Christ caresses his spouse: he invites her to him.

¹ Bride: I am a flower of the open field and a lily of the steep valleys.¹²

1. 2:1She describes herself as a flower, so this cannot be him speaking. The word ‘campi’ is not synonymous with ‘field’; it tends more toward the meaning of a wide open space. The prefix ‘con’ intensifies the meaning of the world, so that the valley is not just any valley, but a steep (inaccessible) one. +The bride is the Church. A flower of the open field is accessible, but a lily in a steep valley is difficult to reach. Similarly, the Faith of the Church is accessible, yet contains mysteries difficult to reach and impossible to fully attain. The bride is also a type of the Virgin Mary; she is accessible by our prayers, yet she is ineffable.(Conte)
2. 2:1I am the flower of the field: Christ professes himself the flower of mankind, yea, the Lord of all creatures: and, ver. 2, declares the excellence of his spouse, the true church above all other societies, which are to be considered as thorns.(Challoner)

² Groom: Like a lily among the thorns, so is my loved one among the daughters.¹

1. 2:2He uses the feminine form ‘amica’ to speak about her, so this is the groom speaking. +The Church is a flower among the thorns of secular institutions and secular society. The sinless Virgin Mary is like a flower among the thorns of sin in this world.(Conte)

³ Bride to Chorus: Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat beneath the shadow of the one whom I desired, and his fruit was sweet to my palate.¹

1. 2:3She refers to him by the masculine word ‘dilectus’ and says that he is better than his male peers, ‘filios’. She also uses the masculine: “illius quem.” He is figuratively the tree, so she is the one sitting under it. +The Christ is like an apple tree, providing good food, versus the other trees of the forest (secular society) which do not provide food. The desired one is the Christ; those who rest in His shadow find true rest in His teachings and true food in the Eucharist.(Conte)

⁴ He brought me into the storeroom of wine. He set charity in order within me.¹

1. 2:4This verse is her speaking, continuing the previous idea in chapter 1 of king Solomon (i.e. the groom) bringing her into his storeroom of wine. +The previous verse taught of Christ providing true food in the Eucharist; this next verse again mentions the Eucharist (and the other Sacraments), under the figure of a storeroom of wine, and then tells us that the Eucharist sets charity, that is, true spiritual love, in order within us.(Conte)

⁵ Prop me up with flowers. Close me in with apples. For I languish through love.¹

1. 2:5Still the bride is speaking; this is the language of a woman, talking about being propped up with flowers and languishing due to love. Her language is figurative, not literal. +The Church languishes out of love for God, which can never be completely fulfilled in this life, but only in the next life, in Eternity with God. She asks the maidens (the virgins and the chaste) to support the Church with their prayers and obedience.(Conte)

⁶ His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.¹

1. 2:6She continues, speaking about his embrace. Again, it pertains to a woman to be embraced, and to a man to do the embracing. Also, if it were her right hand embracing, she would not be asleep, but we learn that she is asleep in the next verse, so he is the one embracing her. +Christ supports the head of the Church, who is the Pope, with his brother Bishops; but Christ also embraces the whole Church and all of its members.(Conte)

⁷ Groom to Chorus: I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the does and the stags of the open field, not to disturb or awaken the beloved, even for as long as she wills.¹

1. 2:7He now speaks to her peers, the other daughters of Jerusalem, asking them not to wake his beloved (‘dilectam’ is the feminine form of the word), until she (ipsa, feminine) wills. +The daughters of Jerusalem, in this context, are those who are immature in the Faith (the adolescent girls, who admire the Bride but are not yet ready themselves to be married). Christ asks them not to disturb the Church, but to be attentive to its will. The Church takes its rest in Christ.(Conte)

⁸ Bride to Chorus: The voice of my beloved! Behold, he arrives leaping along the mountains, jumping across the hills.¹²

1. 2:8The word ‘dilectus’ (beloved) is masculine, so she is speaking about him. +The Return of Christ is referred to in this passage. First, the voice of Christ will be heard; then, the image of Christ will be seen; Christ will return from Heaven, descending from the clouds. The verse Nahum 1:15 also refers to Christ and Mary returning along the mountain tops: “Behold, over the mountains, the feet of the evangelizer and the announcer of peace.”(Conte)
2. 2:8The voice of my beloved: that is, the preaching of the gospel surmounting difficulties figuratively here expressed by mountains and little hills.(Challoner)

⁹ My beloved is like a doe and like a young stag.¹

1. 2:9She speaks about him using the masculine ‘dilectus.’ +Christ is like a doe, in that He is meek and mild; but He is also like a stag, in that He is bold and powerful.(Conte)

