This popular ballad derives from a "romance" by Juan del Encina (1468-1529) well spread in the 16th century (Cf. below the video links).

EL ENAMORADO Y LA MUERTE (Anonymous / Joaquín Díaz) Yo me estaba reposando, durmiendo como solía, soñaba con mis amores que en mis brazos los tenía. Vi entrar señora tan blanca, aún más que la nieve fría. - ¿Por dónde has entrado amor? ¿Cómo has entrado, mi vida? Las puertas están cerradas, ventanas y celosías. - No soy el amor, amante; la Muerte que Dios te envía. - Ay Muerte tan rigurosa; déjame vivir un día. - Un día no puedo darte; una hora tienes de vida. Muy deprisa se levanta, más deprisa se vestía. Ya se va para la calle en donde su amor vivía. - Ábreme la puerta, blanca; ábreme la puerta, niña. - ¿Cómo te podré yo abrir, si la ocasión no es venida? Mi padre no fue al palacio; mi madre no está dormida. - Si no me abres esta noche, ya no me abrirás, querida. La Muerte me está buscando; junto a ti, vida sería. - Vete bajo la ventana, donde labraba y cosía; te echaré cordón de seda para que subas arriba, y si el cordón no alcanzare, mis trenzas añadiría. La fina seda se rompe, la Muerte que allí venía: - Vamos el enamorado, la hora ya está cumplida.

THE LOVER AND DEATH I was resting, sleeping as usual, Dreaming of my love, [dreaming] that I had her in my arms, I saw a very white lady come in, even whiter than the cold snow. "Where did you enter through, love? How did you enter, my life? The doors are closed, [so are] the windows and slatted shutters." "I'm not love, lover; [I'm] the Death that God sends you." "Ah! Death so harsh, let me live one day." "One day I cannot give you; you have an hour of life [left]." Very fast he gets up, even faster he dressed. Now he's heading to the street where his love lived. "Open the door for me, fair one*; open the door for me, girl." "How could I open [the door] for you since the opportunity isn't appropriate/the time isn't right? My father did not go to the palace, my mother isn't asleep." "If you don't open tonight, you won't open any more, beloved. Death is looking for me; next to you, it'd be life." "Go under the window where I would embroider and sew, I'll throw a silk string for you to come up, And if the string wouldn't reach, I'd add my braids." The fine silk breaks, Death was coming by: "Let's go, the lover, the hour has expired."

*Lit. "white". "blanca" (white), "niña" (girl, child) were used to address or to refer to female sweethearts to highlight their purity/innocence.

Note that I kept the verbs in present or past tenses as they are in the original version, which can sound quite weird in English but so does it in Spanish as some tenses are more about rhyming than time consistency.

There are slightly different lyrics for this ballad sung on different tunes.

Live rendition by Joaquín Díaz.

Recording by Víctor Jara.

Recording by Washington Carrasco y Cristina Fernández.

Recording and live rendition by Paco Ibáñez.

Live rendition by Alalumbre Folk.

YouTube "El enamorado y la muerte" page

This popular ballad derives from a "romance" by Juan del Encina (1468-1529) well spread in the 16th century:
Original work.
Here is the transcription in the original spelling of old copies:

Yo me estava reposando, durmiendo como solía. Recordé, triste, llorando con gran pena que sentía. Levanté me muy sin tiento de la cama en que dormía, cercado de pensamiento, que valer no me podía. Mi passión era tan fuerte que de mí yo no sabía. Conmigo estava la Muerte por tenerme compañía. Lo que más me fatigava no era porque muría, mas era porque dexava de servir a quien servía. Servía yo una señora que más que a mí la quería, y ella fue la causadora de mi mal sin mejoría. La media noche passada, ya que era cerca el día, salíme de mi posada por ver si descansaría. Fui para donde morava aquella que más quería, por quien yo triste penava, mas ella no parecía. Andando todo turbado con las ansias que tenía, vi venir a mi cuidado dando bozes, y dezía: «Si dormís, linda señora, recordad por cortesía, pues que fuestes causadora de la desventura mía. Remediad mi gran tristura, satisfazed mi porfía, porque si falta ventura del todo me perdería.» Y con mis ojos llorosos, un triste llanto hazía con sospiros congoxosos, y nadie no parecía. En estas cuitas estando, como vi que esclarecía, a mi casa sospirando me bolví sin alegría.

I was resting Sleeping as I used to, I remembered, sad, crying With the great sorrow I was feeling. I got up very carelessly From the bed I was sleeping in, [So] Assailed with thoughts That I couldn't fend for myself. My distress was so strong That I did not know myself; Death was with me To keep me company What bothered me most Was not because I was dying But it was because I was stopping To serve the one I served. I served a lady Whom I loved more than myself, And she was the cause Of my illness without improvement After midnight, When it was close to daybreak, I get out of my dwelling To see if I would rest I headed to the dwelling Of the one I loved most, Because of whom I sadly mourned, But she wasn't not appearing. Walking all confused With/from the anguishes that I had, I saw caution come to me Crying out, and I said: "If you sleep, pretty lady, Remember for courtesy, As you were the cause Of my misfortune. Heal my great sadness, Satisfy my tenacity, Because if happiness is lacking, You would totally lose me." And with my teary eyes I was making a sad moan, And sorrowful sighs, And nobody was appearing. Being in these troubles, As I saw that it was dawning, To my house, sighing, I returned without joy.

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