Print Page Options

EL ESPOSO:

He entrado en mi huerto(A), hermana mía, esposa mía(B);
he recogido mi mirra(C) con mi bálsamo.
He comido mi panal y[a] mi miel;
he bebido mi vino y[b] mi leche(D).
Comed(E), amigos(F);
bebed y embriagaos, oh amados.

El tormento de la separación

LA ESPOSA:

Yo dormía, pero mi corazón velaba,
¡Una voz! ¡Mi amado toca a la puerta!
«Abreme, hermana mía(G), amada[c] mía,
paloma mía, perfecta mía(H),
pues mi cabeza está empapada[d] de rocío,
mis cabellos(I) empapados de la humedad[e] de la noche».
Me he quitado la ropa,
¿cómo he de vestirme de nuevo(J)?
He lavado mis pies(K),
¿cómo los volveré a ensuciar?
Mi amado metió su mano por la abertura de la puerta,
y se estremecieron por él[f] mis entrañas(L).
Yo me levanté para abrir a mi amado;
y mis manos destilaron mirra(M),
y mis dedos mirra líquida[g],
sobre los pestillos de la cerradura.
Abrí yo a mi amado,
pero mi amado se había retirado, se había ido(N).
Tras[h] su hablar salió mi alma(O).
Lo busqué, y no lo hallé(P);
lo llamé, y no me respondió(Q).
Me hallaron los guardas que rondan la ciudad(R),
me golpearon y me hirieron;
me quitaron de encima mi chal los guardas de las murallas.
Yo os conjuro, oh hijas de Jerusalén(S),
si encontráis a mi amado,
¿qué le habéis de decir?
Que estoy enferma de amor(T).

EL CORO:

¿Qué clase de amado es tu amado[i],
oh la más hermosa de las mujeres(U)?
¿Qué clase de amado es tu amado[j],
que así nos conjuras?

LA ESPOSA:

10 Mi amado es resplandeciente y sonrosado[k](V),
distinguido[l](W) entre diez mil.
11 Su cabeza es como oro, oro puro,
sus cabellos(X), como racimos de dátiles[m],
negros como el cuervo.
12 Sus ojos son como palomas(Y)
junto a corrientes de agua,
bañados en leche,
colocados en[n] su engaste(Z).
13 Sus mejillas, como eras[o] de bálsamo,
como riberas de hierbas(AA) aromáticas;
sus labios son lirios(AB)
que destilan mirra líquida(AC).
14 Sus manos, barras de oro
engastadas de berilo(AD);
su vientre, marfil tallado
recubierto de zafiros[p](AE).
15 Sus piernas, columnas de alabastro
asentadas sobre basas de oro puro;
su aspecto, como el Líbano(AF),
gallardo[q] como los cedros(AG).
16 Su paladar(AH), dulcísimo,
y todo él, deseable(AI).
Este es mi amado y este es mi amigo,
hijas de Jerusalén.

Footnotes

  1. Cantares 5:1 Lit., con
  2. Cantares 5:1 Lit., con
  3. Cantares 5:2 Lit., compañera
  4. Cantares 5:2 Lit., llena
  5. Cantares 5:2 Lit., las gotas
  6. Cantares 5:4 Muchos mss. dicen: y en mí
  7. Cantares 5:5 Lit., que pasa
  8. Cantares 5:6 Lit., Con
  9. Cantares 5:9 O, ¿Qué es tu amado más que otro amado
  10. Cantares 5:9 O, ¿Qué es tu amado más que otro amado
  11. Cantares 5:10 O, rojizo
  12. Cantares 5:10 Lit., estandarte alzado
  13. Cantares 5:11 O, de palmera
  14. Cantares 5:12 Lit., sentados sobre
  15. Cantares 5:13 Lit., era
  16. Cantares 5:14 O, lapislázuli
  17. Cantares 5:15 Lit., escogido

He

I have come into my garden,(A) my sister, my bride;(B)
    I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
    I have drunk my wine and my milk.(C)

Friends

Eat, friends, and drink;
    drink your fill of love.

She

I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove,(D) my flawless(E) one.(F)
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”
I have taken off my robe—
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
    must I soil them again?
My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.
I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,(G)
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
I opened for my beloved,(H)
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.(I)
    My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked(J) for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.
The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.(K)
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(L)
    if you find my beloved,(M)
what will you tell him?
    Tell him I am faint with love.(N)

Friends

How is your beloved better than others,
    most beautiful of women?(O)
How is your beloved better than others,
    that you so charge us?

