Глава 7

Song 7:1 Turn, turn, Shulammite, turn, turn, and we will see in you. Shulamite means peaceful. Just as her Bridegroom was previously called Solomon - peaceful, so she, having accepted peace from him and freed from ancient warfare, is called peaceful. “Turn, turn, Shulammite, turn, turn, and we will see in you.” Do not be afraid of those who persecute you, but preserve the teaching, preach the truths of piety. If you continue to preach the gospel undaunted, we will secure your kingdom. But the Groom comes to them: " Song 7:1 What will you see at Shulammite? Coming like the faces of the regiments. What do you want to find in peace? Don’t think to see in it something good, something begun and unfinished. Here she goes, “like the faces of regiments,” she goes, triumphant over everyone. Song 7:2 Are your feet in your shoes, O daughter of Pressure? Symmachus translated - the daughters of the Leader - that is, the Holy Spirit. “Why are your feet adorned? “He praises the feet that are right and walk on the right path, which shine even in shoes. Seeing the beauty of these feet, Isaiah cried out: “How red are the feet of those who bring good news of peace on the mountains” (Isaiah 52:7) But then the Bridegroom especially praises each member of the Bride: Song 7:2 Make the ranks of your thigh like the earth, like the work of an artist’s hands: Song 7:3 Your navel is a cup that is worn out, not deprived of vengeance: your belly is like a stack of wheat, fenced in heaps: Song 7:4 Thy two breasts are like two young chamois twins: Song 7:5 Thy neck is like a pillar of ivory: thy eyes are like the lake of Heshbon, in the gates of many daughters: thy nose is like a pillar of Lebanon, beholding the face of Damascus: Song 7:6 Your head is like Carmel (mountain), and the braiding of your head is like scarlet, the king is caught in ceaselessness. All this differs a little from what is said about the Bride in the second word (Song 4). And therefore it no longer requires interpretation. Song 7:7 Why were you adorned, and why were you delighted, O beloved, in your sweets? Song 7:8 This is your majesty: you are like a date, and your breast is like a dream. You, having previously been disgusting and ugly, suddenly became beautiful and honorable. And I achieved this because I was captivated by the charms of love. Loving the Bridegroom who loves you and placing all your bliss in His love, you despised everything else. Your greatness is like “a date, and your breast is despicable.” You not only reach almost to heaven with your greatness, but also, like the fallen dreams of a date, you condescend to your weak disciples, giving them the sucklings of your teaching. Having heard such and so many praises, the Bride, inflamed with love, says: Song 7:9 Rekokh: I will mount the date, I will hold its height: and your breasts will be like grapes, and your nostrils will smell like apples: Song 7:10 And thy throat is like good wine, which suiteth my brother in righteousness; it is sufficient for my mouth and my teeth. Here you can clearly see how the Bride loves the Groom. She, together with the Blessed Apostle Paul, considers herself to have not yet achieved, but, forgetting the back, she reaches out to the front. (Phil. 3:13) So, he says: “I will climb the date and keep its height.” I will not be content with what I have, but I will improve in knowing and loving the Bridegroom. “And your breasts will be like the fruit of grapes.” For you are that true branch (John 15:5), from which the saving wine flows, from which the cup that makes me drunk is filled (Psalm 22:5). “And the stench of your nostrils is like an apple: and your throat is like good wine, which suits my Brother in righteousness, enough for my mouth and tooth.” The teaching that You, my Brother, teach for the edification of the souls of the faithful, is more pleasant than wine and any pleasure in life. “It is enough for my mouth and my teeth”: it is enough for me to preach something from him, and to keep something in silence. Song 7:11 I am my brother, and his address is to me. I dedicated myself completely to Him and renounced communication with pagans, Jews and heretics. He also turned to me Himself, and having many queens, concubines and young men, He preferred me to everyone (Song. 6:8-9). But I do not want to enjoy holy communication with Him alone. Song 7:12 Come, my brother, and let us go up to the village, let us settle in the village: Song 7:13 If we burn grapes, we will see if the grapes flourish, or if the vegetables flourish, or if the apples flourish? There I will give you my breast. Song 7:14 The mandrakes stink, and at our doors all the new fruits are preserved until the old ones, my brother. The Bride convinces the Groom to take care of the souls, still low and imperfect, which he means here by the village. For he does not say: we will go up to the city, but “let us go up to the village, let us settle in the villages; “Have the vegetables flourished,” let us look at those who have produced not only foliage, but also flowers, “have the apples flourished”: the beginning of love has appeared in others, for we must flow around everything and have due care for everything. Having done this, I will listen to you and “there I will give you my breast. Mandragoras stink." Mandrake has a soporific power. But how was the commandment given to us to put to death our evils that are on the earth (Col. 3:5). To mortify - to make one dead to sinful actions; therefore, he rightly says: “mandrakes stink”: that is, people began to lull, as it were, lust, and like those who accepted mandrakes, who do not feel bodily movements, like them, I say, intoxicated with the teaching of piety, they invalidated passions. But not only the mandrakes gave off a stink, but also “all the fruits are at our doors.” For those who accept our teaching will abound in various fruits. “Even from the new to the old, my brother, keep thee.” I have kept the Old and New Testament Commandments given to me by my mother - by the Grace of the Holy Spirit.