Corpus of Latin Ecclesiastical Writers, Vol. LXII: Ambrose's Exposition of Psalm 118

shifts of words, but immediately to demand what she had desired. Thus, therefore, even the holy Ecclesia Church, which was betrothed at the beginning of the world in paradise, prefigured in the flood, announced through the law, and called through the prophets, having awaited the redemption of men for so long, the beauty of the gospel, and the arrival of the beloved, 5 impatient of delay, rushes into kisses, saying: Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth; and delighted by the kisses, she added: For your breasts are better than wine.

5. And that we may speak more morally, understand for me that flesh which had been soaked in the poison of the serpent in Adam, which was withering in the stench of crimes, which was proceeding among the daughters of Zion with head held high and with the nodding of eyes and dragging her garments as she walked, and playing with her feet, with curled hair and composed faces and ribbons and all affected beauty, more unbecoming, yet the same flesh, taught by many oracles that he was to come who, with the serpent’s snares excluded, would pour out the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that all flesh might see the salvation of God, and all flesh might come to God, had burned with desire, but fearing that, as impatient, as wanton, as luxurious, as complaining, just as she had been before, she might displease, although she was shaken by an expectation of the Lord’s arrival that was longer than she could bear, not murmuring, however, nor transgressing, but lifting up pure hands in every place without anger and disputation, in adorned attire, adorning herself with modesty and sobriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or precious clothing, but with those things which would befit the grace of chastity and good conduct,

The editorial apparatus notes that "shifts of words" (uerborum uices) refers to Ovid, Pont. 2, 10, 35. The Latin text of Song of Songs 1, 2 is cited. It also cross-references Isaiah 3:16 regarding the daughters of Zion, Luke 3:6, Psalm 64:3, and 1 Timothy 2:8.