I am black and beautiful — Liber II opens
I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. The Second Book begins. The Bride speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem — souls still partly carnal. She is black because of penitence, struggles, and the body of humility; beautiful because of the image of God, conversion, and the Bridegroom who loved her. Kedar signifies darkness; Solomon’s curtains, adornment.
Latin
Nigra sum et formosa, filiae Hierusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pellae Salomonis. Incipit Liber Secundus. Sponsa ad filias Hierusalem loquitur, id est ad animas quae adhuc ex parte carnales sunt. Nigra propter paenitentiam, propter certamina, propter corpus humilitatis; formosa propter imaginem Dei, propter conversionem, propter sponsum qui eam dilexit. Cedar obscuritatem, pellae Salomonis decorem significant.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on the Song of Songs, Liber II (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–20.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII (GCS 33, 1925), Rufinus’s Latin of Commentary Liber II. Lawson ACW 26 was not used as wording. This page is Liber II §§1–20 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII = GCS 33 (1925) (Latin · Commentary Liber II §§1–20)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.