1 “ En mi lecho, por las noches, he buscado Al que ama mi alma; Lo busqué, pero no lo hallé.

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

2 ‘ Me levantaré ahora, y andaré por la ciudad; Por las calles y por las plazas Buscaré al que ama mi alma.’ Lo busqué, pero no lo hallé.

I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

3 M e hallaron los guardas que rondan la ciudad, Y les dije: ‘¿Han visto al que ama mi alma?’

The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

4 A penas los había pasado Cuando hallé al que ama mi alma; Lo agarré y no quise soltarlo, Hasta que lo llevé a la casa de mi madre Y a la alcoba de la que me concibió.” EL ESPOSO:

It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

5 “ Yo les ruego, oh hijas de Jerusalén, Por las gacelas o por las ciervas del campo, Que no levanten ni despierten a mi amor, Hasta que quiera.” EL CORO:

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

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 that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

7 ¡ Miren! Es la litera de Salomón; Sesenta valientes la rodean, De los valientes de Israel.

Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant 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 hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

9 E l rey Salomón se ha hecho un carruaje De madera del Líbano.

King Solomon made himself a chariot 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 the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 S algan, hijas de Sion, Y contemplen 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 forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.