Christus loquitur sponse dicens, quod caueat diligenter a vicio superbie, ne extollatur de pulchritudine membrorum aut de bonis seu de progenie. Nam superbus comparatur papilioni, qui habet alas latas et modicum corpus.
The Folly of the Butterfly
Christ uses the metaphor of a butterfly to illustrate the fragility and vanity of human pride.
The Son says to the bride, "Don't be troubled by the pride of those people, for it will quickly pass away." For there is a certain kind of insect called a butterfly. It has broad wings and a tiny body. Secondly, it has many different colors. Third, it flies high because it's so thin and light, but as it rises into the air, because its body has so little strength, it falls all the more quickly onto whatever is nearest, whether that's stone or wood. This type of fly represents the proud, who have broad wings but a tiny body; their minds swell with pride like skin inflated by the wind, and they believe they have everything because of their own merits, putting themselves before others and thinking they're more worthy than everyone else. They would spread their names across the whole world if they could, but because their lives are as brief as a single point, they fall when they fail to reflect. Second, the proud are like butterflies with many colors, because they take pride in the beauty of their bodies, their possessions, and their lineage; they change their status to suit every whim of their pride, but when they die, they are nothing but dust. Third, when the proud have climbed to the highest level of their pride, they fall dangerously and in an instant into death.
A Warning Against Pride
The Lord exhorts the bride to reject pride, which acts as a barrier to divine grace.
Therefore, guard yourself against pride, because it hides the face of God from a person, and my grace does not enter into anyone whom it possesses.
Read the original Latin
Filius loquitur ad sponsam: "Noli turbari de superbia istorum, que cito transiet. Est enim quoddam genus muscarum, quod vocatur papilio. Hoc habet latas alas et modicum corpus. Secundo habet multiplices colores.
Tercio volat alte propter subtilitatem suam et leuitatem, sed ascendens in aerem, quia modicum habet fortitudinis in corpore, cadit cicius in quodcumque est vicinius, siue ad lapides siue ad ligna.
Istud genus muscarum significat superbos, qui habent latas alas et modicum corpus, quia mens eorum intumescit superbia quasi pellis inflata vento creduntque se omnia habere pro meritis suis et preferunt se ceteris arbitrantes se ceteris digniores;
qui et nomen suum extenderent per totum mundum, si possent, Sed quia vita eorum breuis est quasi unus punctus, ideo, cum non recogitant, cadunt.
Secundo superbi habent multiplices colores sicut papilio, quia superbiunt de pulchritudine membrorum, de bonis et de progenie, et iuxta omnem superbie sue adinuencionem mutant statum suum, sed cum moriuntur non sunt nisi terra.
Tercio superbi, cum in altissimum gradum superbie ascenderint, periculose et in momento cadunt in mortem.
Ideo caue tibi a superbia, quia ipsa subtrahit faciem Dei ab homine nec gracia mea ingreditur ad eum, quem ipsa possidet."
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