¹⁰ Lo, he stands beyond our wall, gazing through the windows, watching through the lattices.¹

1. 2:10She speaks about him using the masculine ‘ipse.’ +Christ watches the Church and the world, seeing even what is behind walls, or screened by lattices.(Conte)

¹¹ Lo, my beloved speaks to me:¹

1. 2:11She speaks about him using the masculine ‘dilectus.’ She is attentive to his words. +The Church is attentive to the words of Christ.(Conte)

¹² Groom to Bride: Rise up, quickly, my love, my dove, my shapely one, and advance.¹

1. 2:12He calls her by several feminine terms: ‘amica’ (love or loved one), ‘columba’ (dove), ‘formosa’ (shapely one) and he calls her to come forward. +The Christ exhorts the Church to rise up in prayer, and to quickly advance along the path of holiness. Christ admires the beauty of the Church.(Conte)

¹³ For winter has now past; the rain has decreased and gone away.¹

1. 2:13He explains why she should rise up and advance, continuing from the previous sentence. It is now springtime, a good time for traveling, or for growth. Winter is the rainy season in the Holy Land. +Christ exhorts the Church to continual renewal, but also to quickly advance in holiness during times when opportunity is more favorable, as when a time of sinfulness is past, or when a time of persecution is completed. After the Three Days of Darkness, there will be a springtime (literal and figurative), during which the Church will rapidly advance in holiness.(Conte)

¹⁴ The flowers have appeared in our land; the time for pruning has arrived. The voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.¹

1. 2:14He continues the previous description, about the arrival of spring, which is a figure of blossoming love. +Christ knows every flower of faith and holiness which blooms in the Church, however small it may be. He prunes those who advance in holiness to make them even holier. The dove represents peace after a time of sinfulness and persecution.(Conte)

¹⁵ The fig tree has brought forth its green figs; the flowering vines bestow their odor. Rise up, my love, my brilliant one, and advance.¹²

1. 2:15He continues the previous description and he then refers to her by the feminine ‘amica’ and ‘speciosa.’ Again, spring is referred to as a time of opportunity. +Christ calls His Church to notice the signs of the times and to take advantage of opportunities to teach, preach, and seek conversions. The Church shines brilliantly to the whole world and advances in holiness. The green figs represent those who are immature in the Faith, who now have opportunity, in the Church, to advance in holiness.(Conte)
2. 2:15Catch us the little foxes: Christ commands his pastors to catch false teachers, by holding forth their fallacy and erroneous doctrine, which like foxes would bite and destroy the vines.(Challoner)

¹⁶ My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollows of the wall, reveal to me your face. Let your voice sound in my ears. For your voice is sweet, and your face is graceful.¹

1. 2:16He refers to her as being like a dove and he uses the feminine form ‘decora.’ She is hidden, but he hears and recognizes her voice. He can find her. +The dove is the faithful of the Church, who are sheltered by the teachings and Sacraments of Christ and his Church, led by the Pope, the successor of Peter (the rock). Christ exhorts the Church to continue speaking to Christ in prayer, even when it is persecuted and must find shelter in the clefts of the rock. Christ admires the spiritual beauty and grace of the Church.(Conte)

¹⁷ Chorus to Groom and Bride: Capture for us the little foxes, which are tearing down the vines; for our vineyard has flourished.¹ Bride to Chorus: My beloved is for me, and I am for him. He pastures among the lilies, until the day rises and the shadows decline.² Bride to Groom: Return, O my beloved. Be like a doe and like a young stag upon the mountains of Bether.³

1. 2:17The chorus asks the Groom and Bride to help them with their vineyard. +The faithful, even those not mature in faith, appeal to Christ and His Bride the Church to help with problems in the vineyard of the Faith. The little foxes are those who would harm or trouble the Church and those who are seeking faith in the Church.(Conte)
2. 2:18She speaks about him using the masculine ‘dilectus’. She again mentions, as in a previous verse, that he pastures among lilies until midday. +Christ became Incarnate for His Church, and the Church was created for Christ. He finds rest and enjoyment in the flowers of the Church, in those who are faithful to Him and merciful to His people. As Christ pastures his flock, truth and goodness rise up like the sun, causing the shadows of sin and selfishness to decline. This is the answer to the request for help with the foxes of the vineyard: be for Christ and let him be for you; be pastured by him among the lilies of the Church (i.e. the Saints).(Conte)
3. 2:19She calls him by the masculine ‘dilecte’ and she again compares him to the doe and stag. She speaks as if to him, even though he is absent. +The Church prays for the Return of Christ.(Conte)