Tell me where you pasture at noon
Tell me, you whom my soul has loved, where you pasture, where you lie down at noon. I do not ask about other times — when in the evening, when at dawn, when you pasture at the sun’s setting. I seek that time when the day is in flower, when in full light you move in the brightness of your majesty. Tell me, you whom my soul has loved, where you pasture, where you lie down at noon. Watch carefully wherever you read “noon.” In Joseph the brothers take their meal at noon; angels are received as Abraham’s guests at noon; and other such things. Search and you will find that divine Scripture does not take up each word vainly and by chance. Who among us, do you think, is worthy to reach as far as noon and see where the Bridegroom pastures, where he lies down at noon? For unless you tell me, I begin to be tossed about wandering, and while I seek you I run upon others’ flocks.
Latin
Adnuntia mihi, quem dilexit anima mea, ubi pascis, ubi cubas in meridie. Non quaero alia tempora, quando vespere, quando diluculo, quando in solis pascis occubitu; illud tempus inquiro, quando florente die, quando plena luce in maiestatis tuae splendore versaris. Adnuntia mihi, quem dilexit anima mea, ubi pascis, ubi cubas in meridie. Diligenter observa, ubi meridiem legeris. Apud Ioseph meridie fratres prandium celebrant, angeli meridie Abrahae suscipiuntur hospitio, et cetera istiusmodi. Quaere et invenies scripturam divinam non frustra et fortuitu unumquemque usurpare sermonem. Quis putas est dignus e nobis, ut ad meridiem usque perveniat et videat, ubi pascat, ubi cubet sponsus in meridie? Nisi enim mihi tu adnuntiaveris, incipio errabunda iactari et, dum te quaero, in aliorum greges incurrere.
About this text
Origen’s Homilia I on the Song of Songs (Jerome’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–10.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII (GCS 33, 1925), Jerome’s Latin of Homilia I. Lawson ACW 26 was not used as wording. This page is Homilia I §§1–10 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII = GCS 33 (1925) (Latin · Homilia I §§1–10)
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.