Add parallel Print Page Options

The Young Shulammite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters

The [a]Song of Songs [the best of songs], which is Solomon’s.(A)

[b](The Shulammite Bride)


“May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!” [Solomon arrives, she turns to him, saying,]
“For your love is better than wine.

“The aroma of your oils is fragrant and pleasing;
Your name is perfume poured out;
Therefore the maidens love you.

“Draw me away with you and let us run together!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.”

[c](The Chorus)

“We will rejoice and be glad in you;
We will remember and extol your love more [sweet and fragrant] than wine.
Rightly do they love you.”

(The Shulammite Bride)


“I am deeply tanned but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
[I am dark] like the tents of [the Bedouins of] Kedar,
Like the [beautiful] curtains of Solomon.

“Do not gaze at me because I am deeply tanned,
[I have worked in] the sun; it has left its mark on me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me keeper of the vineyards,
But my own vineyard (my complexion) I have not kept.”

“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who is veiled
Beside the flocks of your companions?”(B)

Solomon, the Lover, Speaks

(The Bridegroom)


“If you do not know [where your lover is],
O you fairest among women,
Run along, follow the tracks of the flock,
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.


“To me, my love, you are like
My [favorite] mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 
“Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of jewels.”

(The Chorus)

11 
“We will make for you chains and ornaments of gold,
[Studded] with beads of silver.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

12 
“While the king was at his table,
My perfume (Solomon) sent forth [his] fragrance [surrounding me].
13 
“My beloved is to me like a pouch of myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
14 
“My beloved is to me a cluster of henna flowers
In the [fragrant] vineyards of [d]Engedi.”

(The Bridegroom)

15 
“Behold, how beautiful you are, my darling,
Behold, how beautiful you are!
Your eyes are dove’s eyes.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

16 
“Behold, how fair and handsome you are, my beloved;
And so delightful!
Our arbor is green and luxuriant.
17 
“The beams of our houses are cedars,
Our rafters and panels are cypresses.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 1:1 Some theologians believe the Song of Solomon to be a collection of songs, but it is more generally understood to be a sort of drama or lyric poem celebrating the wholesomeness of a growing love that leads to maturity in marriage. The ancient rabbis understood it as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel, and viewed the details as symbolic.
  2. Song of Solomon 1:2 The parenthetical headings indicate that the speakers are not from the Hebrew text nor the Septuagint, but reflect an ancient tradition which appears in some manuscripts.
  3. Song of Solomon 1:5 The purpose of the chorus is to echo and expand the sentiments of the bride and her bridegroom. The members of the chorus are not always known, but have been variously identified as “daughters of Jerusalem,” “daughters of Zion,” “ladies in waiting,” “friends” or “relatives” of the bride.
  4. Song of Solomon 1:14 An oasis on the western side of the Dead Sea.

La esposa y las hijas de Jerusalén

Cantar de los cantares, el cual es de Salomón.(A)

¡Oh, si él me besara con besos de su boca!

Porque mejores son tus amores que el vino.

A más del olor de tus suaves ungüentos,

Tu nombre es como ungüento derramado;

Por eso las doncellas te aman.

Atráeme; en pos de ti correremos.

El rey me ha metido en sus cámaras;

Nos gozaremos y alegraremos en ti;

Nos acordaremos de tus amores más que del vino;

Con razón te aman.

Morena soy, oh hijas de Jerusalén, pero codiciable

Como las tiendas de Cedar,

Como las cortinas de Salomón.

No reparéis en que soy morena,

Porque el sol me miró.

Los hijos de mi madre se airaron contra mí;

Me pusieron a guardar las viñas;

Y mi viña, que era mía, no guardé.

Hazme saber, oh tú a quien ama mi alma,

Dónde apacientas, dónde sesteas al mediodía;

Pues ¿por qué había de estar yo como errante

Junto a los rebaños de tus compañeros?

Si tú no lo sabes, oh hermosa entre las mujeres,

Ve, sigue las huellas del rebaño,

Y apacienta tus cabritas junto a las cabañas de los pastores.

La esposa y el esposo

A yegua de los carros de Faraón

Te he comparado, amiga mía.

10 Hermosas son tus mejillas entre los pendientes,

Tu cuello entre los collares.

11 Zarcillos de oro te haremos,

Tachonados de plata.

12 Mientras el rey estaba en su reclinatorio,

Mi nardo dio su olor.

13 Mi amado es para mí un manojito de mirra,

Que reposa entre mis pechos.

14 Racimo de flores de alheña en las viñas de En-gadi

Es para mí mi amado.

15 He aquí que tú eres hermosa, amiga mía;

He aquí eres bella; tus ojos son como palomas.

16 He aquí que tú eres hermoso, amado mío, y dulce;

Nuestro lecho es de flores.

17 Las vigas de nuestra casa son de cedro,

Y de ciprés los artesonados.