1 E n mi lecho, por las noches, he buscado al que ama mi alma; lo busqué, mas no lo hallé.

By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

2 “ Me levantaré ahora, y andaré por la ciudad; por las calles y por las plazas buscaré al que ama mi alma.” Lo busqué, mas no lo hallé.

I will get up now, and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

3 M e hallaron los guardas que rondan la ciudad, y les dije: “¿Habéis visto al que ama mi alma?”

The watchmen who go about the city found me; “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

4 A penas los había pasado cuando hallé al que ama mi alma; lo agarré y no quise soltarlo, hasta que lo introduje en la casa de mi madre y en la alcoba de la que me concibió. EL ESPOSO:

I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me.

5 Y o os conjuro, oh hijas de Jerusalén, por las gacelas o por las ciervas del campo, que no levantéis ni despertéis a mi amor, hasta que quiera. EL CORO:

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

6 ¿ Qué es eso que sube del desierto como columnas de humo, con perfume de mirra e incienso, con todos los polvos aromáticos del mercader ?

Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?

7 H e aquí, es la litera de Salomón; sesenta valientes la rodean, de los valientes de Israel.

Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage! Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

8 T odos ellos manejan la espada, son diestros en la guerra, cada uno tiene la espada a su lado, contra los peligros de la noche.

They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.

9 E l rey Salomón se ha hecho un palanquín de madera del Líbano.

King Solomon made himself a carriage of the wood of Lebanon.

10 H izo sus columnas de plata, su respaldo de oro y su asiento de púrpura, su interior tapizado con amor por las hijas de Jerusalén.

He made its pillars of silver, its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, the middle of it being paved with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 S alid, hijas de Sion, y contemplad al rey Salomón con la corona con la cual su madre lo coronó el día de sus bodas, el día de la alegría de su corazón.

Go out, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon, with the crown with which his mother has crowned him, in the day of his weddings, in the day of the gladness of his heart.