Outer and inner human; the Song speaks of the inner
But the human being is twofold: outer and inner. The outer human was made from the mud of the earth; the inner according to the image of God. The loves of the outer are carnal; the loves of the inner spiritual. The Song of Songs speaks not of the outer but of the inner — of the soul that loves the Word and is loved by him. Unless someone knows himself or herself as inner, that person does not know what to seek in this book.
Latin
Est autem duplex homo: exterior et interior. Exterior homo de terrae limo factus est; interior ad imaginem Dei. Exterioris amores carnales sunt; interioris amores spiritales. Canticum Canticorum non de exteriore, sed de interiore loquitur — de anima quae Verbum amat et ab eo amatur. Nisi quis se noverit interiorem, nescit quid in hoc libro quaerat.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on the Song of Songs, Prologus (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–20.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII (GCS 33, 1925), Rufinus’s Latin of the Commentary Prologus. Lawson ACW 26 was not used as wording. This page is Prologus §§1–20 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII = GCS 33 (1925) (Latin · Commentary Prologus §§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.