Song of Songs 5 in the early church
[also Song of Solomon; Vulgate: Canticle of Canticles]
130 passages quote, allude to, or echo Song of Songs 5, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16
Song of Songs 5:1
I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.
Song of Songs 5:2
I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
Song of Songs 5:3
I have taken off my robe—must I put it back on? I have washed my feet—must I soil them again?
Song of Songs 5:4
My beloved put his hand to the latch; my heart pounded for him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:4 | Letter 22.25 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Song 5:4 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.16.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:4 | Exposition of Psalm 118 22.32.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
Song of Songs 5:5
I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:5 | Homily on the Paralytic 6 · Cyril of Jerusalem | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 350-387 |
| Song 5:5 | Letter 65.14 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Song 5:5 | On Virgins 2.6 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 377 |
| Song 5:5 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.16.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:5 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.16.2 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:5–7 | Homily 12 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
Song of Songs 5:6
I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:6 | Fragments on the Song of Songs, chapter 4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Song 5:6 | Letter 22.25 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Song 5:6 | Letter 22.26 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Song 5:6 | Second Apology of David 44 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 384-397 |
| Song 5:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 6.9.2 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.17.1 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.17.2 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 22.32.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:6 | Homily 13 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Song 5:6 | The Conferences 13.12 · John Cassian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
Song of Songs 5:7
I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city. They beat me and bruised me; they took away my cloak, those guardians of the walls.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:7 | Letter 22.25 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Song 5:7 | Letter 107.7 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Song 5:7 | Second Apology of David 44 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 384-397 |
| Song 5:7 | Exposition of Psalm 118 7.35.3 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:7 | Exposition of Psalm 118 7.36.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:7 | Exposition of Psalm 118 14.34.1 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
Song of Songs 5:8
O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you, if you find my beloved, tell him I am sick with love.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:8 | Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.69 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410) |
| Song 5:8 | Homily 12 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Song 5:8–12 | Homily 13 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
Song of Songs 5:10
My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:10 | Fragments on the Song of Songs, chapter 4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Song 5:10 | Letter 108.31 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Song 5:10 | Ancoratus 49.1 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374 |
| Song 5:10 | Ancoratus 49.4 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374 |
| Song 5:10 | On Virgins 1.9 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 377 |
| Song 5:10 | Altercatio, chapter 2, speech 42 · Evagrius of Gaul | quotation, high confidence | ca. 400 |
| Song 5:10 | Exposition of Psalm 118 5.8.2 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:10 | On the Blessings of the Patriarchs 56 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 387-392 |
| Song 5:10 | Against Jovinianus 1.31 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | 393 |
| Song 5:10 | Part 1, chapter 27 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Song of Songs 5:11
His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:11 | Fragments on the Song of Songs, chapter 4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Song 5:11 | Exposition of Psalm 118 15.12.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:11 | Letters 23.26 · Paulinus of Nola | quotation, high confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Song 5:11 | Letters 23.28 · Paulinus of Nola | quotation, high confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Song 5:11 | Formulae of Spiritual Understanding 4 · Eucherius of Lyon | quotation, high confidence | ca. 420-430 |
Song of Songs 5:12
His eyes are like doves beside the streams of water, bathed in milk and mounted like jewels.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:12 | Homilies on Leviticus 2.2 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Song 5:12 | Homilies on Leviticus 3.8 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Song 5:12 | Catechetical Lecture 17.8 · Cyril of Jerusalem | quotation, high confidence | ca. 350 |
| Song 5:12 | Exposition of Psalm 118 15.13.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:12 | Exposition of Psalm 118 16.21.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
Song of Songs 5:13
His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:13 | Fragments on the Song of Songs, chapter 4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Song 5:13 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.22.3 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:13–16 | Homily 13 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Song 5:13–16 | Homily 14 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
Song of Songs 5:14
His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is polished ivory bedecked with sapphires.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:14 | Fragments on the Song of Songs, chapter 4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
Song of Songs 5:15
His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:15 | PG 12:1497 (Ps 65 LXX) · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Song 5:15 | Commentary on Romans 8.5 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406) |
| Song 5:15 | On Virgins 1.9 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 377 |
| Song 5:15 | On the Christian Faith 3.10 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 378–380 |
| Song 5:15 | Exposition of Psalm 118 5.39.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
Song of Songs 5:16
His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song 5:16 | Eclogae on Exodus-Judges, column 805 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Song 5:16 | Oration 37.11 · Gregory of Nazianzus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Song 5:16 | On the Christian Faith 3.10 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 378–380 |
| Song 5:16 | Theological Oration 3 (Or. 29), On the Son 20 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | 380 |
| Song 5:16 | Exposition of Psalm 118 17.11.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:16 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.22.3 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Song 5:16 | Against Jovinianus 1.31 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | 393 |
| Song 5:16 | On the Christian Life 9 · Fastidius | quotation, high confidence | ca. 411-430 |