A letter from Jerome (397)

Translated letter:

1. I know, Principia, daughter in Christ, that I am censured by many for writing to women and preferring the weaker sex to males. Therefore I should first respond to my detractors and then come to the little discussion you asked for. If men asked about scripture, I would not be speaking to women. If Barach had wanted to go to battle, Debbora would not have triumphed over the conquered enemy. Jeremiah was closed in prison and since Israel that was to perish did not accept the man prophesying, the woman Huldah was incited against them. Priests and pharisees crucify the son of God and Mary Magdalene weeps at the cross, prepares unguent, seeks him in the tomb, questions the gardener, recognizes the lord, goes to the apostles and announces that she found him. They doubt, she believes, truly "purgitis" [Grk. towering], truly a tower of white and of Lebanon, which looks on the face of Damascus, clearly the blood of the saviour provoking to penance of sackcloth. Womanly things failed in Sara and therefore Abraham was subjected to her and was told: "whatever Sara tells you, listen to her" [Gen.21:12]. Womanly things failed in her, you never had them: sex is devoured by a virgin, she bears Christ in her body and already possesses what she will be. Rebecca questions God and, worthy of his response, hears the prophecy: "there are two peoples in your womb, and the two peoples from your belly will be divided" [Gen.25:23]. She brought forth the two who disagree, you daily conceive, labor, bring forth, one, fertile in union, multiple in majesty, harmonious in trinity. Mary/Miriam, sister of Moses, sings the victories of the lord, Rachel dying brings forth, and marks our Bethlehem and Ephrath with the stock of her name for posterity. The daughters of Zelophad deserved to inherit with his brothers. Ruth and Esther and Judith are so glorious that their names were placed on sacred books. The prophet Anna brings forth a levite son, a prophet, judge, venerable with sacred hair, and offers him in the dwelling of God. The woman of Tekoa/Thecua restrains king David with her questioning, teaches him with a riddle, tames him with the example of God. We read that another wise woman who, when the city was attacked because of one enemy and the leader of the army Joab battered the walls with a ram, spoke to the people in her wisdom and checked the danger of such a multitude with womanly authority. What shall I say of the queen of Sheba, who came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and would condemn all the men of Israel by the lord's testimony? Elizabeth prophesies with her womb and her voice. Anna, daughter of Phanuel, makes a temple in the temple of God and with daily fast finds heavenly bread. Women follow the saviour and minister to him from their substance. He, who fed thousands of men, not counting women and children from five breads, did not refuse to accept the food of holy women. He speaks with the Samaritan at the well and satisfied by the conversion of a believer, rejects the food that would be bought. Aquila and Priscilla educate Apollo, an apostolic man learned in the law, in the way of the lord. If to be taught by a woman was not shameful to an apostle, why should it be to me afterwards to teach men and women? 2. These things in this way, "semnotate" [Grk. holy, august] daughter, I have briefly touched on, so that your sex does not displease you nor its name raise men up, in whose condemnation the life of women is praised in scripture. I rejoice and my soul is transported as in a dance that Daniel, Ananias, Azaria, Misael are found in Babylon. O how many are the old men and judges of Israel whom the king of Babylon fries in his pan, how many the Susannas, which means "lily," who make up garlands for their groom with the radiance of modesty and change the thorny crown into triumphant glory! You have there teachers in the study of scriptures and in holiness of mind and body, Marcella and Asella: one of whom leads you through green fields and various flowers of divine volumes to the one who says in the Song of Songs: "I am the flower of the field and lily of the valleys" [Cant.2:1], the other, a flower of the lord, deserves to hear with you: "as a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among girls" [Cant.2:2]. And since we have begun to speak about flowers and lilies and virginity is always compared to flowers, it seems fitting to me that writing to a flower of Christ I discuss many flowers. 3. Reading the fourty-fourth psalm, one finds in the title: "at the end for those who will be changed, in understanding of the sons of Korah, a song for the beloved." In Hebrew it is written "lamanasse al sosanim labne core meschil sir ididoth," which we turn into Latin: "to the victor for the lilies of the sons of Korah, a song of most beloved knowledge." Symmachus more plainly in his way translated "triumph" for "flowers." Therefore "sosanim" or "for those who are to be changed" or transferred into "lilies" and "flowers" and "meschil" also means "learning" and "very learned"; "ididia" is the ancient name of Solomon who is called "pacific" in another sense. Four psalms, though they differ in the latter part of the titles, have this note at the beginning: 44, 59, 68, and 79, of which the middle two are inscribed "David," the first and last "of the sons of Korah and Asaph." The others are not to be spoken of here; let us explicate what we began. 4. Properly, those who are to be changed at the end of the world, about whom the apostle says: "we will all sleep but we will not all be changed" [1Cor.15:51] refers to the end. And this same mystery prepares the reading for spiritual understanding. For where the sense is simple and open, what need is there for the reader to be advised of the understanding and told "who has ears to hear, let him hear" [Matth.13:9]? And the song is sung to the dearest and most beloved, since it is because of him that the promised change will come to the saints. Which can be understood in this life when we put off the old man and put on the new, who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of the creator, and contemplating the glory of the lord we are transformed in that same image as if from glory to glory. There is no time in which the holy man, forgetting the past and stretching towards the future, is not changed, when our inner man is renewed from day to day and the immutable God, who said through the prophet "I am God and I do not change" [Mal.3:6], changed his face for us, accepted the form of a slave and migrating from Judaea to Palestine, which is translated "ruined by the goblet" [Jer.51:7] — for they would be drunk from the golden chalice of Babylon — would first be mocked for the folly of the cross, then accepted for the glory of the triumphs. He is indeed most dear about whom Isaiah sings: "I shall sing a song for the beloved of my vineyard" [Isa.5:1] and the gospel: "this is my beloved son with whom I am pleased, listen to him" [Matth.17:5], to whom not one prophet, but the whole chorus of sons of Korah now sings praises. Who are the sons of Korah, that is of Calvary, is properly discussed in the forty-first psalm. And so we may know that the text of the song suits the title, it teaches the change from one thing to another and the daughter is instructed to prepare herself for the royal embraces, forgetful of the old parent. He is the victor who says "take heart, I have conquered the world' [John 16:33] and this prayer of the youth is to him: "from you the victory, from you wisdom and glory, and I am your servant" [1Esdras 4:59]. He knew indeed, he who overcame with the lord conquering and participated in his triumphs and wrought the unfading crown of glory from the radiance of good works and the variety of virtues for the saviour. 5. "My heart threw up the good word" [Ps.44:2] which Symmachus translated "my heart is moved by the good word" indicating that the heart of the speaker was moved at another's speech and the future sacraments of Christ broke forth in this speech with the holy spirit laying them open, that is he spoke about his advent just as other did. But eructation [belching, throwing up] is properly said of the digestion of food and the breathing out of cooked food in the stomach. Just as the breath of good or bad odor indicates the quality of the food belched from the stomach, so the thoughts of the inner man put forth words and "the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart" [Matth.12:34]. The just man fills his soul eating and when he is sated with sacred learning puts forth from the good treasury of his heart those things which are good and says with the apostle: "do you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me?" [2Cor.13:3]. Some people want to understand the word [coming] from the person of the father, because from the vital depths and the secret places of the heart he brought forth his word which was always in him, according to the prophecy of the old psalm: "I engendered you from my womb before Lucifer" [Ps.109:3], and how womb does not mean womb — for God is not divided into members — but shows the same substance of the father and the son, so heart and word which comes from the heart shows father and son. And what follows: "I speak my works to the king" [Ps.44:2], they adapt to the meaning: "he spoke and it was done, he commanded, and it was created" [Ps.32:9], as the father spoke, the son acted. Everything the father did, the son did in the same way and the father remained in him to do all things through the son. 6. "I speak my works to the king." The prophetic chorus will speak the sacraments of the church of Christ so it does not seem unworthy in song or spoken because of the consciousness of sinners: "why do you recite my justice and assume my convenant through your mouth?" [Ps.49:16]. He acknowledges his works to the king whom he will praise so that if they are good he may receive them, if bad, he may purify them. And he does what was ordered: "speak your iniquities and you will be justified" [Isa.43:26] and "the accuser is just at the beginning of his speech" [Prov.18:17]. "Idioma" [Grk.], however, not only in Hebrew but also in Latin is said for systematic collections of writings and written works, therefore he who will sing praises to the lord consecrates his song and work to him and invokes him whom he will praise in place of the muses of the pagans at the beginning. 7. "My tongue is the reed of a swiftly writing scribe," which we translated "my tongue is the stylus of the swift scribe." This is the last part of the prologue; join the preceding with what follows: "My heart threw up the good word in praise of God" and my works by which I preached him, I have consecrated principally to him. I should therefore also prepare my tongue as a stylus and reed so that through it the holy spirit may write into the heart of the hearers by their ears; for it is for me to offer my tongue as an instrument, for him to sound as through an instrument, what are his. The stylus writes in wax, the reed either on papyrus or on parchment or whatever material, what things are appropriate to be written. My tongue however is like a swift scribe, whom we understand for a secretary who will write /plough the compressed and abbreviated speech of the gospel in the carnal tablets of the heart by a kind of summary. For if the law is written by the finger of God through the hand of a mediator, and what is destroyed is glorified, how much more the gospel, which will endure, written through my tongue by the holy spirit, so that swift speech in the heart of believers may describe his praises to whom it is said in Isaiah: "swiftly take the spoils, quickly plunder" [Isa.8:1]. 