The Pearl, Hymn 3: Pearls of Ethiopia

You do not hide yourself in your bareness, O pearl! The merchant too is carried away with love for you, for he strips off his clothes, not to cover you, since your clothing is your light and your garment is your brightness, you who are bare! You are like Eve, who was clothed with nakedness. Cursed be the one who deceived her, stripped her and left her! The serpent cannot strip off your glory. In the mysteries of which you are the type, women are clothed with light in Eden. [a]

The pearls of Ethiopia glisten brightly, as it is written. He who gave you to Ethiopia, the land of black men, he who gave light to the Gentiles: his bright beams reached both the Ethiopians and the Indians. The eunuch of Ethiopia, on his chariot, saw Philip: the Lamb of Light met the dark man from out of the water. While he was reading, the Ethiopian was baptized, and he shone with joy and went on his way! He made disciples and taught, and out of black men he made men white. And the dark Ethiopian women became pearls for the Son; he offered them up to the Father as a glistening crown from the Ethiopians. [c]

The Queen of Sheba was a sheep that had come into the place of wolves. Solomon gave her the lamp of truth, and he also married her when he fell away. She was enlightened and went away, but they were dark, as was their way. The bright spark that went down home with that blessed queen kept on shining in the darkness until the new Dawn came. The bright spark met this shining and lit up the place. [g]

In the sea there are various fish many feet long, and with all their greatness they are very small; but by your littleness the crown is made great, just as by the littleness of the Son Adam was made great. Your crown is meant for the head, your beauty for the eye, your loveliness for the ear. Come up from the sea, you neighbor of the dry land, and come and stay beside the hearing! Let the ear love the word of life as it loves you! The word is inside the ear, and the pearl is outside it. Let the ear, warned by you, gain wisdom from you, and be warned by the word of truth. Be its mirror: in your own beauty it will see the beauty of the Word; in you it will learn how precious the Word on high is! The ear is the leaf, the flesh is the tree, and you in the middle of it are a fruit of light; and you are a type that points to the womb that brings forth Light. He used you, O pearl, as a parable of that kingdom, just as he did the virgins who entered into it, five in number, clothed with the light of their lamps! Those bright ones are like you, you who are clothed in light! [i]

Who would give a pearl to the daughter of a poor man? For when it hangs on her, it does not suit her. Gain without price that faith which, in its wholeness, suits every limb of everyone. But no lady would exchange her pearl for any gold. It would be a great disgrace if you threw your pearl away into the mud for nothing! In the pearl of time let us see the pearl of eternity; for it is kept in the purse, or in the seal, or in the treasury. Within the gate there are other gates, with their locks and keys. The High One has sealed up your pearl, as one who keeps account of all.