Sermon 41 on the Song of Songs — Bernard of Clairvaux
How the Bride Receives in the Meantime Great Consolation from the Contemplation of the Divine Brightness, before She Arrives at the Clear Vision of Him
1. "Your neck is like jewels" (Song 1:9). The neck is accustomed to be adorned with jewels, not to be compared to them. But let those do this for whom, because beauty does not inhere of their own, it is necessary to beg from elsewhere that by which they may feign themselves beautiful. For the neck of the bride is so beautiful in itself, and so becomingly formed as if by nature, that it does not require adornment from without. For what need is there to apply the cosmetics of foreign colors, when its own and, as it were, innate beauty suffices, to such a degree that it can even equal the splendor of those very jewels which are sought for adorning? This indeed is what he who said it wished to be understood, who said that the jewels by no means hang from the neck, as is customary, but rather that the neck itself is like jewels. Now the Holy Spirit need not be invoked by us, that just as by his condescension he granted us to find the spiritual cheeks of the bride, so also he may deign to reveal her spiritual neck. And to my understanding indeed (because it falls to me to speak what I perceive) nothing in the meantime shines forth more plausible or probable than that the intellect itself of the soul is designated by the name of the neck. You too, I think, will approve of the same, if you attend to the rationale of the likeness. For does it not seem to you that the intellect performs, in a certain manner, the function of the neck, through which your soul conveys into itself the vital nourishment of the spirit, and pours it forth into certain inward parts of its character and affections? This neck of the bride, therefore, that is, her pure and simple intellect, since it shines sufficiently of itself with the naked and open truth, has no need of adornment; but rather it becomingly adorns the soul, like a precious jewel, and for this reason is described as like jewels themselves. A good jewel is truth, a good jewel is purity or simplicity, plainly a good jewel is to be wise unto sobriety. The intellect of the philosophers or of the heretics does not have in itself this splendor of purity and truth: and therefore they take great care to color and paint it with the trappings of words and the cunning of syllogisms, lest, if it appear naked, the shamefulness of its falsity also appear.
2. There follows: "We will make you chains of gold, studded with silver." If he had said, "I will make," in the singular, and not in the plural, "we will make," I would have pronounced absolutely and without doubt that the Bridegroom also spoke this. But now consider whether we might not more fittingly and suitably assign it to his companions, as if consoling the bride with such a promise, that until she arrives at the vision of him, for whom she so burns with desire, they will make for her beautiful and precious chains, which are ornaments of the ears. And this, I believe, for the reason that faith comes from hearing; and as long as one walks by faith and not by sight, effort must be given rather to instructing the hearing than to exercising the sight. For in vain is the eye strained which has not been purified by faith, since the abundance of seeing is promised only to those who are pure of heart (Mt 5:8). But it is written: "Purifying their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:9). Since therefore faith comes from hearing, and from faith comes the purification of sight, rightly they were intent on adorning the ears, since hearing, as reason has taught, is the preparation for sight. "You, O bride," they say, "are gaping for the brightness of the beloved to be beheld; but that belongs to another time. We give for the present ornaments to your ears, which will be for you in the meantime a consolation, and also a preparation for this very thing you ask for," as if they say to her that word of the prophet: "Hear, O daughter, and see" (Ps 44:11). "You desire to see, but hear first. Hearing is a step toward seeing. Therefore hear, and incline your ear to the ornaments which we make for you, so that through the obedience of hearing you may arrive at the glory of vision. We give to your hearing joy and gladness. For it is not ours to give to the sight (in which is the fullness of joy and the fulfillment of your desire), but it belongs to him whom your soul loves. He himself, that your joy may be full, will show himself to you; he himself will fill you with gladness with his countenance. You in the meantime accept these chains for consolation from our hand; but for the rest, delights are in his right hand forevermore."
