The spouse aspires to an union with Christ, their mutual love for one another.

¹ Bride: May he kiss me with the kiss of his mouth..¹ Groom to Bride: So much better than wine are your breasts,

1. 1:1Let him kiss me: The church, the spouse of Christ, prays that he may love and have peace with her, which the spouse prefers to every thing delicious: and therefore expresses (ver. 2) that young maidens, that is the souls of the faithful, have loved you.(Challoner)

² fragranced with the finest perfumes.¹ Bride to Groom: Your name is oil that has been poured out; therefore, the maidens have loved you.

1. 1:2Now the groom is speaking about his bride’s breasts and perfume, which symbolize her feminine beauty, both outer and inner. Therefore, this must be the groom speaking about the bride. Although ‘unguentis’ is usually translated as ‘ointments,’ in this context it clearly refers to perfumes. In ancient times, oils and resins were used for their fragrant smell. +Jesus Christ admires His Church, which is so much more than the Sacraments and Blessings which He gives to Her. The fragrances are the prayers and sacrifices of the faithful. Her breasts nourish those who are infants in the faith with teachings of Truth. She raises holy children for God.(Conte)

³ Draw me forward.¹² Chorus to Bride: We will run after you in the odor of your perfumes.³⁴ Bride to Chorus: The king has led me into his storerooms.⁵ Chorus to Bride: We will exult and rejoice in you, remembering your breasts above wine.⁶ Groom to Bride: The righteous love you.⁷⁸

1. 1:3The Bride is speaking about her groom, saying that the maidens (or adolescent girls) are attracted to him, (they wish that they were marrying the groom, instead of the bride). She asks him to draw her to him. +Christ draws the Church to Him and to the Father. The Church asks to be drawn by Christ. Many who are not mature in the Faith (the maidens, who are not yet ready to be brides), and some who might not even be Christians at all, are drawn to Christ out of love for him.(Conte)
2. 1:3Draw me: That is, with thy grace: otherwise I should not be able to come to you. This metaphor shows that we cannot of ourselves come to Christ our Lord, unless he draws us by his grace, which is laid up in his storerooms: that is, in the mysteries of Faith, which God in his goodness and love for mankind has revealed, first by his servant Moses in the Old Law in figure only, and afterwards in reality by his only begotten Son Jesus Christ.(Challoner)
3. 1:4This cannot be the bride speaking, because the speaker is plural. Also, the person they are running after is perfumed, so they must be running after the bride. Therefore, this is the chorus of maidens speaking. The Chorus is those adolescent girls mentioned in the verse above, who are attracted to the groom. They admire the bride; they wish that they were getting married in her place. As the bride is drawn to the groom, they are drawn by admiration of her to follow after her. +The adolescent girl chorus represents those who are not mature in the Faith, but who are attracted to Christ and His Church. As Christ draws the Church forward, they run after the Church, attracted by the Church’s perfumes (prayers, sacrifices, holiness, etc.).(Conte)
4. 1:4I am black but beautiful: That is, the church of Christ founded in humility appearing outwardly afflicted, and as it were black and contemptible; but inwardly, that is, in its doctrine and morality, fair and beautiful.(Challoner)
5. 1:5The chorus says that they will follow the bride, and the bride replies by saying where she is being led, i.e. where they will also go if they follow her: into the storerooms (including those of wine, as we find out later in the book). The groom, on the historical or literal level of meaning, is king Solomon. +The Church replies to those who listen to Her and who admire Her, that the king (God the Father) is leading Her into his storerooms, which represent the resources of the Faith, including the Sacraments and the Teachings that have been preserved through the ages. Since they expressed a desire to run after the Church, the Church then informs them of where the Father (King) is leading them.(Conte)
6. 1:6The ‘we’ is the chorus speaking about the bride. They tell her that her breasts, symbolic of her inner feminine beauty, are better than the wine of the king’s storerooms. +After the Church tells its admirers that it is being led into the storerooms of the king, the chorus of admirers replies that they exult and rejoice in the Church and its teachings, even above the gifts of the Sacraments. For those who receive the Sacraments, without believing and following the teachings of the Church, will not be saved.(Conte)
7. 1:7Now it is the groom’s turn to speak. The word ‘recti’ is nominative plural; so this is not the chorus saying ‘we’ love you, but the groom saying to the bride why they, the chorus, love her. This is not the bride speaking to the groom, because it follows after the chorus’ expression of admiration and love for the bride. Therefore, it is an explanation as to why the chorus of girls finds the bride so admirable: it is because they are maturing in righteousness and are therefore attracted to a woman who is more righteous than they are. The Bride’s feminine beauty, symbolized by her breasts, is the inner beauty of righteousness. +The Christ tells the Church that those who are righteous, who love truth and justice and mercy, will also love the Church. This explains why even those outside the Church find the Church attractive.(Conte)
8. 1:7If you know not thyself, etc: Christ encourages his spouse to follow and watch her flock: and though she know not entirely the power at hand to assist her, he tells her, ver. 8, my company of horsemen, that is, his angels, are always watching and protecting her. And in the following verses he reminds her of the virtues and gifts with which he has endowed her.(Challoner)