8. "He is handsome in form beyond the sons of men." In Hebrew "you are more beautiful in looks than the sons of men." With the preface finished, this is the exordium of the narration and it is an apostrophe to the very beloved lover and king, to whom the works of the speaker are consecrated. It is asked, however, how he is more beautiful than all the sons of men, about whom we read in Isaiah: "we have seen him and he had neither form nor beauty but his looks were without honor and rejected by the sons of men, a man of suffering and knowing how to bear infirmity, because he turns away his face" [Isa.53:2-3]. Do not immediately take scripture as contradictory, since this passage recalls the ignobility of the body because of scourges and spits and blows and nails and injuries of the yoke/gibbet, the other the beauty of virtues in the sacred and venerable body. It is not that the divinity of Christ is more beautiful compared to men — for it bears no comparison — but without the sufferings of the cross it is more beautiful than everything: a virgin born from a virgin, not by the will of man but from God. For unless he had had in his face something of the stars in his eyes, the apostles would never have followed him immediately nor would those who came to apprehend him have fallen. Finally, in the present testimony in which he says: "a man of suffering and knowing how to bear infirmity," he gives the reasons that he endured it: "because he turns away his face," that is he abandoned the body to injury with the divinity somewhat withdrawn. Some connect this little verse to the previous so that "handsome in form beyond the sons of men" refers not to Christ but to the reed. 9. "Grace is poured upon your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever." In the vulgate edition, we read "anointed" for "blessed"; but it should be known that an error of the scribes should not be imputed to the seventy [Septuagint] translators, who agree in this place with Hebrew truth. When we read "Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in favor with god and men" [Luke 2:52] and in another place "they were amazed at the words of grace that came from his mouth" [Luke 4:22] and that "he spoke with authority" [Luke 4:32], we can understand in what sense it is said "grace is poured upon your lips." Noah found grace before God in his days and Moses and the rest of the prophets, but a whole multitude of grace was poured onto the lips of the saviour which in a brief time filled the whole world: "as a bridegroom comes out from his bridal-chamber . . . from the highest heaven is his coming out and his course is to their height" [Ps.18:6, 7]. For holy Mary who conceived him in whom all the fullness of divinity dwells corporally, was greeted with full grace and the apostle knowing that his preaching was not in worldly eloquence but in the power of God says that he surpassed all the teachings of the world: "my speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God" [1Cor.2:4-5]. And reproving himself because he had said: "I worked harder than all of them," he immediately added: "though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me" and again: "since his grace which is in me was not empty" [1Cor.15:10]. Properly, however, the word of pouring into the saviour is added, to signify the generosity of grace according to: "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh" [Joel 2:28] and "God's love has been poured into our hearts" [Rom.5:5]. And note that of all the things which are said, you refer understanding to his person, who was assumed from Mary, that he is said to be blessed eternally because of the grace of his lips, as the apostle proclaims: "he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross; therefore God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name" [Phil.2:8-9]. For just as there the form of the slave is the injury of suffering and the exaltation and giving of the name is the return to the father, so here the pouring of grace and eternal benediction is referred to him who can be humbled and arise. 10. "Gird your sword over your thigh, o mighty one, in your form and beauty"; in Hebrew, "gird your sword over your thigh, o strong one, in your glory and comeliness." I think this is the place for you best to understand that you are girded with the military sword of Christ. You should however know that virginity always has the sword of modesty through which it cuts off the works of the flesh and conquers desires, and pagan error also imagined armed virgins as goddesses. And Peter girded his loins and held a burning lantern in his hands. That the thigh signifies the works of marriage, you will be taught briefly from these examples. Abraham sending to seek a wife for his son Isaac said to the elder [servant] of his house: "put your hand under my thigh and I will make you swear by the Lord God of heaven" [Gen.24:2-3] so there would be no doubt but that through him one would be born from his seed. Jacob, after he wrestled with the man who appeared to him at the torrent of Jabbok, left Mesopotamia and reached the promised land, not before he drew the name of Israel, as the nerve of his thigh withered. He spoke to his son: "the prince will not depart from Judah nor the leader from his thighs" [Gen.4:10]. And again as he was about to die, Joseph swears on his thigh lest he be buried in Egypt. In the book of Judges also we read: "The sons of Gideon were seventy, who came out from his thighs" [Judg.8:30]. In the Song of Songs: "behold the bed of Solomon, around it are sixty mighty men of the mighty men of Israel, all equipped with swords and expert in war, each with his sword over his thigh" [Cant.3:7-8]. Mortifying the works of the flesh, therefore, with the glory and comeliness or the form and beauty of his divinity and born from the virgin he was the prince of virginity for future virgins. 11. "And turn and proceed prosperously, and rule for truth and kindness and justice, and your right hand will lead you wondrously." In Hebrew: "ascend prosperously with your comelieness for truth and kindness of justice and your right hand will teach you terrible thngs." In Hebrew, "your comeliness" is repeated twice, which should not be imputed to copyist error, but is a figure of rhetoric which is called "repetitio." Therefore in the way of panegyric by which those praising speak to those they exalt with commendations, the armed man is urged to battle, so that he does not give up the wars undertaken and, arriving as victor over the confusion of the enemies, prepares his kingdom over those he has seized from the power of the devil and joined to his empire, and says: "I am made king by him over Zion, his holy mountain" [Ps.2:6]. And there is no doubt that Christ is called truth and modesty and justice, who says: "I am the way and the life and the truth" [John 14:6] and "he became for us justice from God and redemption and sanctity" [iCor.1:30]. All these things are said, however, in the body, that they may be completed in the members. The victory of the lord is the triumph of his servants, the learning of the teacher is the progress of his pupils. And what follows: "your right hand will lead you wondrously," is to be taken either about signs, which he performed in the gospel, or "tropikos" [Grk. figuratively] about the slaughter which he committed on his enemies. "The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left" [Eccles.10:2]. Christ is on the right, Antichrist on the left. The Hebrew interpretation differs in the words, not in the meaning. 12. "Your arrows are sharp, o mighty one, the peoples fall under you in the heart of the king's enemies." In Hebrew it is the same except without "o mighty one." And this little verse is powerfully apt for you who, wounded with the dart of the lord, sing with the spouse/bride in the Song of Songs: "I am wounded by his love" [Cant.2:5]. It is no wonder if your spouse/groom has many arrows about which it is said in the 119th psalm: "the arrows of the powerful are sharp with desolating coals" [Ps.119:4], since he is the dart of the father and says in Isaiah: "he made me a chosen arrow, in his quiver he hid me" [Isa.49:2]. With these arrows, Cleophas said he was wounded on the road with another: "were our hearts not burning in us while he was talking on the road and opening the scriptures to us?" [Luke 24:32] and in another place we read: "like arrows in the hand of a mighty one so are the sons of what is gone" [Ps.126:4]. With these arrows the whole world is wounded and captured. Paul was the arrow of the lord who, after he was sent from Jerusalem to Illyria, flew here and there from the bow of the lord, a swift arrow, he hastens to Spain so he can prostrate himself at the feet of the lord in the east and west. And since there are more powerful enemies of the king who were wounded by the devil's fiery arrows and "like a stag struck by a dart in the liver" [Prov.7:23], the burning arrows of the lord are sent with desolating coals so that they boil up whatever vice there was in the heart of the king's enemies and eject the destructive fire with salutary fire. 13. "Your seat, God, endures forever, your rod of direction, the rod of your kingdom. You loved justice and hated iniquity, therefore your God anointed you, o God, with the oil of happiness beyond your companions." In Hebrew: "your throne, God, in the world and in eternity the scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom. You loved justice and hated iniquity. Therefore your God anointed you with the oil of exultation beyond your comrades." Understand two persons of God, the one who is anointed and the one who anoints. Whence Aquila translated the word "eloim" in Hebrew not by the nominative case but by the vocative, saying "thee" [Grk. God], and we to make sure it is understood have put what the Latin language does not accept,(1) so no one will perversely think that God is called the father of the beloved and the cherished king twice. Although the father is in the son and the son in the father and either one is dweller and throne, yet in this place the speech is addressed to the king who is God and it is said to him that his empire — this is what I understand by "throne," since it is written: "from the fruit of your womb, I shall place [one] on your throne" [Ps.131:11] — has no end. Which indeed the angel announced to Mary: "the lord God will give him the throne of David, his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end" [Luke 1:32-33]. Let us not think that this is contrary to what the apostle says, writing to the Corinthians, that the son would give the kingdom over to him and subject it to him who subjects all things to himself so that God may be all in all [1Cor.15:24, 28]. For he did not say "he will give it over to the father," which would seem to separate the son, but "he will give it over to God," that is the God dwelling in the assumption of the body, so that "God might be all things in all" and Christ, who before was through small powers in individual things, can endure through all [powers] in all things. The prophet signifies that the scepter and rod are signs of the ruler saying: "the scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom." Some, citing the testimony from Isaiah: "the rod will come out from the root of Jesse and the flower ascend from the root" [Isa.11:1], understand this as referring to the man who is assumed, on whom the empire is conferred and who is said to reign for love of justice and hatred of iniquity and is anointed with the oil of exultation beyond his comrades, as if he would assume the reward of charity and hatred in the anointing. We are taught, however, that the seeds of love and hatred are in us on both sides, when he who raised the first fruits of the mass of our bodies to heaven loved justice and hated iniquity. Whence David: "do I not hate those who hate you, lord and decline over your enemies? I hate them with perfect hatred" [Ps.138:21-22]. It follows that "o God, your God anointed you," is to be understood first as the name of God in the vocative case, then in the nominative. I am astonished that Aquila did not translate, as he began in the first verse, with the vocative case, but with the nominative, naming God twice who anointed God as said above. In this place, Photinus is put down, but Arrius raises his head, offering the witness of the gospel: "I am ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God" [John 20:17]. But when he hears the beloved reigns for truth and kindness with his sword girded over his thigh and is anointed because of his love of justice and hatred of iniquity beyond his companions, about whom it is written: "we are become partners of Christ, if we retain the beginning firm to the end" [Heb.3:14], I wonder why he calls God alone to the slander of God, as if all things which are said are suitable to the divinity of the word, not the humility of the man. Let him hear the Acts of the apostles: "Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the holy spirit" [Acts 20:38]; let him hear the gospel: "the holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born in you will be holy, he will be called son of God" [Luke 1:35]; let him hear that lord thundering: "the spirit of the lord is upon me for which he anointed me" [Isa.61:1]. "Partners" however signifies apostles and believers; to whom he gave the name of his anointing, that they might be called anointed from the anointing, that is Christians. 