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

“ On my bed night after night I sought him Whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not 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 must arise now and go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I must seek him whom my soul loves.’ I sought him but did not 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 make the rounds in the city found me, And I said, ‘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:

“ Scarcely had I left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And 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, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you will not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases.” Solomon’s Wedding Day

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 ?

“ What is this coming up from the wilderness Like columns of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all scented powders of the merchant?

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

“Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; Sixty mighty men 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.

“All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert in war; Each man has his sword at his side, Guarding against the terrors of the night.

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

“King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair From the timber 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 posts of silver, Its back of gold And its seat of purple fabric, With its interior lovingly fitted out By 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 forth, O daughters of Zion, And gaze on King Solomon with the crown With which his mother has crowned him On the day of his wedding, And on the day of his gladness of heart.”