through the mouth to the cavity that receives these things.
for at the upper position of the windpipe there is in it the workshop of the voice, in which all the vocal organs are prepared, through which sound is generated as the windpipe is set vibrating in a circle by the breath that is sent up.
First, then—that which is indeed also first—if anyone bears upon himself the true Head of the universe (I mean that Head which is Christ, from whom the whole body is fitted together and knit together), this man properly bears upon himself this name.
for God fashioned the human voice into the nature of men for no other reason than that it might be an instrument of the word, articulating through itself the motions of the heart.
And let it imitate also the harmonious arrangement of the vertebrae, in that those who together make up the people, individual by individual, through the bond of peace work into one member that bends and is set upright and turns nimbly to either side.
Another set right his life in imitation of that man who bore the name of the Lord, having become a chosen vessel to the Master, and to whom the Head of all things was so exactly fitted that even whatever he spoke was no longer himself the speaker, but his Head uttering it, as he showed the Corinthians Christ speaking and uttering in him.
So well-voiced and well-sounding was his windpipe, articulating the word of truth through the Holy Spirit; so was his larynx ever sweetened with the divine oracles, nourishing the whole body through itself with those life-giving teachings.
For the shields that hang—not lying upon the ground, but seen suspended in the air around it—and, together with the shields, the darts of the mighty, instill fear in the enemies, so that they do not even at the outset attempt to run down and attack the tower.
for he did not say simply 'darts,' but by the addition of 'of the mighty' he indicated those who fight on our behalf, so that what is said agrees with the saying of the psalmody, that 'the angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him, and shall deliver them.'
But the number 'a thousand' does not seem to me to signify precisely the tenfold of a hundred, but was taken up by the Word for the indication of a multitude;
But the increase toward what is greater, of the soul that is exalted according to God, he who attentively follows what is said assuredly perceives: that formerly it was a matter of contentment to the bride to be likened to the horse that had overthrown the Egyptian tyrant, and to have the comeliness upon her neck resembling little chains;
but now, how great a perfection toward the good does he attest to her, in that he no longer likens the beauty of her neck to certain little necklace-chains, but says that it is a tower by reason of its greatness—a tower which not only the ambition concerning the building, raising the height to its utmost, makes conspicuous and to be gazed at even by those standing far off, but also the position of the place, naturally rising above the neighboring parts. Whenever, then, the tower is a king's work, and happens to be set upon a lofty citizenship, then is shown true the saying of the Lord, that 'A city cannot be hid, set upon a hill.'
not blooming according to a season nor withering at a fixed time, but providing sufficient nourishment through themselves to these fawns, until the shadows no longer prevail over the deceit that is eagerly pursued concerning this life, but, the light having now shone forth everywhere, all things are illumined through the day that breathes its light where it wills.
[for thus says the Word: 'Until the day break, and the shadows flee away.'] And you assuredly know, having learned from the Gospel, that it is the Holy Spirit who, by breathing where he wills, produces light in those who know whence he comes and whither he goes.
But that the Holy Spirit is called 'day,' breathing light into those in whom he comes to be, I do not think anyone of those who have understanding would waver at the account;
for if those begotten of the Spirit become sons of light and sons of day, what else must we conceive the Holy Spirit to be than light and day, whose breath becomes the putter-to-flight of the shadows of vanity? For it is altogether necessary that, the sun having appeared, the shadows do not remain, but withdraw and depart.
But the mystery concerning the two fawns of the roe would be timely to add to the examination of the passage—of which the birth is twin, the nourishment is the lily, and the place of pasture is the good and rich earth.