14. "Myrrh [murra] and oil of myrrh [gutta], and cinnamon from your vestments, from ivory houses, from which the daughters of kings delighted you in your honor." In Hebrew: "myrrh [smyrna] and myrrh-oil [stacte] and cinnamon in all your vestments from ivory houses, for which the daughters of kings made you rejoice in your honor." The preface showed you that I wanted to explain this psalm since the title "for lilies and flowers" was found writing to the virgin. So consequently I refer these verses to you to whom this volume is written. You mortified your members on earth and offering myrrh to Christ daily and because of myrrh-oil, a little or a drop, that you show the lord, you are the good odor of Christ. They relate this who know the powers of spices, that "stacte" is the flower of the myrrh. What follows, however, cinnamon, which is called "syrinx" [Grk. a shepherd's pipe] by others, that is a reed, a sound in praise of God, boiling all gums and fluids of desires with its heat. Where "gutta" or "stacte" is written in our texts, "aloth" is read in Hebrew. Whence Nicodemus prepared a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes to bury the lord and the spouse (m) says to the spouse (f): "myrrh and aloes with all the chief unguents" [Cant.4:14] and she answers: "my hands dripped myrrh, my fingers are filled with myrrh" [Cant.5;5]. Reject the works of death buried with Christ in baptism and dead to this world and thinking of nothing but heavenly things, say to your spouse: "my hands dripped myrrh, my fingers are filled with myrrh." We read of priestly unguent which David recalls: "like unguent on the head which runs down on the beard, the beard of Aaron which runs down on the hem of his robe" [Ps.132:2], in which "stacte" is mixed with other spices. The magi also offer myrrh and in the present place the mystery of Christ's vestments is to accept and show his death in his flesh. Prepare these garments for your spouse, that he may enter adorned with these robes by you. When you weave garments of this kind, you construct a temple of the lord and make him rejoice with "ivory houses" or, as it is written better in Hebrew, "from the temple of teeth" you sing praises to the lord and altogether dead to the world you will imitate choirs of angels. For the nature of the names testifies that ivory and teeth are signs of death. And then is added: "from which daughters of kings will make you rejoice in your honor" [Ps.44:9-10]. The king of kings and lord of lords is your spouse. These kings, who are chiefs under such a king, are your fathers, who engendered you with evangelical doctrine. You, their daughter, honor him in all our vestments and good odors and ivory temple, to whom it is said above: "grace is poured out upon your lips," and "gird your sword over your thigh, o mighty one," and "your arrows are sharp" and "your throne, God, in the world/eternity." For the phrase we translated as "ivory houses," since in Greek it is "apo bareon," some Latins interpret "heavy" because of the ambiguity of the word, since the word "baris" is the "epichorion" [local custom] of Palestine and up to this day the houses are enclosed on all sides and called "baris" like towers and public walls. 15. "The queen is at your right in a golden robe." What follows, "surrounded with variety," none of the translators except the vulgate edition included. In Hebrew: "your wife stands at your right in a gold diadem." Where we have wife, Hebrew has "segal," Aquila "synkoiton," Symmachus and the fifth edition "pallaken," that is concubine, the Septuagint and Theodotion and the sixth edition, queen. Then, where I put "in a gold diadem," Symmachus translated "in prime gold," Aquila, the fifth and sixth, "in dye or gold of Ophir." These are the daughters of kings who prepare the embraces for the spouse, delight him with myrrh and "gutta" and cinnamon and ivory houses, whose throne is in eternity. The catholic church is however already founded with a stable root on the rock, Christ; a dove, perfect and close, stands at the right, with nothing to the left/wrong, in golden vestments, passing from the words of scriptures to the meaning and full of all virtues or, as we translated it, in a gold diadem. For she is the queen and reigns with the king, whose daughters we can understand generally as the souls of believers and specifically choirs of virgins. Ophir is a kind of gold either from the place in India or from the name of the color; there are indeed seven words for gold among the Hebrews. And we understand the wife and concubine from the Song of Solomon, who cannot sleep without her spouse or husband. 16. "Hear, daughter, and see and incline your ear and forget your people and the house of your father; and the king will desire your beauty since he is your lord and they will adore him." In Hebrew: "hear, daughter, and see and incline your ear and forget your people and the house of your father; and the king will desire your beauty since he is your lord and adore him." Up to here the tongue of the prophet, which is like the reed of the swift scribe, the holy spirit speaks addressing that king and warrior and god and spouse. Then the person of the father is brought in speaking to the spouse (f) of his son and urging her, holding the error of old pagan [belief] and idolatry first to give attention to these things that are said and because she is called a foreign daughter, to see either what is said or the universal creation, understanding invisible things from the visible and sensing the creator from creatures, and diligently inclines her ear so that she can hold in her memory what is said. When she has heard, seen, and inclined her ear and given herself over completely to the teaching and understanding of what was said, she will forget her first people and coming out with Abraham from Chaldea, leave the land of her birth and her kin. No one doubts that our father, before we were adopted by God, was the devil, about whom the saviour says: "you are born from the devil father" [John 8:44]. When therefore he says that you will forget your ancient father and having put off your earlier filth shown yourself such that you can descend to your lover whitened and my son can love you, then the king will desire your beauty. And do not think that he is one of a crowd by whom you will be loved, he is your king and your lord. Meanwhile, those who are kings and lords, and indeed kings and lords with power, yet of such nature that among those whom they dominate and rule, I tell you, that he is your God and you should adore him. The seventy [Septuagint] translators did not say "you will adore him," but "they will adore him," with the meaning that he who will love you, who will desire your beauty, is God and to be adored by men. Because we have shown that from the church gathered from the gentiles, each one can refer the soul of the believer to him/herself because having abandoned earlier vices she is adopted as a daughter, inclines her ear, forgets old usage and with the apostle dismisses the father of the dead and offers her/himself such as is loved by the king. For he is the lord to whom one should bend the knee and assume the yoke of humility, with pride put down. 17. We ask the Jews, who is this daughter, to whom God speaks. I do not doubt that they will answer that it is the synagogue. And how can it be said to the synagogue and the people of Israel: "put aside your people and the home of your father"? For did it ever leave the Hebrew people and Abraham, the ancient father? If they said that it signified Abraham, since he left the Chaldeans, who is this king who will love the beauty of Abraham? Certainly there is one who says: "hear, daughter" and another about whom it is said: "the king will desire your beauty." He is not only king but lord and God, who must be adored. 18. "Daughter of Tyre, the rich of the people will seek your favor [vultum] with gifts." in Hebrew: "daughter of the most powerful, the rich of the people will seek your favor [faciem] with gifts." (2) The Hebrew word "sor," which we read in Ezekiel according to the Septuagint can be translated "Tyre" and "tribulation" and "strongest" (m or f) and "silex," that is a very hard stone. Whence the error that arose in this place: for Aquila and the Septuagint and Theodotion and the fifth edition give Tyre, the sixth put the Hebrew word "sor," Symmachus "krataian" [Grk], that is very strong (f). We refer it to God so that she to whom he said above, "hear, daughter, and see," is called the daughter of the most strong (m), or surely she is the most strong since she imitated the strong father, whose favor the rich of the people will seek with different gifts, the rich in all good works and knowledge or those who are thought rich in the world, the wise of this world and learned in the disciplines of philosophers or — what is better — who were rich before, having the eloquence of God and the testaments and the prophets, that is from the people of Israel. For just as before the advent of the saviour those who were from Tyre, that is from the people of the gentiles, who wished to be proselytes, sought the wealthy people of Israel and through them were introduced into the temple, so after the coming of the lord whoever wished to believe from Israel — once rich in the intimacy and protection of God — may come to the daughter of Tyre and offering various gifts of virtues and confession/belief in Christ beseech her that they might find among the gentiles the salvation which they had lost in Judaea. 