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Canticles 2:15

Catch us the little foxes that destroy the vines: for our vineyard hath flourished.

Challoner: Catch us the little foxesChrist commands his pastors to catch false teachers, by holding forth their fallacy and erroneous doctrine, which like foxes would bite and destroy the vines.

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The verse in its languages

Vulgate (Clementine): Sponsa Capite nobis vulpes parvulas quæ demoliuntur vineas : nam vinea nostra floruit.
Septuagint (Swete): πιάσατε ἡμῖν ἀλώπεκας μικροὺς ἀφανίζοντας ἀμπελῶνας· καὶ αἱ ἄμπελοι ἡμῶν κυπρίζουσαι.
Hebrew (WLC): אֶֽחֱזוּ לָ֨נוּ֙ שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים קְטַנִּ֖ים מְחַבְּלִ֣ים כְּרָמִ֑ים וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּ סְמָדַֽר

Haydock's commentary

Foxes. They hurt vines, (Theoc. 5.) and denote false prophets, Ezechiel xiii. 4. (St. Augustine) (Psalm lxxx.)

For. Hebrew, "and our vines of Semadar," ver. 13. (Calmet)

Foxes breed in spring, and greatly infested the country, Judges xv. 4.

From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.

The Fathers on this verse

St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Homily XXXII on Rom. xvi. 17, 18

Who is there then to pray over us, since Paul hath departed? These who are the imitators of Paul. Only let us yield ourselves worthy of such intercession ( συνηγορίας ), that it may not be that we hear Paul’s voice here only, but that hereafter, when we are departed, we may be counted worthy to see the wrestler of Christ. Or rather, if we hear him here, we shall certainly see him hereafter, if not as standing near him, yet see him we certainly shall, glistening near the Throne of the king. Where the Cherubim sing the glory, where the Seraphim are flying, there shall we see Paul, with Peter, and as a chief and leader of the choir of the Saints, and shall enjoy his generous love. For if when here he loved men so, that when he had the choice of departing and being with Christ, he chose to be here, much more will he there display a warmer affection. …

St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Pope Damasus

1. Since the East, shattered as it is by the long-standing feuds, subsisting between its peoples, is bit by bit tearing into shreds the seamless vest of the Lord, “woven from the top throughout,” since the foxes are destroying the vineyard of Christ, and since among the broken cisterns that hold no water it is hard to discover “the sealed fountain” and “the garden inclosed,” I think it my duty to consult the chair of Peter, and to turn to a church whose faith has been praised by Paul. I appeal for spiritual food to the church whence I have received the garb of Christ. The wide space of sea and land that lies between us cannot deter me from searching for “the pearl of great price.” “Wheresoever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Evil children have squandered their patrimony; you alone keep your heritage intact. …