But the bloom of the lilies has a twofold grace from nature, its sweet fragrance being mingled with its fair color, so that it is lovely to those who gather it in either respect, whether they bring it to the sense of smell or delight their eyes in the beauty of its bloom;
Perhaps, then, it has already been made clear to us through what has been said, what is indicated by the Word: that, since two men are contemplated in each individual—the one bodily and visible, the other intelligible and invisible—the birth of both is twin, they sojourning together in life at one and the same time with each other;
And nourishment to these is, according to nature, purity and fragrance and all such things, of which the virtues bear rich crops; but there is a time when poison is eagerly pursued by some in place of what is nourishing, who do not feed upon the flowers of the virtues, but delight in thorns and thistles;
Since, then, there is need of discerning eyes that are able accurately to distinguish the lily and the thorn, and to choose the saving thing and send away the destructive, on this account he named the two breasts—which, born together with one another, are likened to the fawns of the roe—after the likeness of great Paul, who became a breast to the babes and gave milk to the newborn of the Church, in all things bearing witness to the approvedness of such a member of the Church: both that in each respect it prospers toward the pasture of the pure lilies, having sharp sight and discerning the thorn from the nourishing thing; and that it is engaged about the governing faculty, of which the symbol is the heart, which through itself nurses the breasts; and, still further to these, that it does not shut up the grace within itself, but holds out the teat to those who need the word, 'as when a nurse cherishes her own children,' just as the Apostle both did and said.
of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense—having through the myrrh indicated the Passion, and through the frankincense the glory of the Godhead—he added: 'Thou art all fair, my nearest one, and there is no blemish in thee,' teaching through what has been said, first, that no one takes his soul from him, but he has authority to lay it down and has authority to take it again, going of himself to the mountain of myrrh, not out of our works, lest anyone should boast, but out of his own grace, undertaking the death on behalf of sinners;
and then, that human nature cannot otherwise be cleansed of its blemish, unless the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world has through himself made all wickedness to vanish.
and who added the mystery according to the Passion through the riddle concerning the myrrh, then having made mention of the frankincense, through which the Divine is indicated—this he teaches us: that whoever shares with him in the myrrh will assuredly also share together in the frankincense.
For he who suffers together with Him is also assuredly glorified together with Him; and he who has once come to be within the divine glory becomes wholly beautiful, having passed beyond the reach of the adversary's blemish. From that blemish may we too be set apart, through Him who died for us and was raised, to whom be the glory unto the ages of ages.
You shall come and pass through from the beginning of faith, from the peak of Sanir and Hermon, from the lairs of lions, from the mountains of leopards.
How beautiful your breasts have become, my sister, my bride; how much more beautiful your breasts have become than wine! And the fragrance of your garments surpasses all spices.
Your shoots are a paradise of pomegranates with the fruit of henna-blossoms with spikenard; spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all the trees of Lebanon; myrrh, aloes, with all the choicest ointments; a fountain of gardens, a well of living water that rushes down from Lebanon.
The great apostle who recounted his mighty visions to the Corinthians—when, uncertain even about his own nature, he said he did not know whether it was in the body or in mind, at the time of that initiation in paradise—testifies to these things when he says, 'I do not yet reckon myself to have laid hold of it, but I still stretch forward to the things ahead, forgetting the things already accomplished.' By this he shows that even after that third heaven, which he alone came to know (for Moses in the account of creation related nothing concerning it), and after that ineffable hearing of the mysteries of paradise, he still presses on toward what is higher and never ceases from his ascent, never making the good already grasped a boundary of his desire. By this, I think, he teaches us that in that blessed nature of good things, what is ever found is great, yet the good that lies beyond what is always grasped is infinitely greater; and this continues perpetually for the one who partakes, throughout all the eternity of the ages, since the increase comes to those who partake through goods that are ever greater.
For he who is pure in heart, according to the unerring word of the Master, sees God, ever receiving through his understanding, in proportion to his capacity, as much as he is able to contain.
This, I think, is what He signifies by these words: that throughout all the eternity of the endless age, the one who runs toward You ever becomes greater and higher than himself, always growing in proportion through his ascent in good things; yet You are the same, remaining Most High unto the age, never able to appear lower to those who ascend, since You are ever proportionally higher and more exalted than the power of those who are being lifted up.
