Cantar, 3

1. En mi lecho, por las noches, he buscado al amor de mi alma. Busquéle y no le hallé.

1. Upon my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.

2. Me levantaré, pues, y recorreré la ciudad. Por las calles y las plazas buscaré al amor de mi alma. Busquéle y no le hallé.

2. "I will rise 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 found him not.

3. Los centinelas me encontraron, los que hacen la ronda en la ciudad: «¿Habéis visto al amor de mi alma?»

3. The watchmen found me, as they went about in the city. "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"

4. Apenas habíalos pasado, cuando encontré al amor de mi alma. Le aprehendí y no le soltaré hasta que le haya introducido en la casa de mi madre, en la alcoba de la que me concibió.

4. Scarcely had I passed 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, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

5. Yo os conjuro, hijas de Jerusalén, por las gacelas, por las ciervas del campo, no despertéis, no desveléis al amor, hasta que le plazca.

5. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the hinds of the field, that you stir not up nor awaken love until it please.

6. ¿Qué es eso que sube del desierto, cual columna de humo sahumado de mirra y de incienso, de todo polvo de aromas exóticos?

6. What is that coming up from the wilderness, like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

7. Ved la litera de Salomón. Sesenta valientes en torno a ella, la flor de los valientes de Israel:

7. Behold, it is the litter of Solomon! About it are sixty mighty men of the mighty men of Israel,

8. todos diestros en la espada, veteranos en la guerra. Cada uno lleva su espada al cinto, por las alarmas de la noche.

8. all girt with swords and expert in war, each with his sword at his thigh, against alarms by night.

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

9. King Solomon made himself a palanquin from the wood of Lebanon.

10. Ha hecho de plata sus columnas, de oro su respaldo, de púrpura su asiento; su interior, tapizado de amor por las hijas de Jerusalén.

10. He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple; it was lovingly wrought within by the daughters of Jerusalem.

11. Salid a contemplar, hijas de Sión, a Salomón el rey, con la diadema con que le coronó su madre el día de sus bodas, el día del gozo de su corazón.

11. Go forth, O daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon, with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart.