Tom¨¢s Luis de Victoria (vila, 1548 - Madrid, 1611)

Nigra sum, sed formosa, filiae Ierusalem,
ideo dilexit me rex et introduxit me in cubiculum
suum et dixit mihi:
"surge, amica mea, et veni.
Iam hiems transiit,
imber abiit et recessit;
flores apparuerunt in terra nostra;
tempus putationis advenit".


Soy negra, pero hermosa, hijas de Jerusal¨¦n,
de ah¨ª que el rey me am¨®, me introdujo en su c¨¢mara
y me dijo:
"lev¨¢ntate, amiga m¨ªa, y ven.
Ya pas¨® el invierno,
la tormenta se alej¨® completamente,
han aparecido las flores en nuestra tierra,
lleg¨® el tiempo de la poda".

Canticle of Canticles

I am black but beautiful, daughter of Jerusalem
So the King loved me, and led me into his bedroom
and said to me:
Arise, my love, and come away.
Now winter has passed,
the rain has gone,
and flowers have appreared in our land;
The time of pruning has come.