⁴ Bride to Chorus: O daughters of Jerusalem: I am black, but shapely, like the tabernacles of Kedar, like the tents of Solomon.¹

1. 1:8In the historical level of meaning, the bride is dark-skinned and from Africa (a Sulamite, as we later learn). The Latin word ‘pelles’ is here used to refer to tents, or hangings in tents, made from animal skins. The tents of Kedar were literally black, made from black animal hair. This must be the bride speaking because the feminine form of the words ‘nigra’ and ‘formosa’ are used (both words have a masculine form which could have been used if this was the groom speaking). +The Church says to those who are immature in the Faith (some are members of the Church, others are formally outside the Church, but are attracted to Her teachings and holiness) that the Church is attractive, but dark. The darkness of the Church is found in the mysteries of the Church which can never be fully understood by the human mind, and also in the darkness (lack of understanding) that the world has toward the Church, so that the Church seems dark to the world. The tents symbolize the Church as a shelter, a home, a place of worship, and a place of wisdom (the tents of Solomon, a wise king).(Conte)

⁵ Do not be concerned that I am dark, for the sun has changed my color.¹ The sons of my mother have fought against me. They have made me the keeper of the vineyards. My own vineyard I have not kept.²

1. 1:9The bride is speaking about herself, because the word ‘fusca’ in Latin is in the feminine, yet there is a masculine version of that same word which could have been used if the speaker were male. She says that the sun has changed her skin color, perhaps meaning, not that she herself used to have a light-colored skin, but that her ancestors developed dark skin from living in a hot and sunny climate (Africa). +The Church is asking those in the world, who are attracted by her holiness, not to be dissuaded from approaching Her due to her darkness (her mysteries that cannot be fully understood, and her rejection by the world), for the Son of God has made her dark.(Conte)
2. 1:10The bride is speaking about herself, because the word ‘meae’ in Latin is in the feminine, yet there is a masculine version of that same word which could have been used if the speaker were male. So this is still the bride speaking; she tells how she was mistreated by the sons of her mother. In that culture and time period, a man might have more than one wife, so that the sons of her mother are children of the same father and mother as she has. They are her closest relatives, after her father and mother; yet they mistreated her. +The Church is speaking about the sons of the mother of the Church, that is, about priests, who are in truth ordained as sons of the Virgin Mary. Yet, at various times in the history and future of the pilgrim Church on earth, some of these sons have fought against the example of Mary and the teaching of the Church. They have tried to make the Church the keeper of their vineyards, of their mistaken idea of what the Church should be, rather than assisting the Church in keeping to its own teachings. Since the speaker is a woman, also implied is the error of those misguided priests who give inappropriate roles to women, even roles only fitting for the ordained (keeping vineyards that should be kept by priests), and thereby prevent those women from keeping to their own proper tasks (their own vineyard).(Conte)

⁶ Bride to Groom: Reveal to me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you recline at midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions.¹

1. 1:11The bride speaks about her groom and his companions. The words for ‘your companions’ (sodalium tuorum) are masculine; therefore, she is speaking about him and his friends. Also, ‘quem’ is singular masculine, again indicating that she is speaking about him. +The Church and the faithful ask the Christ to know more about Him. Similarly, in John 1:38, two disciples ask Jesus where he lives. Also, we are warned about the danger of following someone other than Christ, even those who seem to be His companions.(Conte)

⁷ Groom to Bride: If you yourself do not know, O most beautiful among women, then go out and follow after the steps of the flocks, and pasture your young goats beside the tabernacles of the shepherds.¹

1. 1:12Now the groom speaks about his bride, who is most beautiful among women, asking her to seek to know him better by doing, not merely by words. + Even though the Church is very beautiful, partly due to her knowledge of the Truth, She does not know every truth and must continually seek further knowledge of God. The Christ tells the Church to learn more about him by pasturing the flocks of young goats (those immature in the Faith, the newest members, and those moving toward the Church but not yet members) beside the tabernacles of the shepherds.(Conte)

⁸ O my love, I have compared you to my company of horsemen against the chariots of Pharaoh.¹

1. 1:13The groom is still speaking, because ‘my love’ is feminine, so he is speaking about her. Also, he has of a company of soldiers with horses, so he must be male. The bride did not have a company of horsemen, for she was mistreated by her brothers and made to tend a vineyard. The company of horsemen the groom commands are not part of the chariots of Pharaoh, rather they are compared versus the chariots of Pharaoh, against whom they fight successfully. The groom is Solomon; these horsemen are his best. +Christ speaks to the Church, comparing the Church to the one elect group of soldiers among many other soldiers, just as the Church is the elect one drawn out of the many pagan nations by God. Therefore, this is the Groom speaking about the Bride. The Church successfully fights against secular society.(Conte)

