Cantar de los Cantares 3

1 En mi lecho, de noche, busqué al que ama mi alma; le busqué y no le 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, pues, y giraré por la ciudad, por las calles y las plazas; buscaré al que ama mi alma. Le busqué y no le 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 Me encontraron los guardias que hacen la ronda por la ciudad: “¿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 Apenas me había apartado de ellos, encontré al que ama mi alma. Lo así y no lo soltaré hasta introducirlo en la casa de mi madre, y en la cámara de la que me dio el ser.

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 Os conjuro, oh hijas de Jerusalén, por las gacelas y las ciervas del campo, que no despertéis ni inquietéis a la amada, hasta que ella quiera.

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 cosa es esta que sube del desierto, como columna de humo perfumada de mirra e incienso con todos los aromas 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 Mirad, es su litera, la de Salomón; sesenta valientes la rodean, de entre los héroes de Israel.

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

8 Todos ellos manejan la espada, son adiestrados para el combate; todos llevan la espada ceñida, a causa de 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 De maderas del Líbano se hizo el rey Salomón un cenáculo.

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

10 Hizo de plata sus columnas, de oro el dosel, de púrpura su asiento; su interior está recamado de 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 Salid, oh hijas de Sión, a contemplar al rey Salomón con la corona que le tejió su madre en el día de sus desposorios, el día del gozo 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.