Sapientiæ 4:14

Nova Vulgata

Nardus et crocus, fistula et cinnamomum cum universis lignis turiferis, myrrha et aloe cum omnibus primis unguentis.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Quod de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum ; et alius, natus in regno, inopia consumatur.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Nardus et crocus, fistula et cinnamomum,
cum universis lignis Libani;
myrrha et alo�, cum omnibus primis unguentis.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

calamus: Exodus 30:23, Ezekiel 27:19

cinnamon: Proverbs 7:17, Revelation 18:13

trees: Song of Solomon 4:6, Song of Solomon 5:1, Numbers 24:6

the chief: Song of Solomon 6:2, Genesis 43:11, 1 Kings 10:10, 2 Chronicles 9:9, Mark 16:1

Reciprocal: Psalms 45:8 - All Song of Solomon 1:13 - bundle Song of Solomon 1:14 - camphire Song of Solomon 4:13 - camphire Song of Solomon 4:16 - the spices Song of Solomon 5:5 - my hands Mark 14:3 - of ointment John 12:3 - ointment John 19:39 - a

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Spikenard and saffron,.... The former is the best sort of nard, and therefore mentioned and repeated, to which saints may be compared, because of the graces of the Spirit in them; which, when exercised, give a sweet odour, and are exceeding grateful to Christ; see Song of Solomon 1:12; and the latter, according to Schindler s, seems to have been read "carcos", the same with "crocus", and is a plant well known by us for its cheering nature; and has its name from the Arabic, "zaffran", because of its yellow or golden colour; but "crocus", from "Corycus" t, a mountain in Cilicia, where it grew; it is properly joined with spikenard, since itself is a "spica", and is sometimes called "spica Cilissa" u. Next follow

calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; "calamus" is the sweet cane in Isaiah 43:24; "cinnamon" is the rind or bark of a tree; both grow in India w and in Arabia x; as also trees of "frankincense", which are only in Arabia; hence one of the Arabias is called "thurifera" y, for they do not grow in all Arabia: the two first were ingredients in the holy anointing oil, and the latter in the holy perfume, Exodus 30:23;

myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices; Solomon's gardens might be furnished with all these; and with the above trees, plants, and spices, from Arabia Felix, where, as Appianus z says, "cassia" grew in marshy places; myrrh and frankincense were gathered from trees, cinnamon from shrubs, and their meadows naturally produced nard; hence called "aromatifera", the spicy country a: myrrh was also an ingredient in the anointing oil; and aloes, according to the Targum, is the same with lign aloes; see Numbers 24:6; not the herb which has a very bitter juice, but the tree of a sweet odour, which Isidore b distinguishes, and is what is meant in Psalms 45:8; and were both of a very fragrant smell. Now all these trees, plants, and spices, signify truly precious souls, possessed of the graces of the Spirit; comparable to them for their valuableness and excellency, their sweet smell, and the reviving and refreshing nature of them; which make the subjects of these graces very agreeable to Christ, and to one another. What a garden is the church thus planted!

s Lexic. Pentaglott. col. 910. t "Corycii pressura croci", Lucan. Pharsal. l. 9. v. 809. u Ovid. Fast. l. 1. v. 76. in Ibin, v. 200. Propert. l. 4. Eleg. 6. v. 74. w Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 19, 22. Strabo, l. 15. p. 478. x Herodot. Thalia, c. 107. "Cinnamoni et multi pastor odoris Araba", Propert. l. 3. Eleg. 13. v. 8, 9. y Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 14. z Apud Schindler. Lexic. col. 1192. a Strabo. Geograph. l. 16. p. 538. Vid. p. 535. b Origin. l. 17. c. 8, 9.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The loveliness and purity of the bride are now set forth under the image of a paradise or garden fast barred against intruders, filled with rarest plants of excellent fragrance, and watered by abundant streams. Compare Proverbs 5:15-20.

Song of Solomon 4:12

A fountain sealed - i. e., A well-spring covered with a stone Genesis 29:3, and sealed with “the king’s own signet” (Daniel 6:17; compare Matthew 27:66).

Song of Solomon 4:13

Orchard - This is the renderlng here and in Ecclesiastes 2:5 of “pardes” (see Nehemiah 2:8 note). The pomegranate was for the Jews a sacred fruit, and a characteristic product of the land of promise (compare Exodus 28:33-34; Numbers 20:5; Deuteronomy 8:8; 1 Kings 7:18, 1 Kings 7:20). It is frequently mentioned in the Song, and always in connection with the bride. It abounds to this day in the ravines of the Lebanon.

Camphire - Cyprus. See Song of Solomon 1:14 note.

Song of Solomon 4:13-15

Seven kinds of spices (some of them with Indian names, e. g. aloes, spikenard, saffron) are enumerated as found in this symbolic garden. They are for the most part pure exotics which have formed for countless ages articles of commerce in the East, and were brought at that time in Solomon’s ships from southern Arabia, the great Indian Peninsula, and perhaps the islands of the Indian Archipelago. The picture here is best regarded as a purely ideal one, having no corresponding reality but in the bride herself. The beauties and attractions of both north and south - of Lebanon with its streams of sparkling water and fresh mountain air, of Engedi with its tropical climate and henna plantations, of the spice-groves of Arabia Felix, and of the rarest products of the distant mysterious Ophir - all combine to furnish one glorious representation, “Thou art all fair!”