Cantar de los cantares 5:3

3 Pero yo le respondí:
«Me he quitado el vestido,
¿por qué debería vestirme otra vez?
He lavado mis pies,
¿por qué debería ensuciarlos?».

Cantar de los cantares 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Song of Solomon 5:3

I have put off my coat
In order to lie down on her bed at night, and take her ease; meaning her conversation garments, which she had not been careful of to keep, but had betook herself to carnal ease and rest, and was off her watch and guard, ( Nehemiah 4:23 ) ( Revelation 16:15 ) ; and being at ease, and free from trouble, affliction, and persecution, was unwilling to arise and go with her beloved, lest she should meet with the same trials and sufferings as before, for the sake of him and his Gospel; which may be greatly the sense of her next words; how shall I put it on?
which suggests an apprehension of difficulty in doing it, it being easier to drop the performance of duty than to take it up again; and shows slothfulness and sluggishness, being loath and not knowing how to bring herself to it; and an aversion of the carnal and fleshly part unto it; yea, as if she thought it was unreasonable in Christ to desire it of her, when it was but her reasonable service; or as if she imagined it was dangerous, and would be detrimental to her rest, and prejudicial to her health; I have washed my feet;
as persons used to do when come off of a journey, and about to go to bed ^F5, being weary; as she was of spiritual exercises, and of the observance of ordinances and duties, and so betook herself to carnal ease, and from which being called argues, how shall I defile them?
by rising out of bed, and treading on the floor, and going to the door to let her beloved in; as if hearkening to the voice of Christ, obeying his commands, and taking every proper step to enjoy communion with him, would be a defiling her; whereas it was the reverse of these that did it: from the whole it appears, that not only these excuses were idle and frivolous, but sinful; she slighted the means Christ made use of to awaken her, by calling and knocking; she sinned against light and knowledge, sleeping on, when she knew it was the voice of her beloved; she acted a disingenuous part in inviting Christ into his garden, and then presently fell asleep; and then endeavoured to shift the blame from herself, as if she was no ways culpable, but what was desired was either difficult, or unreasonable, or unlawful; she appears guilty of great ingratitude, and discovers the height of folly in preferring her present ease to the company of Christ.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Homer. Odyss. 19. v. 317.

Cantar de los cantares 5:3 In-Context

1 El joven
¡He entrado en mi jardín, tesoro mío,
esposa mía!
Recojo mirra entre mis especias,
y disfruto del panal con mi miel
y bebo vino con mi leche.
Las jóvenes de Jerusalén
Oh amante y amada: ¡coman y beban!
¡Sí, beban su amor hasta saciarse!

2 La joven
Yo dormía, pero mi corazón estaba atento,
cuando oí que mi amante tocaba a la puerta y llamaba:
«Ábreme, tesoro mío, amada mía,
mi paloma, mi mujer perfecta.
Mi cabeza está empapada de rocío,
mi cabello, con la humedad de la noche».

3 Pero yo le respondí:
«Me he quitado el vestido,
¿por qué debería vestirme otra vez?
He lavado mis pies,
¿por qué debería ensuciarlos?».

4 Mi amante trató de abrir el cerrojo de la puerta,
y mi corazón se estremeció dentro de mí.

5 Salté para abrirle la puerta a mi amor,
y mis manos destilaron perfume.
Mis dedos goteaban preciosa mirra
mientras yo corría el pasador.