Muerte que todos convidas

Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Yc2117/18
Referenced and notated in: Romancero Sefardi de Marruecos, pg. 219, Editorial Alpuerto, Pardes Publishing House, 2018 Susana Weich-Shahak.

This is not a romance but a narrative poem used as a lament by the Sephardim. It derives from two old Castilian poems: one attributed to Juan de Mena (15th century) that begins "Death that invites us all..." and another anonymous one that recounts death's visit to a knight; both were printed together on a single sheet in the 16th century, and the Sephardic poem is derived from both ancient texts.

Text:
- Muerte que a todos convidas,   dime qué son tus pesares?-
- Son tristuras y pesares,     altas voces doloridas.
Velador seáis, portero,       abridme por tu vez una:
mensajero soy del cielo,    del rey alto y de la altura;
traigo una carta premiosa,    del cielo muy bien notada:
que venga presto y aína     el señor de la posada.-
- Mi señor tiene huespedanos,  no vos puede responder,
tales son los huespedanos    que no pueden menos ser.-
- Y entres tú con prisa fuerte     y le dirás de mi parte:
soy la temerosa muerte,    para ella no hay resgate.
Todas culpas y pecados     que a mi señor tengo hecho
- Perdón, perdón, mi señor rey   por ésto que os he de decir:
que vos llama un hombre a punto,    de prisa, sin más tardar,
no le veo cara ni bulto,     más que una voz espantosa.-
- Llamádme ahora a ese hombre,    le haré la grande honra:
le sentaré en mi silleta,     la que tengo de oro hecha,
le pondré la mi corona,    la que tengo en mi cabeza.-
- Para qué quieres que me siente,   que te daré grande pena?
si mal te hago a los pies,    peor a la cabecera.-
- Llamadme ahora a los míos,   amigos y compañeros
que me velen una noche,   la postrera será en el suelo.-
- Para qué quieres que te velen     amigos y compañeros?
cuando ellos se murieren    no los velarás tú a ellos.-
Alzara la mano el Huerco,     hirióle sus lindos ojos;
presto, demandara el rey     a su madre unos antojos.
- Dáime, madre, unos antojos    y que sean cristalinos,
triste de mi mocedad,      ya no veo con los ojos.-
- Para qué quieres antojos    y que sean cristalinos?
- Cien almas he de llevar      antes que amanezca el día.-
- Yo te pido de merced,       la postrera sea la mía.-
- Sellado viene del cielo:    la primera ser la tuya.-
¿Quién es esa que así llora     con dolor de corazón,
que se mesa sus cabellos      y hace gran estremición?
Y esa era una bien casada       si bien la oyitis decir:
quebrado se l'ha el espejo       donde se solía vestir;
esa era una bien casada       si bien la oyitis nombrar:
quebrado se l'ha el espejo      donde se solía mirar.

Translation:
Death who invites everyone, tell me, what are your sorrows?
They are griefs and sorrows, high and painful voices.
Be watchful, you the doorkeeper, open to me this once:
I am a messenger from Heaven, from the High King above;
I bring a precious letter, well-sealed from Heaven’s hand:
that soon and without delay the lord of this house must come.
- My lord has noble guests, he cannot now attend you;
such guests they are indeed that he cannot send them hence.
- Then enter thou in haste, and tell him from my part:
I am the fearful Death, for me there is no ransom.
All sins and every fault that I have done my lord—
Forgive me, my lord the king, for what I must now say:
a man calls you at this moment, in haste, without delay;
I see no face nor figure, only a dreadful voice.
- Call that man before me, I’ll do him greatest honour:
I’ll seat him in my chair, the one made all of gold,
I’ll place upon his head the crown I wear myself.
- Why would you have me sit, when I shall bring you sorrow?
If harm I do at your feet, worse at your head I’ll follow.
- Call now my friends to me, companions and dear fellows,
that they may watch one night, the last upon this earth.
- Why would you have them watch, your friends and dear companions?
When they themselves shall die, you will not watch for them.
The Huerco raised his hand, he struck his lovely eyes;
swiftly the king demanded of his mother some spectacles.
- Give me, mother, some glasses, and let them be crystal clear,
sad is my youthful life, I no longer see with my eyes.
- Why would you need those glasses, and let them be crystal clear?
- A hundred souls must I bear before the day shall dawn.
- I beg of you, by mercy, that mine may be the last.
- It comes sealed down from Heaven: the first shall be your own.
Who is she that so laments, with anguish of the heart,
who tears out her hair and trembles all apart?
It was a noble wedded wife, if well you care to hear:
broken is now the mirror where she was wont to see;
it was a noble wedded wife, if well you know her name:
broken is now the mirror where she was wont to gaze.