Do not look that I am dark; mother’s sons fought me
Do not look at me because I am dark, for the sun has discolored me. The sun of trials and persecutions sometimes scorches the soul and changes its color, yet does not take away inner beauty. My mother’s sons fought against me: those who seemed of the same people or synagogue persecuted the church. They made me keeper of the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not kept: while she takes up others’ cares, she sometimes neglects her own.
Latin
Nolite me considerare quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol. Sol tentationum et persecutionum aliquando animam adurit et colorem mutat, non tamen formam interiorem aufert. Filii matris meae pugnaverunt contra me: qui ex eadem gente vel synagoga videbantur, ecclesiam persecuti sunt. Posuerunt me custodem in vineis; vineam meam non custodivi: dum alienas curas suscipit, propriam aliquando negligit.
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.