19. "All glory to the daughter of the king from within, enveloped in various [colors] with gold fringes." In Hebrew: "all glory to the daughter of the king inside, dressed in gold robes." What in the Septuagint is "esothen"[Grk] and we translate either "from within" or "inside," in certain copies "esebon" is found, which means "thought." From which it is shown that all glory is to the church to whom it was said above: "hear, daughter, and see" and "o daughter of Tyre," and now she is called the daughter of the king, being inside and in thought, that is in the inner man and in circumcision not done by hand but by spirit, having put faith in God with her knowledge and all her beauty focused more on the meaning than the flower of words. Just as the woof is woven in the warp from which the threads hang and all the virtue/strength of the garment is in the warp, so in the golden sense of scriptures in which the whole robe of the church is woven, are mixed some things from nature, some from customs; and the robe of Aaron signifies this, woven with gold, purple, scarlet, linen, and hyacinth, made by the women to whom God gave wisdom for weaving. And so that we can understand that all the adornment of the king's daughter is within, she says in the Song of Songs: "the king led me into his chamber" [Cant.1:3], in which closed entrance of the lips we are ordered to pray to God the father. The title is also inscribed in the 9th psalm: "why, children, do you hide?" Joseph had a varicolored tunic which mother church wove for him. By these threads of the saviour a "haimmorousa" [Grk. hemorrhaging woman] who touched one was cured. What is written in Hebrew: "she was dressed in gold cloths," signifies what was above: "all glory to the daughter of the king inside." The inner members of the church are wrapped in the cloths of divine meanings and the whole desire of the womb is covered. The spouse (f) cannot forget these cloths according to Jeremiah, since they bind the breasts and protect the chest in which the thoughts are. 20. "The virgins are led to the king behind her, her companions are brought in joy and exultation, led into the temple of the king." According to the Septuagint, the previous verse is sung about the adornment of the daughter, the following is addressed to the spouse and king. According to the Hebrew, the whole is said to the spouse (f) up to the place where it is written: "you will make them princes in all the earth," and it is read: "in checkered [garments] she is led to the king, the virgins follow her, her friends are led there; they are led in joy and exultation, they enter the chamber of the king." The Song of Songs shows that there is a great diversity of souls who believe in Christ, where it is written: "there are sixty queens and eighty concubines and young girls without number. One is my dove, my perfect one, my close one" [Cant.6:7-8], about whom it is said "the daughters saw her and the queens and concubines bless and praise her" [Cant.6:8]. The one who is perfect and holy in body and spirit and deserves to be called dove and close is the daughter about whom it is said above: "the queen is at your right in a golden robe." Those who survived the six days of he world and sigh for future kingdoms are called queens. If indeed one has circumcision on the eighth day but does not come to the wedding, she is called a concubine. The diverse multitude of believers, however, which cannot yet be joined to the embraces of the spouse (m) nor bear children from him, is called a young girl. I think that the virgins who follow the church and are placed in the first rank are you and all who persevere in virginity of body and soul, the close ones and friends are widows and those continent in matrimony, who are all led into the temple and the king's chamber with joy and exultation: into the temple as if priests of God, into the chamber as spouses/brides of the king and spouse/groom. This temple John saw in the Apocalypse and the prophet desires it: "I asked one thing from the lord, I shall seek this, that I might live in the house of the lord all the days of my life" [Ps.26:4] and again: "lord, I loved the beauty of your house and the place where your glory dwells" [Ps.25:8] and in another place: "since I shall pass into the place of the wondrous tabernacle unto the house of God in the voice of exultation and confession, with the festive sound of celebrants" [Ps.41:5]. The checkered cloth with which the queen is united to her spouse are those things which we read in the Septuagint "enveloped in variety." 21. "In the place of your fathers sons are born to you; you will make them princes over all the earth." In Hebrew: "in the place of your fathers, there will be sons: you will set them as princes in the whole earth." And the speech can be understood from the person of the father not the daughter but to the daughter and from the person of the holy spirit and the sons of Korah. If therefore the speech is addressed to the spouse (f), she is gathered from the nations to whom it is said above: "forget your people and the home of your father," we should know the fathers of the spouse (f) so that we can know the sons. "In place of your fathers, about whom you said in Jeremiah: "our fathers possessed false idols!" [Jer.16:19] and "it is not in them [to give] rain" [Jer.14:22], in place of Plato and other teachers of different dogma and errors, sons are born to you whom you made princes and rulers over the people. Or otherwise: "o church, your sons, whom you gave birth to, become your fathers when you make them teachers from pupils and place them in priestly rank to the witness of all." But if we understand the fathers of the church to be Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the other patriarchs, then the sons who are born in honor of the fathers we understand to be apostles who are sent by the lord to the ends of the earth to preach and baptize believers in the name of the trinity. But how, it is asked, can the church of the gentiles have as fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when it was said to it above: "forget your people and the home of your father." Let us read the gospel: "do not say we have Abraham as our father, for God is able from these stones" — that is, from the hard heart of gentiles — "to raise up sons to Abraham" [Matth.3:9], and elsewhere: "if you were sons of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham" [John 8:39]. And in Genesis God spoke to Abraham himself: "in your seed all nations will be blessed" [Gen.22:18]. For as he was justified by faith in the foreskin, so we shall be justified in the same faith if we have faith and the works of our father Abraham. This can be said to the saviour either by the father or by the prophet chorus and by the holy spirit: "in place of your fathers, that is the race of Jews, who left you and denied you, sons are born to you — apostles and believers from the nations — whom you made princes in all the earth. 22. "I will make your name remembered in every generation. Therefore the peoples will confess you forever." In Hebrew: "I shall remember your name in every generation. Therefore the people will confess you forever." What we interpreted "they will confess you," Symmachus translated "they will praise you." The queen who stood at the right of the king in a golden robe and was ordered to forget her people and the home of her father and it was said to her again: "in place of your fathers sons are born to you; you will make them princes over all the earth," understanding how glory is to be adorned and with what gifts raised up, she turns her words to her spouse and promises that she will remember his name always in every generation. What she promised we see was carried out. She, the Christian, imposed the name of Christians on all of us, a new name in which all the families of the gentiles are blessed. She remembers not in one generation but in all, either signifying all the nations or two generations, of Jews and gentiles. And since it is very little if the name of the lord is remembered in two generations, therefore the people who were in the church will confess and praise the lord eternally. When you, o daughter Principia, joined with the chorus of virgins, are led to the king and delight your spouse from ivory houses in your honor, then remember me, who offered the understanding of this psalm to you, with the lord revealing it, and say: "I will remember your name" so that you who understood part of the song, may understand if life accompanies you, the whole of the Song of Songs.

Original letter:

AD PRINCIPIAM VIRGINEM EXPLANATIO PSALMI XLIV. Scio me, Principia, in Christo filia, a plerisque reprehendi,quod interdum scribam ad mulieres et fragiliorem sexum maribus praeferam et idcirco debeo primum obtrectatoribus meis quod respondere et sic uenire ad disputatiunculam, quam rogasti. si uiri de scripturis quaererent, mulieribus non loqnerer. si Barach ire uoluisset ad proelium, Debbora de uictis hostibus non triumphasset. Hieremias carcere cluditur et, quia periturus Israhel uirum non receperat prophetantem, Holda eis mulier suscitatur. sacerdotes et pharisaei crucifigunt filium dei et Maria Magdalena plorat ad crucem, unguenta parat, quaerit in tumulo, hortulanum interrogat, dominum recognoscit, pergit ad apostolos, repertum nuntiat. illi dubitant, ista confidit, uere porgitis [in Greek], uere turris candoris et Libani, quae prospicit faciem Damasci, sanguinem uidelicet saluatoris ad sacci paenitentiam prouocantem. defecerant Sarrae muliebria et ideo Abraham ei subicitur et dicitur ad eum: omnia, quae dicit tibi Sarra, audi uocem eius. illi defecerant muliebria, tu numquam habuisti: sexus deuoratur a uirgine, Christum portat in corpore, iam possidet, quod futura est. Rebecca pergit ad interrogandum deum et eius responsione condigna audit oraculum: duae gentes in utero tuo, et duo populi de uentre tuo diuidentur. illa duos generat dissidentes, tu unum cotidie concipis, parturis, generas, unione fecundum, maiestate multiplicem, trinitate concordem. Maria, soror Moysi, uictorias domini canit, et Bethleem nostram atque Ephratam stirpe nominis sui signat in posteros. filiae Salphaad hereditatem inter fratres merentur accipere. Ruth et Hester et Iudith tantae gloriae sunt, ut sacris uoluminibus nomina indiderint. Anna prophetissa generat filium leuitam, prophetam, iudicem, sacro crine uenerabilem, et offert eum in tabernaculo dei. Thecuitis mulier regem Dauid interrogatione concludit, aenigmate docet, exemplo dei mitigat. legimus et aliam sapientem feminam, quae, cum obsideretur ciuitas et propter unum perduellem dux exercitus Ioab muros ariete quateret, locuta est ad populum in sapientia sua et tantae multitudinis periculum muliebri auctoritate sedauit. quid loquar de regina Saba, quae uenit a finibus terrae audire sapientiam Salomonis et testimonio domini condemnatura est omnes uiros Israhel? Helisabet utero prophetat et uoce. Anna. .. filia Fanuelis, in templo templum efficitur dei et cotidiano ieiunio caelestem inuenit panem. sequuntur mulieres saluatorem et ministrant ei de substantia sua. ille, qui de quinque panibus quinque milia hominum exceptis mulieribus et paruulis aluit, escas sanctarum mulierum non recusat accipere. cum Samaritana loquitur ad puteum et saturatus conuersione credentis cibos, qui coempti fuerant, neglegit. Apollo, uirum apostolicum et in lege doctissimum, Aquila et Priscilla erudiunt et instruunt eum de uia domini. si doceri a femina non fuit turpe apostolo, mihi quare turpe sit post uiros docere et feminas?
2. Haec et istius modi, semnotate [in Greek] filia, perstrinxi breuiter, ut nec te paeniteret sexus tui nec uiros suum nomen erigeret, in quorum condemnationem feminarum in scripturis sanctis uita laudatur. gaudeo et ueluti quodam tripudio effertur animus meus, cum in Babylone inueniuntur Danihel, Ananias, Azarias, Misahel. 0 quam multi sunt senes et iudices Israhel, quos rex Babylonius frigit in sartagine sua, quam multae Susannae, quod interpretatur 'lilium1, quae candore pudicitiae sponso serta conponunt et coronam spineam mutant in gloriam triumphantis! habes ibi in studio scripturarum et in sanctimonia mentis et corporis Marcellam et Asellam: quarum altera te per prata uirentia et uarios diuinorum uoluminum flores ducat ad eum, qui dicit in Cantico: ego flos campi et lilium conuallium, altera, ipsa flos domini, tecum mereatur audire: ut lilium in medio spinarum, sic io proxima mea in medio filiarum. et quia de floribus et liliis loqui coepimus semperque uirginitas floribus conparatur, oportunum mihi uidetur, ut ad florem Christi scribens de multis floribus disputem.