⁹ Your cheeks are beautiful, like those of a turtledove. Your neck is like a bejeweled collar.¹

1. 1:14The groom continues speaking; the comparison of cheeks to those of a dove must refer to a woman. The word ‘monilia’ has the sense of jewelry, but also of a collar worn as adornment. +The Christ admires His Church and her spiritual beauty: her face has the peacefulness of a dove, her neck needs no expensive jewelry, for it is, in and of itself, an adornment. The neck is that which supports the head and the neck of the Church are those who support its ordained leaders with prayer, sacrifice, and works of mercy. The priests of the Church wear a collar, which is like a spiritual bejeweled necklace.(Conte)

¹⁰ Chorus to Bride: We will fashion for you chains of gold, accented with reddened silver.¹

1. 1:15The chorus is indicated by the word ‘we;’ these adolescent girls would be close to marring age and would have already been taught various skills, such as weaving or making jewelry. Silver ore is a reddish color (rust/gray), often called ‘red silver ore.’ The term ‘vermiculatas argento’ refers to silver which has a reddish color, perhaps deliberately reddened with an alloy, to accent the gold. The use of the word ‘accented’ in the translation is based on the context and on the ‘at’ in ‘vermiculatas’ which has the sense of ‘provided with’ or ‘having.’ The word ‘vermiculum’ is found in the Latin text of the book of Exodus, referring to a reddish color used in making the tabernacle of the testimony. +Those who are immature in the Faith, and those who are not yet members or full members of the Church, will so admire the Church that they will give gold and silver for its adornment. The red in the silver represents the blood of martyrs; those who formerly persecuted the Church will eventually become her admirers and will give her gifts of silver and gold.(Conte)

¹¹ Bride to Chorus: While the king was taking his rest, my aromatic ointment sent forth its odor.¹

1. 1:16The word ‘nardus’ refers to a particular plant from whose roots is derived an aromatic oil used for perfume as well as medicine. +The Church has the balms needed to heal all those who suffer in body or in soul. This ability to heal, especially to heal the soul, is like an aromatic ointment attracting those who need healing.(Conte)

¹² My beloved is a bundle of myrrh to me. He shall abide between my breasts.¹

1. 1:17Myrrh is associated with death, as well as with healing; it was used in incense and perfumes and ointments. +The Church has Christ himself for its healing (through the Sacraments, esp. the Eucharist); the Church is healed by graces from the death of Christ. Those graces enliven our prayers, which are like incense rising as a sweet smell before the throne of God.(Conte)

¹³ My beloved is a cluster of Cyprus grapes to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.¹

1. 1:18The bride is speaking; she refers to the groom as ‘my beloved’ which is masculine in Latin (dilectus meus). ‘Botrus Cypri’ refers to a cluster of grapes from Cyprus. The word ‘Cypri’ means Cyprus. The island of Cyprus has an ancient tradition of wine-making going back over four thousand years; their grapes and wine were renown, even in ancient times. The word Cypri does not refer to the cypress tree, except that the island was perhaps named after that tree. Botrus means ‘cluster of grapes,’ and this is also clear from the subsequent reference to a vineyard. Engaddi was a type of oasis, a town located where a warm spring was in ancient times, near the Dead Sea. +Christ is the source of the consecrated wine of the Church, just as grapes are the source of ordinary wine. The grapes and wines of Cyprus were renown, just as the Sacraments of Christ are and shall be renown.(Conte)

¹⁴ Groom to Bride: Behold, you are beautiful, O my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are those of a dove.¹

1. 1:19The groom speaks about his bride, using the feminine Latin words ‘mea amica.’ +Christ admires the beauty of the Church, particularly its eyes, which symbolize the ability of the Church to see and recognize the truth.(Conte)

¹⁵ Bride to Groom: Behold, you are handsome, O my beloved, and graceful. Our bed is flourishing.¹

1. 1:20She is speaking about him, using the masculine ‘dilecte mi’ and ‘decorus.’ Now, for the first time, she uses ‘our’ (a plural pronoun) to refer to herself and the groom united in love. +The Church admires the Christ, who is love and the source of grace for the Church. The marriage bed flourishing symbolizes the mystical union of Christ and His Church, which is an abundant source of blessings for the world.(Conte)

¹⁶ Groom to Bride: The timbers of our houses are of cedar; our ceilings are of cypress.¹

1. 1:21Now it is his turn to speak; he speaks about how the house was built. Notice that the use of the word ‘cypressina’ to mean ‘of cypress’ differs substantially from the previous verse using ‘cypri’ to mean ‘of Cyprus’. +Here Christ the Groom for the first time uses ‘our’ to refer to the union of the Groom and His Bride the Church. He waits until she says it first, because that union of Christ and His Church depends upon her ‘yes,’ her ‘fiat.’(Conte)