The children of Bethlehem
are playing in the square,
look, the kings are coming,
there are one and two and three:
"But where are you coming from,
with your horses and your camels,
but who are you, pray, who are you?
what is it that brings you here?"
"I’m coming from the Distant Orient,
from the land of gold and silver,
but at night I cannot sleep:
I saw a star, a star in the sky."
But at night he cannot sleep:
he saw a star, a star in the sky.
The children of Bethlehem…
"I’m coming from the Distant Orient,
from the land of flowers and of perfumes,
but at night I cannot sleep…
The children of Bethlehem…
"I’m coming from the Distant Orient,
from the land of the poor and the sick,
but at night I cannot sleep…
The children of Bethlehem…
…with incense, gold and myrrh…
"We’re coming from the Distant Orient,
we saw his star as it rose,
we’ve come all this way to adore
the King of the Jews who is born here."
They’ve come all this way to adore
the King of the Jews who is born here.
The children of Bethlehem
are looking at the sky;
"Look, the star is shining
right above Lord Jesus’ house.
Let’s go quickly all together
with the horses and the camels;
with the wise men we have found
where our Saviour Christ is born."

My beloved is for me
a rose of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.
My beloved is for me
the perfume of myrrh,
as he rests on my breast.
My beloved is for me
as a lily among the thistles,
so is my beloved among the maidens.
My beloved is for me
a cluster of henna flowers
among the vines of En-gedi.
How beautiful are you, my love,
how beautiful, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves,
your eyes are doves.
How beautiful are you, my beloved,
how delightful, how delightful!
Even our bed is verdant.
Even our bed is verdant.
As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved,
my beloved among the young men.
In his shade, for which I longed, I am seated
and sweet is his fruit,
how sweet it is to my taste!
Into the wine cellar he has taken me
and his banner over me is love:
Into the banqueting hall he has led me
and his banner over me is love.
His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.
I implore you, daughters of Jerusalem,
do not rouse nor wake my beloved,
do not rouse nor wake my beloved.

While I was asleep, my heart was awake,
the voice of my beloved I heard:
"Open to me, my sister,
open to me, my dove,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night."
He put his hand through the latch of the door,
my heart stirred within me.
I arose, running,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
the purest myrrh from my fingers
onto the bolt of the door.
I implore you, daughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved,
tell him I’m dying of love.
I opened to my beloved
but he was not there, he had already gone.
My soul fainted at his flight.
I sought him, but I did not find him,
I called him, I called him, but he did not answer.
The watchmen met me
going the rounds of the city,
they undressed me, they beat me,
the watchmen of the walls.
I implore you, daughters of Jerusalem …
Ay! If you were my brother,
I could kiss you,
without anyone being scandalised.
I implore you daughters of Jerusalem…

You stole my heart,
you stole my heart,
my sister, my bride,
you stole, you stole, my heart.
How beautiful your loves,
how beautiful your loves!
The fragrance of your perfumes
more than all the balsams of love.
Honey flows from your lips,
my bride, my sister,
honey and milk are under your tongue.
The fragrance of your garments
is the fragrance of Lebanon;
my sister, my bride,
tastier than wine are your loves.
A garden enclosed are you, sister of mine,
a sealed fountain, bride of mine!
Your fruits a paradise of pomegranates,
of nard and saffron, of myrrh and aloes
Awake wind, rise Auster, and come!
Blow in my garden
that it may release its scents,
and my beloved may enter my garden
and delight in its exquisite fruits.
I have already entered my garden,
my bride,
I have eaten my honey in its comb,
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Friends, come! Drink, O my dear ones,
and get drunk!
You stole my heart…