The Song of Solomon : and the Lamentations of Jeremiah

i6 THE SONG OF SOLOMON
ladies of. the court prostrate themselves should have
no fascination for her? She notices the contrast between
the swarthy hue of her sun-burnt countenance
and the pale complexion of these pampered products
of palace seclusion. She is so dark in comparison
with them that she likens herself to the black goats-
hair tents of the Arabs.^ The explanation is that her
brothers have made her work in their vineyards. Mean-
while she has not kept her own vineyard.^ She has
not guarded her beauty as these idle women, who have
nothing else to do, have guarded theirs ; but perhaps
she has a sadder thought— she could not protect
herself when out alone at her task in the country
or she would never have been captured and carried
off to the prison where she now sits disconsolate.
Possibly the vineyard she has not kept is the lover
whom she has lost.^ Still she is a woman, and with
a touch of piqued pride she reminds her critics that
if she is dark—black compared with them—she is
comely. They cannot deny that. It is the cause of
all her misery; she owes her imprisonment to her
beauty. She knows that their secret feeling is one of
envy of her, the latest favourite. Then their affected
contempt is groundless. But, indeed, she has no
desire to stand as their rival. She would gladly make
her escape. She speaks in a half sohloquy. Will not
somebody tell her where he is whom her soul loveth ?
Where is her lost shepherd lad ? Where is he feeding
his flock ? Where is he resting it at noon ? Such
questions only provoke mockery. Addressing the simple
girl as the " fairest among women," the court ladies bid
her find her lover for herself. Let her go back to her
'
i. 5.
2 i_ 5_ 3 See viii. 12.