of
her
Beloved.
She
seeks
to
cleanse
and
to
purify
herself,
but
she
is
no
sooner
washed
than
she
seems
to
fall
into
a
slough
yet
more
filthy
and
polluted
than
that
from
which
she
has
just
escaped.
She
does
not
see
that
it
is
because
she
runs
that
she
contracts
defilement,
and
falls
so
frequently,
yet
she
is
so
ashamed
to
run
in
this
condition,
that
she
does
not
know
where
to
hide
herselC
Her
gar-ments
are
soiled
;
she
loses
all
she
has
in
the
race.
Her
Bridegroom
aids
in
her
spoliation
for
two
reasons
:
the
first,
because
she
has
soiled
her
beau-tiful
garments
by
her
vain
complaisances,
and
has
appropriated
the
gifts
of
God
in
reflections
of
self-
esteem.
The
second,
because
in
running,
her
course
will
be
impeded
by
this
burden
of
appropriation
;
even
the
fear
of
losing
such
riches
would
lessen
her
speed.
O
poor
soul
!
what
art
thou
become
?
Formerly
thou
wast
the
delight
of
thy
Bridegroom,
when
He
took
such
pleasure
in
adorning
and
beautifying
thee
;
now
thou
art
so
naked,
so
ragged,
so
poor,
that
thou
darest
neither
to
look
upon
thyself
nor
to
appear
before
Him.
Those
who
gaze
upon
thee.