These things, then, we have understood the apostle to be teaching concerning the nature of the ineffable good things, when he says that this good 'eye has not seen'—even though it ever beholds (for it does not see how great it is, but only as much as it is possible for the eye to receive); 'and ear has not heard'—as to what the thing signified truly is, even though it always receives the word by hearing; 'neither has it entered into the heart of man'—even though the one pure in heart continually sees as much as he is able.
For what is ever grasped is assuredly greater than what was grasped before, yet it does not enclose within itself the object sought; rather, the limit of what has been found becomes, for those ascending, a beginning toward the discovery of things still higher. And the one ascending never stands still, passing from beginning to beginning; nor is the beginning of things ever greater brought to an end within itself.
For the desire of the one ascending never remains upon the things already known, but the soul, ascending through yet another greater desire toward another that lies above it in succession, ever journeys through the higher things toward that which is boundless.
You shall come and pass through from the beginning of faith, from the peak of Sanir and Hermon, from the lairs of lions, from the mountains of leopards.
What, then, have we discerned in these words? The fountain of good things ever draws to itself those who thirst, just as the Fountain says in the Gospel: 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.'
For in these words He set no limit either to the thirst, or to the impulse toward Himself, or to the enjoyment found in drinking; rather, by the continuous force of the command He makes the exhortation reach unto perpetuity—both to thirst, and to drink, and to keep one's impulse toward Him.
But for those who have already tasted and learned by experience that the Lord is good, the tasting becomes a kind of exhortation toward a greater participation.
'Well have you followed,' He says, 'in the foregoing things; you came with me to the mountain of myrrh (for you were buried together with me through baptism into death), you ascended with me also to the hill of frankincense (for you rose together with me and were exalted in the fellowship of the Godhead, which the name of frankincense indicates). Ascend with me from these also to other mountains, advancing and being exalted through active knowledge. Come, then, from Lebanon,' He says, 'no longer betrothed but a bride.'
This frankincense, in which you have partaken through the resurrection, becomes for you the beginning of faith, and a beginning of the journey toward the higher good things.
for they say that from here the springs of the Jordan pour forth, above which this mountain rises, divided into two peaks to which these names are attached: Sanir and Hermon.
And He fittingly adds the mention of the lions and leopards, so that, through the juxtaposition of grievous things, He may make the enjoyment of things that gladden the sweeter;
for since man, having once laid aside the divine form, was made bestial in likeness to the irrational nature, becoming a leopard and a lion through wicked practices (for he who has been dragged off by the lion that lies in ambush in its den, as the prophet says, and has been brought low in its snare, is transformed into the nature of that beast, since the beast has mastered his nature);
and likewise he who has stained his soul through the defilements of life becomes a leopard—since, then, there was once a time when human nature was among these things, going astray through idolatry and Jewish deception and the manifold wickedness of sins, but afterward, through the Jordan and the myrrh and the frankincense, was exalted to such a height that it now journeys aloft together with God: for this reason the Word heightens the gladness over the present good things by setting them beside the grievous things that once had been, bringing forward in what circumstances the soul had been before the frankincense and the beginning of faith, and before the mysteries made known to us at the Jordan.
For just as life in peace becomes sweeter after war, being made pleasant by the grim narratives, and the good of health rather sweetens the sense-perceptions of our body, if nature returns to itself again out of some unpleasantness of sicknesses; in the same way the good Bridegroom, dispensing a certain intensification and increase of gladness in good things to the soul ascending toward Him, not only shows beforehand His own beauty to the bride, but also reminds her by His word of the most dreadful form of the beasts, so that she may all the more delight in the present good things, learning through the comparison what sort of things she has exchanged for what.
for since the Word wishes that we, being changeable by nature, should not flow away toward evil through this changeableness, but should have change as a fellow worker toward the ascent to higher things by means of the growth that ever comes toward the better—so that through the changeableness of our nature what is unalterable toward evil may be accomplished—for this reason the Word brings forward, as a kind of tutor and guardian toward estrangement from evils, the memory of the beasts that once had mastery, so that by turning away from worse things we may accomplish in good things what is unswerving and unturnable, neither standing still in our change toward the better, nor being altered toward evil.