3. One must consider what kind of chains they offer her. "Golden," he says, "and studded with silver." Gold is the splendor of divinity, gold is the wisdom that is from above. They promise that with this gold they will fashion certain shining tokens, as it were, of truth, those to whom this ministry belongs, heavenly goldsmiths, and insert them into the inner ears of the soul. Which I do not think to be anything other than to weave certain spiritual likenesses, and in these to bring the most pure senses of divine wisdom before the sight of the contemplating soul, so that she may see, at least through a mirror and in a riddle, what she is not yet able in any way to behold face to face. Divine are the things we speak of, and utterly unknown except to those who have experienced them; how, namely, in this mortal body, while faith still holds its place, and the substance of the clear light is not yet revealed, nevertheless the contemplation of pure truth already at times presumes to perform its part within us, even if only in part; so that it is permitted for even one of us, to whom this has been given from above, to borrow that word of the Apostle: "Now I know in part"; likewise, "We know in part, and we prophesy in part" (1 Cor 13:12, 9). But when something more divine has flashed upon the mind that exceeds in spirit, swiftly and as if with the speed of a flashing light, whether for the tempering of the excessive splendor or for the purpose of instruction, immediately, I know not whence, there appear certain image-like likenesses of lower things, suitably fitted to the divinely infused senses, by which that most pure and most brilliant ray of truth, being in a certain way overshadowed, both becomes more tolerable to the soul itself, and more capable of being received by those to whom it wishes to communicate it. I think, however, that these forms are shaped in us by the suggestions of the holy angels, just as conversely there is no doubt that contrary and evil impulses are thrust upon us through evil angels.
4. And perhaps from this comes that mirror and riddle, as I said, through which the Apostle was seeing (1 Cor 13:12), fabricated as if by the hands of angels out of pure and beautiful images of this kind: so that we may perceive that what is pure and without any phantasm of corporeal images is of God; and that we may attribute to angelic ministry whatever elegant likeness it has appeared worthily clothed in. Another translation seems to have signified this more expressly, saying: "We will make you likenesses of gold, with distinctions of silver" (Song 1:10, according to the Septuagint). It is one and the same thing, "with distinctions of silver" and "studded with silver." In this it seems to me to signify that not only are likenesses suggested inwardly through the angels, but also the splendor of eloquence is ministered outwardly through them, so that, suitably and becomingly adorned by it, the likenesses may both be more easily grasped by hearers and more delightfully received. But if you say: "What have eloquence and silver to do with each other?" the prophet says to you: "The words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried by fire" (Ps 11:7). So therefore those heavenly ministering spirits make for the bride, who is a pilgrim on earth, chains of gold, studded with silver.
5. But see how she desires one thing and receives another: and on one who is striving toward the quiet of contemplation, the labor of preaching is imposed; and on one who thirsts for the presence of the Bridegroom, the care of bearing and nourishing the children of the Bridegroom is enjoined. Nor does this happen to her now only; but also on another occasion, as I recall, when she was sighing for the embraces and kisses of the Bridegroom, it was answered to her: "For your breasts are better than wine" (Song 1:1); so that from this she might understand herself to be a mother, and that she was being called back to give milk to the little ones and to nourish her children. Perhaps also in other places of this canticle you yourself will be able to notice this very thing, if you are not too lazy to inquire. Was not this matter prefigured of old in the holy patriarch Jacob, when, frustrated of his longed-for and long-awaited embraces of Rachel, in place of the barren and beautiful one he received, unwilling and unknowing, the fruitful and blear-eyed one? (Gen 29:23-25). So therefore now the bride, desiring and inquiring to know where the beloved pastures and rests at the noon hours, brings back in his place chains of gold, studded with silver; that is, wisdom with eloquence; without doubt for the work of preaching.
6. From this we are taught that the sweet kisses must often be interrupted for the sake of the nursing breasts; and that no one is to live for himself, but for all. Woe to those who have received the gift both of thinking well about God and of speaking well, if they reckon godliness as a source of gain; if they turn to vain glory what they had received to be dispensed for the profits of God; if, being wise in high things, they do not condescend to the lowly. Let them tremble at what is read in the prophet, the Lord saying: "I gave them my gold and my silver; but they wrought for Baal with my silver and gold" (Hos 2:8). Therefore hear what the bride, having received on the one hand a reproof, on the other hand a promise, answered. For she is neither puffed up by the promises nor angered by the rebuff; but, as it is written: "Reprove a wise man, and he will love you" (Prov 9:8); and again, as pertains to gifts and promises: "The greater you are, humble yourself in all things" (Sir 3:20); both of which will become more clear from her response. But the discussion of this, if you please, let it be deferred to the beginning of another sermon, and for the things that have been said, let us glorify the Bridegroom of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is over all things God blessed forever. Amen.
Translated from the Latin by AI. Source: Migne, Patrologia Latina 183.