3. Quadragesimum quartum psalmum legens in titulo repperi: in finem pro his, qui commutabuntur, filiorum Core intelligentiam, canticum pro dilecto. in Hebraico scriptum est: ‘lamanasse al sosanim labne core meschil sir ididoth’, quod nos Latiue uertimus: uictori pro liliis filiorum Core, eruditionis canticum amantissimi. Symmachus more suo manifestius 'triumphum1 pro 'floribus1 interpretatus est. igitur 'sosanim1 uel 'pro his, qui commutandi sunt’ uel in ‘lilia’ transfertur et 'flores1 et 'meschil1 quoque et 'eruditionem’ et ‘doctissimum’ sonat; 'ididia’ antiquum Salomonis est nomen, qui alio sensu ‘pacificus’ appellatur. quattuor autem psalmi, licet in posteriore titulorum parte dissentiant, hoc principio praenotantur: quadragesimus quartus, quinquagesimus nonus, sexagesimus octauus, septuagesimus nonus, e quibus duo medii inscribuntur 'Dauid’, primus et nouissimus ‘filiorum Core et Asaph’, de cunctis dicere non est huius temporis; quem coepimus, explicemus.
4. Recte, qui in saeculorum fine mutandi sunt, de quibus apostolus loquitur: omnes dormiemus, sed non omnes inmutabimur, referuntur ad finem. et hoc ipsum mysterium lectorem praeparat ad intellegentiam spiritalem. ubi enim simplex et apertus est sensus, quid necesse est audientem intellegentiae praemoneri et dici ad eum: qui habet aures audiendi, audiat? canticum quoque canitur carissimo atque dilecto, quia propter illum ueniet sanctis promissa mutatio. quae quidem et in hac uita intellegi potest, quando exuimur ueteri homine et induimur nouo, qui renouatur in cognitionem secundum imaginem creatoris, et gloriam domini contemplantes in eandem imaginem transformamur quasi a gloria in gloriam. nec est tempus ullum, quo non mutetur sanctus praeteritorum obliuiscens et in futurum se extendens, cum interior noster homo renouetur de die in diem et inmutabilis deus, qui loquitur per prophetam: ego deus et non mutor, propter nos mutauerit faciem suam, formam serui acceperit et de Iudaea transmigrans ad Philistiim, qui interpretantur ‘poculo corruentes’ — inebriati enim fuerant aureo calice Babylonis —, primum derisus sit propter stultitiam crucis, deinde susceptus propter gloriam triumphorum. carissimus autem ille est, de quo et Esaias canit: cantabo canticum dilecto dilecti uineae meae et euangelium: hic est filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi conplacui, hunc audite, cui non unus propheta, sed omnis chorus filiorum Core nunc laudes canit. qui sint autem filii Core, id est caluariae, in quadragesimo primo psalmo conpetentius disputatur. et ut sciamus textum cantici titulo conuenire, mutationem de alio ad aliud discit et filia, cui praecipitur, ut antiqui parentis oblita regiis se amplexibus paret. uictorem autem eum esse, qui dicit: confidite, ego uici mundum et ad quem ista adulescentis oratio est: a te uictoria et sapientia et gloria et ego tuus seruus, profecto nouit, qui domino uincente superauit et est particeps triumphorum eius et qui inmarciscibilem gloriae coronam de candore bonorum operum et de uarietate uirtutum texuit saluatori.
5. Eructuauit cor meum uerbum bonum. pro quo interpretatus est Symmachus: commotum est cor meum uerbo bono indicans ad alterius sermonem cor dicentis moturn et spiritu sancto futura Christi sacramenta pandente etiam hunc in eloquium prorupisse, ut, quemadmodum ceteri de adueutu eius locuti sunt, et iste loqueretur. ructus autem a proprie dicitur digestio cibi et concoctarum escarum in uentum efflatio. quomodo ergo iuxta qualitatem ciborum de stomacho ructus erumpit et uel boni uel mali odoris flatus indicium est, ita interioris hominis cogitationes uerba proferunt et ex abundantia cordis os loquitur, iustus comedens replet animam suam, cumque sacris doctrinis fuerit satiatus, de bono cordis thesauro profert ea, quae bona sunt, et cum apostolo loquitur: an experimentum quaeritis eius, qui in me loquitur Christus? quidam ex persona patris dictum intellegi uolunt, quod ex imis uitalibus et cordis arcanis uerbum suum, quod in se erat semper, protulerit iuxta alterius psalmi uaticinium: ex utero ante luciferum genui te, et quomodo uterus non significat uterum — neque enim deus diuiditur in membra —, sed eandem substantiam patris filiique demonstrat, sic cor et uerbum, quod profertur ex corde, patrem ostendere et filium. et quod sequitur: dico ego opera mea regi, illi coaptant intellegentiae: ipse dixit et facta sunt, ipse mandauit et creata sunt, quod dicente patre operatus sit filius; omnia, quae pater facit, eadem et filium facere similiter et patrem manentem in eo operari cuncta per filium.
6. Dico ego opera mea regi. propheticus chorus Christi ecclesiae sacramenta dicturus, ne carmine uideatur indignus et ob conscientiam peccatorum dicatur ei: ut quid tu enarras iustitias meas et adsumis testamentum meum per os tuum?, opera sua regi, quem laudaturus est, confitetur, ut uel, si bona sunt, ipse suscipiat uel, si mala sunt, mundet; facitque, quod iussus est: dic tu iniquitates tuas, ut iustificeris, et: iustus accusator sui est in principio sermonis. idioma [Greek letters] autem non solum Hebraicae sed et Latinae linguae est pro syntagmatibus et scriptis 'opuscula’ dicere ergo et iste, qui laudes cantaturus est domino', carmen suum et opusculum consecrat ei et pro Musis gentilium ipsum inuocat in principio, quem laudaturus est.
7. Lingua mea calamus scribae uelociter scribentis. pro quo nos interpretati sumus: lingua mea stilus scribae uelocis. extrema pars prologi est; et cum praecedentibus iunge, quod sequitur: eructuauit cor meum in laudes dei sermonem bonum et opuscula mea, quibus eum praedicaturus sum, ipsi potissimum consecraui. debeo ergo et linguam meam quasi stilum et calamum praeparare, ut per illam in corde auribus andientium scribat spiritus sanctus; meum est enim quasi organum praebere linguam, illius quasi per organum sonare, quae sua sunt, stilus scribit in cera, calamus uel in charta uel in membranis aut in quacumque materia, quae apta est ad scribendum. mea autem lingua in similitudinem scribae uelocis, quem notarium possumus intellegere, quodam signorum conpendio breuiatum euangelii strictumque sermonem exarabit in tabulis cordis carnalibus. si enim lex per manum mediatoris digito dei scripta est et, quod destructum est, glorificatum est, quanto magis euangelium, quod mansurum est, per meam linguam scribetur a spiritu sancto, ut illius laudes, ad quem in Isaia dicitur: uelociter spolia detrahe, cito praedare, uelox in corde credentium sermo describat!
8. Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum. in Hebraico: decore pulchrior es filiis hominum. finito prohoemio hinc narrationis exordium est et fit apostropha ad ipsum amantissimum et dilectum et regem, cui dicentis opera consecrata sunt, quaeritur autem, quomodo pulchrior sit cunctis filiis hominum, de quo legimus in Isaia: uidimus eum, et non habebat speciem neque decorem, sed erat species eius inhonorata et deficiens a filiis hominum; homo in plaga positus et sciens ferre infirmitatem, quia auertit faciem suam. nec statim scriptura dissonare uideatur, quia ibi ignobilitas corporis propter flagella et sputa et alapas et clauos et iniurias patibuli commemoratur, hic pulchritudo uirtutum in sacro et uenerando corpore. non quo diuinitas Christi hominibus conparata formosior sit — haec enim non habet conparationem —, sed absque passionibus crucis uniuersis pulchrior est: uirgo de uirgine, qui non ex uoluntate uiri, sed ex deo natus est. nisi enim habuisset et in uultu quiddam oculisque sidereum, numquam eum statim secuti fuissent apostoli nec, qui ad conprehendendum uenerant, corruissent. denique et in praesenti testimonio, in quo ait: homo in plaga positus et sciens ferre infirmitatem, reddit causas, quare ista perpessus sit: quia auertit faciem suam, id est paululum diuinitate subtracta corpus iniuriae dereliquit. quidam hunc uersiculum superioribus copulant, ut speciosus forma prae filiis hominum non ad Christum, sed ad calamum referatur.