For these reasons He also commands the bride to come from Lebanon, and reminds her of the lair of the lions in which she lodged, and brings forward in His word the mountains of the leopards, on which she used to dwell when she was a fellow-dweller with the beasts.
In the same way, now too, when the Word has commanded the soul, having become better, to come to Himself, she—being unceasingly empowered by the command—becomes such as the Bridegroom wished, transformed toward the more divine and, through the good alteration, transfigured from the glory in which she was toward the higher glory; so that she becomes a wonder to the choir of angels about the Bridegroom, and all of them utter toward her with praise that admiring cry: 'You have ravished our heart, our sister, our bride.'
For the stamp of impassibility, shining alike upon her and upon the angels, leads her—who has accomplished impassibility while in the flesh—into kinship and brotherhood with the bodiless ones.
And we consider the meaning of 'you have ravished our heart' to be such as is also 'you have en-souled us,' as if they were saying to her that 'you have put a heart within us.'
And for the sake of clarity, so that what is being said may become more evident to us, we shall take up the divine apostle for the interpretation of these mysteries;
for somewhere in his words he says, writing to the Ephesians, when he recounted to us the great economy of the theophany that came about through the flesh, that not only was human nature instructed in the divine mysteries through this grace, but also that to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places was made known the manifold wisdom of God, manifested through the economy in Christ among men.
'That now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the purpose of the ages which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have the boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.'
For indeed, through the church the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the supra-cosmic powers—that wisdom which, through contraries, has worked its great marvels: how life came about through death, and righteousness through sin, and blessing through a curse, and glory through dishonor, and power through weakness.
For in the times before this, the supra-cosmic powers knew only the simple and single-formed wisdom of God, working its marvels in a manner suited to nature (and there was nothing manifold in the things seen, in that the divine nature, being power, works all creation by its own authority, bringing the nature of beings into existence by the sole impulse of its will, and making all things very good that well up from the fountain of the good); but this manifold form of wisdom, composed from the interweaving with contraries, they were now clearly taught through the church: how the Word becomes flesh, how life is mingled with death, how by His own bruise He heals our wound, how by the weakness of the cross He wrestles down the power of the adversary, how the invisible is made manifest in the flesh, how He ransoms the captives, being Himself both the one who ransoms and Himself becoming the price (for He gave Himself as a ransom for us to death), how He is both in death and does not depart from life, how He is both mingled with servitude and remains in the kingdom.
For all these things and such as these, being manifold and not simple works of wisdom, the friends of the Bridegroom, having learned them through the church, were ravished in heart, having perceived another stamp of the divine wisdom in the mystery.
And if it is not too bold to say, perhaps they too, having seen the beauty of the Bridegroom through the bride, marveled at that which is invisible and incomprehensible to all beings;
for He whom 'no one has ever seen,' as John says, 'nor can anyone see,' as Paul testifies, made the church His own body, and through the addition of those being saved He builds Himself up in love, 'until we all attain to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.'
The church is Christ's, and the head of the body is Christ, forming the face of the church by His own stamp; perhaps for this reason the friends of the Bridegroom, looking upon her, were ravished in heart, because in her they behold the invisible one more plainly.
Just as those who are unable to look upon the very orb of the sun, but gaze upon it through the gleam of water, so also those ones behold in the church, as in a pure mirror, the Sun of righteousness, perceived through that which appears.
For this reason it is not said once by the friends to the bride, 'you have ravished our heart' (which is to say, 'through yourself you have wrought in us a certain soul and mind toward the perception of the light'), but again they take up the same word, adding trustworthiness to what is said through the repetition;
for since the visual activity of the soul is twofold—the one beholding the truth, and the other wandering about vain things—since the bride's pure eye has been opened toward the nature of the good alone, while the other is idle, for this reason the friends direct their praise toward the one eye, through which alone she beholds the One—I mean that One who is grasped in the unchanging and eternal nature: the true Father, and the only-begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit.