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Canticles 5:4

My beloved put his hand through the key hole, and my bowels were moved at his touch.

Challoner: My beloved put his hand through the key holeThe spouse of Christ, his church, at times as it were penned up by its persecutors, and in fears, expecting the divine assistance, here signified by his hand: and ver. 6, but he had turned aside and was gone, that is, Christ permitting a further trial of suffering: and again, ver. 7, the keepers, etc., signifying the violent and cruel persecutors of the church taking her veil, despoiling the church of its places of worship and ornaments for the divine service.

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The verse in its languages

Vulgate (Clementine): Dilectus meus misit manum suam per foramen, et venter meus intremuit ad tactum ejus.
Septuagint (Swete): ἀδελφιδός μου ἀπέστειλεν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀπῆς, καὶ ἡ κοιλία μου ἐθροήθη ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν.
Hebrew (WLC): דּוֹדִ֗י שָׁלַ֤ח יָדוֹ֙ מִן הַחֹ֔ר וּמֵעַ֖י הָמ֥וּ עָלָֽיו

Haydock's commentary

Touch. Of me, (Cassiodorus) or rather of the door or window. I was grieved that I had made him wait so long. (Calmet)

Hebrew, "were moved for him." Protestants' marginal note, "or (as some read) in me." Pagnin prefers this; Septuagint and Montanus the former explanation of halaiv. (Haydock)

Grace moves us to begin and prosecute good works. (St. Gregory of Nyssa) (Theodoret)

Christ gives it more abundantly, to make the champions of the Church contend with adversity. (Menochius)

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 Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Eustochium

25. Ever let the privacy of your chamber guard you; ever let the Bridegroom sport with you within. Do you pray? You speak to the Bridegroom. Do you read? He speaks to you. When sleep overtakes you He will come behind and put His hand through the hole of the door, and your heart shall be moved for Him; and you will awake and rise up and say: “I am sick of love.” Then He will reply: “A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”