9. Effusa est gratia in labiis tuis, propterea benedixit te deus in aeternum. in editione uulgata pro ‘benedixit’ ‘unxit’legimus; sed sciendum, quod error scriptorum septuaginta translatoribus non debeat inputari, qui hoc loco cum Hebraica ueritate concordant, legentes illud: lesus proficiebat sapientia et aetate et gratia apud deum et homines et in alio loco: admirabantur super uerbis gratiae eius, quae egrediebantur de ore illius, et quod in potestate habebat sermonem, intellegere possumus, quo sensu dictum sit: effusa est gratia in labiis tuis. Noe inuenit gratiam coram deo in diebus suis et Moyses et reliqui prophetarum, sed omnis gratiae multitudo in labiis saluatoris effusa est, quae in breui tempore totum inpleuit orbem: tamquam sponsus processit de thalamo suo; a summo caelo egressio eius et occursus illius usque ad summum eius. nam et sancta Maria, quia conceperat eum, in quo omnis plenitudo diuinitatis habitat corporaliter, plena gratia salutatur et apostolus sciens praedicationem suam non in eloquentia saeculari, sed in uirtute dei omnes mundi superasse doctrinas ait: et sermo meus et praedicatio mea non in persuasibilibus sapientiae uerbis, sed in ostensione spiritus et uirtutis, ut sit fides nostra non in sapientia hominum, sed in uirtute dei. seque ipsum reprehendens, quia dixerat: amplius autem omnibus laboraui, statim intulit: non autem ego, sed gratia dei, quae mecum est, et rursum: quia gratia eius, qui in me est, non fuit uacua. proprie autem in saluatore uerbum effusionis adiungitur, ut significet gratiae largitatem, secundum illud: effundam de spiritu meo super omnem carnem et. caritas dei effusa est in cordibus nostris. et nota, ut omnium, quae dicuntur, intellegentiam ad personam eius referas, qui adsumptus ex Maria est, quod propter gratiam labiorum in aeternum benedictus esse dicatur tale quid et apostolo praedicante: humiliauit se factus oboediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. propterea deus illum exaltauit et dedit ei nomen super omne nomen. sicut enim ibi forma serui passionis iniuria est et exaltatio nominisque donatio ad patrem reditus, ita hic effusio gratiae et benedictio in sempiternum ad eum referenda est, qui potest humiliari et crescere.
10. Accingere gladio tuo super femor tuum, potentissime, specie tua et pulchritudine tua. in Hebraeo: accingere gladio tuo super femor, fortissime, gloria tua et decore tuo. istum arbitror locum te optime intellegere et accinctam Christi gladio militare. ut autem scias semper uirginitatem gladium habere pudicitiae, per quem troncat opera carnis et superat uoluptates, gentilis quoque error deas uirgines finxit armatas. accinxit et Petrus lumbos suos et ardentem lucernam habuit in manibus. quod autem femor significet opera nuptiarum, his breuiter exemplis doceberis. Abraham mittens ad uxorem quaerendum filio suo Isaac dicit maiori domus suae: pone manum tuam sub femore meo et adiurabo te per dominum deum caeli, non dubium, quin per eum, qui de eius erat semine nasciturus. Iacob, postquam luctatus est cum homine, qui ei apparuerat ad torrentem Iaboc, Mesopotamia derelicta et terram repromissionis ingrediens non ante Israhelis sortitus est nomen, quam neruus femoris eius emarcuit. et ad filium loquitur: non deficiet princeps ex Iuda neque dux de femoribus eius. et rursum ipse moriturus Ioseph adiurat in femore suo, ne eum in Aegypto sepeliat. in Iudicum quoque libro legimus: Gedeonis erant filii septuaginta, qui egressi sunt de femoribus eius. in Cantico dicitur canticorum: ecce lectus Salomonis, sexaginta potentes in circuitu eius de potentibus Israhel. omnes tenentes gladium, docti bellum, uir et gladius super femor eius. gloria ergo et decore suo siue specie et pulchritudine diuinitatis suae carnis opera mortificans et natus ex uirgine futuris uirginibus uirginitatis princeps fuit.
11. Et intende, prospere procede et regna propter ueritatem et mansuetudinem et iustitiam, et deducet te mirabiliter dextera tua. in Hebraeo: decore tuo prospere ascende propter ueritatem et mansuetudinem iustitiae, et docebit te terribilia dextera tua. secundo scriptum est apud Hebraeos ‘decore tuo’, ne quis id ipsum uitio librarii repetitum putet, et est figura, quae apud rhetores repetitio nominatur. more ergo panegyrici, quo laudatores loquuntur ad eos, quos praeconiis efferunt, armatum cohortatur ad proelium, ut semel arrepta bella non deserat et super hostium strages uictor incedens praeparet sibi regnum in his, quos de diaboli eripiens potestate suo copulauit imperio, et dicat: ego autem constitutus sum rex ab eo super Sion, montem sanctum eius. nullique dubium ueritatem et modestiam et iustitiam Christum appellari, qui dicit: ego sum uia et uita et ueritas et: discite a me, io quia mitis sum et humilis corde, et: qui factus est nobis a deo iustitia et redemptio et sanctitas. haec autem uniuersa dicuntur in corpore, ut exigantur in membris. uictoria domini seruorum triumphus est, magistri eruditio discipulorum profectus. et quod sequitur: deducet te mirabiliter dextera tua, aut de signis, quae in euangelio perpetrauit, aut tropicos [Greek] de caede, quam exercuit in hostibus, sentiendum est. cor sapientis in dextera et cor stulti in sinistra eius. Christus in dextris est, antichristus in sinistris. Hebraica interpretatio distat in uerbis, non distat in sensu.
12. Sagittae tuae acutae, potentissime, populi sub te cadent in corde inimicorum regis. in Hebraico absque 'potentissime’ reliqua similiter, et hic uersiculus tibi potissimum aptus est, quae iaculo domini uulnerata cum sponsa in Cantico canis: uulnerata caritatis ego. nec mirum, si sponsus tuus habeat plures sagittas, de quibus in centesimo nono decimo psalmo dicitur: sagittae potentis acutae cum carbonibus desolatoriis, cum patris ipse sit iaculum et loquatur in Isaia: posuit me quasi sagittam electam, in pharetra sua abscondit me. his sagittis et Cleophas in itinere cum altero uulneratus aiebat: nonne cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis, dum loqueretur in uia et aperiret nobis scripturas? et in alio loco legimus: sicut sagittae in manu potentis, ita filii excussorum. his sagittis totus orbis uulneratus et captus est. Paulus sagitta domini fuit, qui, postquam ab Hierosolymis usque ad Illyricum missus arcu domini huc illucque uolitauit, ad Hispanias ire festinat, ut, uelox sagitta, sub pedibus domini sui orientem occidentemque prosternat. et quia plures sunt potentissimi regis inimici, qui uulnerati fuerant ignitis diaboli sagittis et quasi ceruus spiculo percussus in iecore, sagittae domini mittuntur ignitae cum carbonibus desolatoriis, ut, quidquid uitii in corde inimicorum regis fuerat, excoquant et salutari igne ignem eiciant perditorem.
13. Sedes tua, deus, in saeculum saeculi, uirga directionis uirga regni tui. dilexisti iustitiam et odisti iniquitatem, propterea unxit te, deus, deus tuus oleo laetitiae prae consortibus tuis. in Hebraico: thronus tuus, deus, in saeculum et in aeternum, sceptrum aequitatis sceptrum regni tui. dilexisti iustitiam et odisti iniquitatem, propterea unxit te, deus, deus tuus oleo exultationis prae participibus tuis. duas personas, eius, qui unctus est, dei et, qui unxit, intellege. unde et Aquila 'eloim’ uerbum Hebraicum non nominatiuo casu, sed uocatiuo interpretatur dicens thee [Greek] et nos propter intellegentiam posuimus, quod Latina lingua non recipit, ne quis peruerse putet deum dilecti et amantissimi et regis bis patrem nominari. quamquam pater in filio et filius in patre et alterutrum sibi et habitator et thronus sint, tamen in hoc loco ad regem, qui deus est, sermo dirigitur et dicitur ei, quod imperium eius — hoc enim intellego 'thronum’ iuxta lllud, quod scriptum est: de fructu uentris tui ponam super thronum tuum — finem non habeat. quod quidem et Mariae angelus nuntiauit: dabit ei dominus deus thronum Dauid, patris sui, et regnabit super domum Iacob in saecula et regni eius non erit finis, nec putemus hoc illi esse contrarium, quod apostolus scribens ad Corinthios ait, filium traditurum regnum et subiciendum ei, qui sibi subiecit omnia, ut sit deus omnia in omnibus, non enim dixit 'tradet patri’, ut uideretur filium separate, sed ‘tradet deo’, hoc est habitanti in adsumptione corporis deo, ut sit deus omnia in omnibus et Christus, qui ante per paucas uirtutes erat in singulis, per omnes in omnibus commoretur. sceptrum autem et uirgam insigne esse regnantis ipse propheta significat dicens: sceptrum aequitatis sceptrum regni tui. quidam de Isaia testimonium proferentes: exiet uirga de radice Iesse et flos de radice ascendet hominem, qui est adsumptus, intellegunt, cui et deferatur imperium et qui propter dilectam iustitiam et exosam iniquitatem regnare dicatur et unctus esse oleo exultationis prae participibus suis, quasi praemium caritatis et odii in unctione sumpturus. docemur autem in utramque partem et amoris et odii esse in nobis semina, cum ipse, qui primitias massae nostrorum corporum leuauit ad caelos, et iustitiam dilexerit et oderit iniquitatem. unde Dauid: nonne odientes te, domine, oderam et super inimicos tuos tabescebam? perfecto odio oderam illos. quod sequitur: unxit te, deus, deus tuus, primum nomen dei uocatiuo casu intellegendum, sequens nominatiuo. quod satis miror cur Aquila non, ut coeperat in primo uersiculo, uocatiuo casu interpretatus sit, sed nominatiuo, bis nominans deum, qui supra dictum unxerit deum. in hoc loco Photinus obprimitur, sed Arrius caput leuat de euangelio proferens testimonium: ascendo ad patrem meum et patrem uestrum, ad deum meum et deum uestrum. sed cum dilectum audiat, cum accinctum gladio super femor et regnare propter ueritatem et mansuetudinem et ungueri ob dilectam iustitiam et exosam iniquitatem et unctum esse prae consortibus suis, de quibus scriptum est: participes Christi facti sumus, si tamen principium substantiae usque ad finem firmum retineamus, miror, cur solum deum dei ad calumniam uocet, quasi uniuersa, quae dicta sunt, diuinitati uerbi et non humilitati hominis conueniant. audiat Actus apostolorum: Iesum Nazarenum, quem unxit deus spiritu sancto; audiat euangelium: spiritus sanctus superueniet te et uirtus altissimi obumbrabit te; propterea, quod nascetur in te sanctum, uocabitur filius dei; ipsum dominum sentiat intonantem: spiritus domini super me, propter quod unxit me. ‘participes’ autem apostolos credentesque significat; quibus unctionis suae uocabulum tribuit, ut ab uncto uocentur uncti, id est Christiani.
