Notes on Solomon's Canticle of Canticles (Author Bishop Richard Challoner (ed.))
1:5 I am black but beautiful: That is, the church of Christ founded in humility appearing outwardly afflicted, and as it were black and contemptible; but inwardly, that is, in its doctrine and morality, fair and beautiful.
Original Douay-Rheims from Project Gutenberg - Massive cleanup of OCR problems and editing done locally.