George Leo Haydock, on Lam 4:7

“Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.”

“Old ivory. Whiteness shews its age. (Pliny, [Natural History?] iii. 8.) — As it grows old it turns yellow, and loses much of its value. But the ancients had the art of dyeing it scarlet. (Virgil, Æneid xii.; Homer, Iliad iv.; Ovid ii. Am. v.) (Calmet) — Hebrew poninim may signify (Haydock) “pearls,” the shells of which are stained with a delicate red; though the epithet ruddy may mean “shining,” in which sense purpureus is used. (Horace, iv. Od. 1.) — The complexion of the Nazarites was fair, with a mixture of red, Canticle of Canticles v. 10. They were probably clothed in white, and were highly respected, 1 Machabees iii. 49., Amos ii. 11., and Numbers vi. 18. (Calmet)”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.