14. Murra et gutta et cassia a uestimentis tuis, a domibus eburneis, ex quibus delectauerunt te filiae regum in honore tuo. in Hebraico: smyrna et stacte et cassia in cunctis uestimentis tuis de domibus eburneis, quibus laetificauerunt te filiae regum in honore tuo. praefatio ipsa te docuit idcirco me hunc psalmum explanare uoluisse, quia ad uirginem scribens ’pro liliis et floribus’ titulum repperi. itaque consequenter et istos uersiculos ad te referam, cui uolumen hoc scribitur. mortificasti membra tua super terram et cotidie Christo offerens murram Christi bonus odor es et propterea stacten, id est stillam uel guttam, exhibes domino, narrant et hi, qui aromatum nonere uirtutes, stacten florem esse murrae. quod autem sequitur ‘cassia’, ipsa est, quae ab aliis syrings [Greek], id est fistula, nuncupatur, uocalis in laudes dei et omnes pituitas et reumata uoluptatum suo calore excoquens. ubi in nostris codicibus scriptum est ’gutta’ uel ’stacte’. in Hebraico ’aloth’ legitur. unde et Nicodemus centum libras murrae et aloes ad sepeliendum dominum praeparauit et sponsus loquitur ad sponsam: murra et aloe cum omnibus unguentis primis et illa respondit: manus meae stillauerunt murram, digiti mei murra pleni. proice et tu mortis opera Christo in baptismate consepulta et huic mundo mortua et nihil aliud nisi de caelestibus cogitans loquere ad sponsum tuum: man us meae stillauerunt murram, digiti mei murra pleni. legimus et unguentum sacerdotale, cuius et Dauid meminit: sicut unguentum in capite, quod descendit in barbam, barbam Aaron, quod descendit in oram uestimenti eius, in quo cum ceteris aromatibus miscetur et stacte. offerunt et magi murram et in praesenti loco initium uestimentorum Christi est suscipere mortem illius et in sua carne monstrare. haec indumenta para sponso tuo, his a te uestibus comptus incedat cumque ei huiusce modi texueris uestimenta, efficieris ipsa templum domini et laetificabis eum de domibus eburneis siue, ut melius in Hebraeo scribitur, de templo dentium et laudes domino canes totaque saeculo mortua angelorum imitaberis choros. ebur enim et dentes insigne esse mortis et uocis ipsa nominum natura testator, et consequenter adiunctum est: ex quibus laetificauerunt te filiae regum in honore tuo. rex regum et dominus dominantium sponsus tuus est. reges isti, qui sub tanto rege sunt reguli, patres tui sunt, qui te et euangelica genuere doctrina. horum tu filia honorificas in omnibus uestimentis et odoribus bonis et templo eburneo eum, cui supra dictum est: effusa est gratia in labiis tuis et: accingere gladio tuo super femor, potentissime, et: sagittae tuae acutae et: thronus tuus, deus, in saeculum. pro eo, quod nos transtulimus 'domibus eburneis’, quia in Graeco scriptum est arco apo boreon [Greek letters]. quidam Latinorum ob uerbi ambiguitatem 'a grauibus’ interpretati sunt, cum baris uerbum sit epichorion Palaestinae et usque hodie domus ex omni parte conclusae et in modum aedificatae turrium ac moenium publicorum baris appellentur.
15. Adstitit regina a dextris tuis in uestitu deaurato; quod sequitur: circumdata uarietate, excepta editione’uulgata nullus interpretum transtulit. in Hebraico: stetit coniux in dextera tua in diademate aureo. ubi nos ‘coniugem’ uertimus, ibi apud Hebraeos legitur ‘segal’, pro quo, Aquila synkoiton [Greek], Symmachus et quinta editio pallaken [Greek],  id est concubinam, Septuaginta et Theodotion et sexta, Aquila ‘reginam’ interpretati sunt. deinde, ubi ego posui: in diademate aureo, Symmachus transtulit:in auro primo, Aquila. quinta et sexta: in tinctura uel in auro Ophir, quae filiae regum sunt et in sponsi parantur amplexus, per murram et guttam et cassiam et domus eburneas delectant eum, cuius thronus in saeculum saeculi est. quae autem iam super petram Christum stabili radice fundata est catholica ecclesia, una columba, perfecta et proxima, stat a dextris et nihil in se sinistrum habet, stat in uestibus deauratis de sermonibus scripturarum ad sensum transiens et cunctis plena uirtutibus siue, ut nos transtulimus, in diademate aureo. est enim regina regnatque cum rege, cuius lilias possumus intellegere et in commune credentium animas et proprie uirginum choros. Ophir genus auri est uel a loco Indiae uel a colore nomine indito; septem quippe apud Hebraeos auri uocabula sunt. uxorem quoque et concubinam intellegamus de Cantico Salomonis, quae sine sponso suo uel marito dormire non potest.
16. Audi, filia, et uide et inclina aurem tuam et obliuiscere populum tuum et domum patris tui; et concupiscet rex decorem tuum, quoniam ipse est dominus tuus et adorabunt eum. in Hebraico: audi, filia, et uide et inclina aurem tuam et obliuiscere populi tui et domus patris tui; et concupiscet rex decorem tuum, quia ipse est dominus tuus, et adora eum. hucusque prophetae lingua, quam calamo scribentis uelociter conparat, loquitur spiritus sanctus ipsum regem et bellatorem et deum sponsumque conpellans. exin persona patris inducitur loquentis ad sponsam filii sui et cohortantis earn, ut ueteris gentilitatis et idolatriae errore contempto primum his, quae dicantur, adtendat et propterea de alienigena filia nominetur, deinde uideat uel ipsa, quae dicuntur, uel uniuersam conditionem ex uisibilibus intellegens inuisibilia et ex creaturis sentiens creatorem et diligenter inclinet aurem suam, ut, quae dicuntur, memoriter teneat. cumque audierit, uiderit et inclinauerit aurem suam totamque se doctrinae tradiderit et eorum intellegentiae, quae dicuntur, obliuiscatur primum populum suum et cum Abraham de Chaldaea egrediens relinquat terram natiuitatis et cognationis suae, nemo dubitat patrem nostrum, antequam adoptaremur a deo, fuisse diabolum, de quo saluator ait: uos de diabolo patre nati estis. cum ergo, ait, antiqui patris fueris oblita et talem te exhibueris depositis pristinis sordibus, ut super fratruelem dealbata conscendas et quam possit diligere filius meus, tunc concupiscet rex decorem tuum. et ne putes unum esse de turba, a quo amanda es, ipse est rex tuus et dominus tuus. quia uero interdum, qui reges et domini sunt, sunt quidem potestate reges et domini, tamen eiusdem naturae, cuius sunt illi, in quos dominantur et regnant, indico tibi, quod et deus tuus sit et debeas adorare eum. septuaginta interpretes non dixerunt adorabis eum, sed adorabunt eum, ut sit sensus: iste, qni te amaturus est, qui tuam pulchritudinem dilecturus, deus est et adorandus ab hominibus. quod de ecclesia ex gentibus congregata exposuimus, unusquisque ad se ipsum referat animamquo credentis, quod prioribus uitiis derelictis adoptetur in filiam, inclinet aurem suam, obliuiscatur ueteris conuersationis et cum apostolo dimittat mortuum patrem et talem se praebeat, qui ametur a rege. ipse est enim dominus eius, cui flectere debeat genu et deposita superbia iugum humilitatis adsumere.
17. Interrogemus Iudaeos, quae sit ista filia, ad quam deus loquitur, non dubito, quin synagogam respondeant. et quomodo dicitur synagogae et Israhelitico populo: dimitte populum tuum et domum patris tui? numquid derelinquit gentem Hebraeam et Abraham, antiquum patrem? si dixerint de uocatione significari Abraham, quia Chaldaeos reliquerit, quis est iste rex. qui amaturus est decorem Abraham? certe alius est, qui loquitur: audi, filia, et alius, de quo loquitur: concupiscet rex decorem tuum. qui alius non solum rex, sed et dominus et deus est, qui adorandus est.
18. Filia Tyri, in muneribus uultum tuum deprecabuntur diuites plebis. in Hebraeo: et, o filia fortissimi, in muneribus faciem tuam deprecabuntur diuites populi. uerbum Hebraicum ‘sor’, quod in Hiezechiele iuxta Septuaginta legimus, interpretari potest et ‘Tyrus’ et ‘tribulatio’ et ‘fortissimus’ siue ‘fortissima’ et ‘silex’, id est lapis durissimus. unde in praesenti loco error ortus est; Aquila enim et Septuaginta et Theodotion et quinta editio ‘Tyrum’ interpretati sunt, sexta uerbum Hebraicum posuit ‘sor’, Symmachus krataian [Greek], id est ’fortissimam’. nos id ipsum ad deum retulimus, ut illa, cui supra dixerat: audi, filia, et uide, filia fortissimi nuncupetur aut certe ipsa fortissima sit, quia imitata est fortem patrem, cuius uultum in diuersis muneribus deprecabuntur diuites plebis, diuites in cunctis operibus bonis et scientia siue, qui diuites putantur in saeculo, sapientes huius mundi et philosophorum disciplinis eruditi uel — quod melius est — qui ante diuites fuerunt habentes eloquia dei et testamenta et prophetas, id est de populo Israhel. ut enim ante saluatoris aduentum hi, qui de Tyro erant, hoc est de populo gentium, et proselyti esse cupiebant, deprecabantur diuitem populum Israhel et per eos introducebantur in templum, sic post aduentum domini, quicumque ex Israhel credere uoluerint — diuites quondam familiaritate et protectione dei —, uenient ad filiam Tyri et offerentes uaria dona uirtutum et confessionis in Christum deprecabuntur eam, ut salutem, quam perdiderunt in Iudaea, inueniant in gentibus.