She

10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.(P)
11 His head is purest gold;
    his hair is wavy
    and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves(Q)
    by the water streams,
washed in milk,(R)
    mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks(S) are like beds of spice(T)
    yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies(U)
    dripping with myrrh.(V)
14 His arms are rods of gold
    set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
    decorated with lapis lazuli.(W)
15 His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,(X)
    choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth(Y) is sweetness itself;
    he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,(Z) this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 5:6 Or heart had gone out to him when he spoke

He

I (A)came to my garden, my (B)sister, my bride,
    I gathered my (C)myrrh with my spice,
    I ate my (D)honeycomb with my honey,
    I (E)drank my wine with my milk.

Others

Eat, (F)friends, drink,
    and be drunk with love!

The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

She

I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is (G)knocking.
“Open to me, my (H)sister, my (I)love,
    my (J)dove, my (K)perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
    my (L)locks with the drops of the night.”
(M)I had put off my garment;
    how could I put it on?
I had (N)bathed my feet;
    how could I soil them?
My beloved put his hand to the latch,
    and my heart was thrilled within me.
I arose to open to my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with (O)liquid myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my beloved,
    but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he (P)spoke.
(Q)I sought him, but found him not;
    (R)I called him, but he gave no answer.
(S)The watchmen found me
    as they went about in the city;
they beat me, they bruised me,
    they took away my veil,
    those watchmen of the walls.
I (T)adjure you, O (U)daughters of Jerusalem,
    if you find my beloved,
that you tell him
    (V)I am sick with love.

Others

What is your beloved more than another beloved,
    O (W)most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
    that you thus (X)adjure us?

The Bride Praises Her Beloved

She

10 My beloved is radiant and (Y)ruddy,
    (Z)distinguished among ten thousand.
11 His head is the finest gold;
    (AA)his locks are wavy,
    black as a raven.
12 His (AB)eyes are like doves
    beside streams of water,
bathed in milk,
    sitting beside a full pool.[a]
13 His (AC)cheeks are like (AD)beds of spices,
    mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.
His lips are (AE)lilies,
    dripping (AF)liquid myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold,
    set with (AG)jewels.
His body is polished ivory,[b]
    bedecked with (AH)sapphires.[c]
15 His legs are alabaster columns,
    set on bases of gold.
His appearance is like (AI)Lebanon,
    choice as the cedars.
16 His (AJ)mouth[d] is most sweet,
    and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
    O (AK)daughters of Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  2. Song of Solomon 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  3. Song of Solomon 5:14 Hebrew lapis lazuli
  4. Song of Solomon 5:16 Hebrew palate

I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.

I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.

What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?

10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

The Bride Praises the Bridegroom

The Beloved

I (A)have come to my garden, my (B)sister, my spouse;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice;
(C)I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk.

(To His Friends)

Eat, O (D)friends!
Drink, yes, drink deeply,
O beloved ones!

The Shulamite’s Troubled Evening

The Shulamite

I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
(E)He knocks, saying,
“Open for me, my sister, [a]my love,
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My [b]locks with the drops of the night.”

I have taken off my robe;
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet;
How can I [c]defile them?
My beloved put his hand
By the [d]latch of the door,
And my heart yearned for him.
I arose to open for my beloved,
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
My fingers with liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.

I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My [e]heart leaped up when he spoke.
(F)I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.
(G)The watchmen who went about the city found me.
They struck me, they wounded me;
The keepers of the walls
Took my veil away from me.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
That you tell him I am lovesick!

The Daughters of Jerusalem

What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
(H)O fairest among women?
What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
That you so [f]charge us?

The Shulamite

10 My beloved is white and ruddy,
[g]Chief among ten thousand.
11 His head is like the finest gold;
His locks are wavy,
And black as a raven.
12 (I)His eyes are like doves
By the rivers of waters,
Washed with milk,
And [h]fitly set.
13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices,
Banks of scented herbs.
His lips are lilies,
Dripping liquid myrrh.

14 His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl.
His body is carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
Set on bases of fine gold.
His countenance is like Lebanon,
Excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouth is most sweet,
Yes, he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,
And this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem!

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:2 my companion, friend
  2. Song of Solomon 5:2 curls or hair
  3. Song of Solomon 5:3 dirty
  4. Song of Solomon 5:4 opening
  5. Song of Solomon 5:6 Lit. soul
  6. Song of Solomon 5:9 adjure
  7. Song of Solomon 5:10 Distinguished
  8. Song of Solomon 5:12 sitting in a setting