La Virgen tiene un pañuelo / Hacia Belén caminan
Rocío Jurado Lyrics


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La Virgen tiene un pañuelo
Todo lleno de jazmines,
Que se lo dio San José
La noche de los maitines.

Venid pastorcillos,
Venid a adorar,
Que el Rey de los cielos
Ha nacido ya.

Por cuna un pesebre,
Por techo un portal.
Pastores venid,
Pastores llegad.

Hacia Belén caminan,
Quisiera saber,
Un hombre a deshora
Con una mujer,
Con palabras santas
Dignas de escuchar.

Antes de las doce
Y a Belén, Belén, Belén,
Belén, Belén, llegar.

Hacia Belén caminan
Y se han encontrado
Unos portalitos
Muy desamparados.
Hicieron un acuerdo
Para descansar.

Acuéstate, esposo,
Que vendrás cansado,
Que por mí no tengas
Pena ni cuidado;
Que si algo pasara
Yo te he de llamar.

Alevántate, esposo,
Que el Niño ha nacido
Hermoso y glorioso;
Y resplandecido,




Como Rey del Cielo
Lo van a adorar.

Overall Meaning

"La Virgen tiene un pañuelo / Hacia Belén caminan" is a traditional Spanish Christmas carol that tells the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus. The song opens with the description of a handkerchief filled with jasmine flowers that Saint Joseph gave to Virgin Mary on the night of the morning prayers. The lyrics then invite the shepherds to come and adore the newborn king, who lies in a manger with a portal as a roof. As they continue their journey, they encounter a man and woman traveling at an odd hour, and the words exchanged were worthy of being heard. They eventually arrive in Bethlehem, where they find some abandoned small gates and agree to rest there. The woman tells her husband to rest and not to worry about her, as she would call him if something happened. But soon after, she calls him to tell him that the beautiful and glorious Baby, the King of Heaven, has been born, and they will come to adore Him.


The song is notable for its vivid imagery, which captures the wonder of the Christmas story in a simple yet emotional way. The handkerchief full of jasmine symbolizes the beauty and purity of the birth of Christ, while the image of the shepherds adoring the baby in the manger emphasizes the humble beginnings of the king of the world. The encounter between the man and the woman on the road to Bethlehem adds a touch of mystery to the story, hinting at the role of fate and destiny in the Christmas story. The song's closing lines, which describe the birth of Christ as a glorious moment of light and revelation, capture the spiritual significance of the season.


Line by Line Meaning

La Virgen tiene un pañuelo
The Virgin Mary has a handkerchief


Todo lleno de jazmines,
Which is filled with jasmine flowers


Que se lo dio San José
That was given to her by Saint Joseph


La noche de los maitines.
On the night of the matins.


Venid pastorcillos,
Come, little shepherds,


Venid a adorar,
Come to worship,


Que el Rey de los cielos
For the King of Heaven


Ha nacido ya.
Has already been born.


Por cuna un pesebre,
For a cradle a manger,


Por techo un portal.
For a roof a doorway.


Pastores venid,
Shepherds come,


Pastores llegad.
Shepherds arrive.


Hacia Belén caminan,
They walk toward Bethlehem,


Quisiera saber,
I would like to know,


Un hombre a deshora
A man at an unexpected hour


Con una mujer,
With a woman,


Con palabras santas
With holy words


Dignas de escuchar.
Worthy of hearing.


Antes de las doce
Before twelve o'clock


Y a Belén, Belén, Belén,
And to Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Bethlehem,


Belén, Belén, llegar.
To arrive in Bethlehem, Bethlehem.


Hacia Belén caminan
They walk toward Bethlehem


Y se han encontrado
And they have found


Unos portalitos
Some small gates


Muy desamparados.
Very deserted.


Hicieron un acuerdo
They made an agreement


Para descansar.
To rest.


Acuéstate, esposo,
Lie down, husband,


Que vendrás cansado,
For you will come tired,


Que por mí no tengas
Don't worry about me


Pena ni cuidado;
Neither pain nor concern;


Que si algo pasara
That if something happened


Yo te he de llamar.
I will call you.


Alevántate, esposo,
Wake up, husband,


Que el Niño ha nacido
For the Child has been born


Hermoso y glorioso;
Beautiful and glorious;


Y resplandecido,
And radiant


Como Rey del Cielo
As the King of Heaven


Lo van a adorar.
They will adore Him.




Contributed by Abigail B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

mario carballero

los mejores villancicos de los ultimos anos ya que la Espana Catolica se olvido de dios para darle paso al progreso descriminado y sin dios la Espana Catolica esta en crisis y se olvido de dios la Espana de Santos y Santas que tristesa me da soy Mexicano y me duele mucho que espana se olvido de conservar su Catolisismo

Pepi Izquierdo

La Virgen tiene un panuelo
todo lleno de jazmines,
que se lo dia San Jose
la noche de los maitines.

Venid pastorcitos,
venid a adorar,
que el rey de los cielos
ha nacido ya.

Por cuna un pesebre,
por techo un portal,
Pastore venid,
pastores lledad.

Hacia Belen camina,
quisiera saber!
un hombre a deshora
con una mujer,
con palabras santas
dignas de escuchar.

Antes de las doces
y a Belen, Bele, Belen
Belen, Belen, llegar.

Hacia Belen caminan
y se han encontrado
unos portalitos
muy desamparados,
Hicieron un acuerdo
para descansar.



Acuestate, esposo,
que vendras cansado,
que por mi no tengas
pena ni cuidado;
que si algo pasara
yo te he de llamar.

Levante, esposo,
que el nino ha nacido
hermoso y glorioso;
y resplandecido,
como rey del cielo
lo van a adorar.

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