19. Omnis gloria eius filiae regia ab intus, in fimbriis aureis circumamicta uarietatibus. in Hebraeo: omnis gloria filiae regis intrinsecus, fasceis aureis uestita est. pro eo, quod in Septuaginta scriptum est esothen [Greek] et nos uel 'ab intus’ uel ‘intrinsecus’ interpretati sumus, in quibusdam exemplaribus inuenitur ‘esebon’, quod 'cogitationes’ sonat. ex quo ostenditur omnem gloriam ecclesiae, cui supra dictum est: audi, filia, et uide et: o filia Tyri, et nunc appellatur filia regis, esse intrinsecus et in cogitationibus, id est in interiori homine et in circumcisione non manu facta, sed spiritu, habente conscientia fiduciam apud deum et tota pulchritudine posita magis in sensuum nomine quam in flore uerborum. quomodo autem in stamine, ex quo dependent fimbriae, subtemen intexitur et tota uestimenti uirtus in stamine est, ita in aureis sensibus scripturarum, in quibus uestis ecclesiae omnis intexitur, miscentur aliqua de natura, de moribus; et hoc ipsum significat uestis Aaron auro, purpura, cocco, bysso hyacinthoque contexta, quam fecerunt mulieres, quibus deus ad texendum dedit sapientiam. et ut intellegere possimus omnem ornatum filiae regis intrinsecus, ipsa loquitur in Cantico: introduxit me rex in cubiculum suum, in quo cluso ostio labiorum deum patrem iubemur orare. in nono quoque psalmo titulus inscribitur: pro absconditis fiili. uariam habuit et Ioseph tunicam, quam ei texuit mater ecclesia. de his fimbriis saluatoris aimorrousa [Greek] unam tetigit et sanata est. quod autem in Hebraico scribitur: fasceis aureis uestita est, id ipsum significat, quod supra: omnia gloria filiae regis intrinsecus; fasceis sensuum diuinorum interiors membra obuoluuntur ecclesiae et tota uteri tegitur ambitio. harum fascearum non potest obliuisci sponsa secundum Hieremiam, quia mammas ligant et pectus, in quo cogitationes sunt, protegunt.
20. Adducentur regi uirgines post eam, proximae eius adferentur in laetitiaet exultatione, adducentur in templum regis. iuxta Septuaginta prior uersiculus adhuc de filiae canitur ornatu, sequens ad ipsum sponsum regemque dirigitur. porro iuxta Hebraicum totum ad sponsam dicitur usque ad eum locum, ubi scriptum est: pones eos principes in uniuersa terra, et legitur: in scutulatis ducetur ad regem, uirgines sequentur eam, amicae eius ducentur illuc. ducentur in laetitiis et exultatione, ingredientur thalamum regis. multam esse distantiam animarum in Christo credentium demonstrat Canticum canticorum, in quo scriptum est: sexaginta sunt reginae et octoginta concubinae et adulescentulae, quarum non est numerus. una est columba mea, perfecta mea, proxima mea, de qua dicitur: uiderunt eam filiae et beatificant eam reginae et concubinae et laudant eam. quae ergo perfecta est et sancta corpore et spiritu et columba et proxima meretur uocari, haec est filia, de qua supra dictum est: adstitit regina a dextris tuis in uestitu deaurato. quae autem supergressae sunt sex dies mundi et futura regna suspirant, reginae appellantur. si qua uero circumcisionem quidem habet octauae diei, sed adhuc non uenit ad nuptias, haec concubina uocitatur. diuersa autem multitudo credentium, quae necdum potest sponsi amplexibus copulari nec de eo liberos parere, adulescentula dicitur. ego puto de istis uirginibus, quae secuntur ecclesiam et in primo ponuntur gradu, et te esse et omnes, qui in uirginitate corporis et animae perseuerant, proximas autem et amicas uiduas esse et in matrimonio continentes, quae omnes cum laetitia et exultatione ducuntur in templum et in thalamum regis: in templum quasi sacerdotes dei, in thalamum quasi sponsae regis et sponsi. hoc templum et Iohannes uidit in Apocalypsi et propheta desiderat: unum petii a domino hoc requiram. ut habitem in domo domini omnes dies uitae meae. et iterum: domine, dilexi decorem domus tuae et locum habitationis gloriae tuae. et in alio loco: quia transibo in locum tabernaculi admirabilis usque ad domum dei in uoce exultationis et confessionis, sonitu festa celebrantium. scutulata autem, quibus sponso suo regina conponitur, ipsa sunt, quae in Septuaginta legimus circumamicta uarietate.
21. Pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii; constitues eos principes super omnem terram, in Hebraico: pro patribus tuis erunt filii tibi; pones eos principes in uniuersa terra, et ex patris persona nequaquam de filia, sed rursus ad filiam sermo intellegi potest et ex spiritus sancti et ex filiorum Core, si ergo ad sponsam sermo dirigitur, sponsa autem de nationibus congregata est, cui supra dicitur: obliuiscere populum tuum et domum patris tui, debemus sponsae patres nosse, ut consequenter nouerimus et filios. 'pro patribus tuis, de quibus in Hieremia locuta es: quam falsa possederunt patres nostri idola! et: non est in eis, qui pluat, pro Platone, pro ceteris diuersorum dogmatum et errorum magistris nati sunt tibi filii, quos constituisti principes tuos et fecisti in populis praeceptores’. uel certe aliter: ‘o ecclesia, filii tui, quos genuisti tibi, uertentur in patres tuos, cum de discipulis eos feceris magistros et in sacerdotali gradu omnium testimonio conlocaris’. sin autem patres ecclesiae intellegimus Abraham, Isaac et Iacob et reliquos patriarchas, filios, qui ei in patrum honore sunt nati, apostolos intellegamus, qui missi sunt a domino praedicare usque ad extremum terrae et baptizare credentes in nomine trinitatis. sed quaeritur, quomodo ecclesia de gentibus patres habere possit Abraham, Isaac et Iacob, cum ei supra dictum sit: obliuiscere populum tuum et domum patris tui. legamus euangelium: nolite dicere: patrem habemus Abraham; potens est deus de lapidibus istis — hoc est: de duro corde gentilium — suscitare filios Abrahae, et in alio loco: si filii essetis Abrahae, opera Abrahae faceretis. et in Genesi ad ipsum Abraham loquitur deus: in semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes. sicut enim ille in praeputio ex fide iustificatus est, ita et nos iustificabimur in eadem fide, si habuerimus fidem et opera patris nostri Abraham, potest hoc ipsum et ad saluatorem dici uel a patre uel a prophetali choro et ab spiritu sancto: 'pro patribus tuis, stirpe uidelicet Iudaeorum, qui te reliquerunt et negauerunt, nati sunt tibi filii — apostoli et de nationibus credentes —, quos constituisti principes in uniuersa terra’.
22. Memor ero nominis tui in omni generatione et generatione. propterea populi confitebuntur tibi in aeternum et in saeculum saeculi. in Hebraico:recordabor nominis tui in omni generatione et generatione. propterea populi confitebuntur tibi in saeculum et in aeternum. quod nos interpretati sumus confitebuntur tibi, Symmachus transtulit laudabunt te. regina, quae steterat a dextris regis in uestitu deaurato et iussa fuerat obliuisci populi et domus patris sui et iterum illi dictum erat: pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii; constitues eos principes super omnem terram, intellegens, quanta decoranda sit gloria et quibus praemiis subleuanda, conuertit ad sponsum uoces suas et pollicetur recordaturam se semper nominis sponsi in omni generatione et generatione. quod promisit, uidemus expletum. ipsa Christiana nobis omnibus Christianorum nomen inposuit, nomen nouum, in quo benedicuntur omnes familiae gentium, recordatur autem non in una generatione, sed in omnibus, uel cunctas significans nationes uel duas generationes, Iudaeorum atque gentilium. et quia hoc parum est, si in duabus generationibus nominis domini recordetur, propterea populi, qui in ecclesia fuerint, confitebuntur et laudabunt dominum in aeternum et in saeculum saeculi. Quando et tu, o filia Principia, sanctorum mixta choro inter uirgines duceris ad regem et ex domibus eburneis delectabis sponsum in honore tuo, tunc recordare et mei, qui huius psalmi tibi domino reuelanto intellegentiam tribui, et dicito: memor ero nominis tui, ut; quae partem intellexisti carminis, intellegas, si uita comes fuerit, et totum Canticum canticorum. 

Historical context:

In this letter, an interpretation of the fourty-fourth psalm written at Principia's request, Jerome strongly defends himself for writing to women: it is women who ask him the questions about scripture, and since the bible has many examples of women who taught, there is no reason not to teach women. Then he interprets the psalm, a greeting to a prince on his wedding day, as a panegyric on virginity, verse by verse.

Scholarly notes:

(1) Jerome seems to mean that there is no vocative of "deus," the word for God in Latin. (2) Both "vultum" and "facies" mean face or countenance, but I have followed the translation in the Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version, which gives favor, clearly the sense of the passage.

Printed source:

Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Epistulae, ed. Isidorus Hilberg, 3 v. (New York: Johnson, 1970, repr. CSEL, 1910-18), 1.616-47, ep.65.

Date:

397