Hawo 1
1 Solomo ƒe hawo ƒe ha.
2 Tsɔ wò nu gbugbɔ nu nam, elabena wò lɔlɔ̃ doa dzidzɔ nam wu wain.
Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine,
3 Wò ami ʋeʋĩ si nèsi la le ʋeʋẽm ɖem nyuie; wò ŋkɔ le abe ami si wowu la ene. Mewɔ nuku be ɖetugbiwo lɔ̃ wò nenema gbegbe o!
Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.
4 Kplɔm ɖe asi, na míaɖe abla! Fia la nekplɔm yi eƒe xɔ mee. Míatso aseye, akpɔ dzidzɔ ɖe ŋutiwò, eye míakafu wò lɔlɔ̃ wu wain. Ele eteƒe be wole lɔ̃wòm alea!
Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments. The king hath brought me into his storerooms: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine: the righteous love thee.
5 O! Yerusalem vinyɔnuwo, ame yie menye, ke menyo abe Kedar ƒe agbadɔwo kple Solomo ƒe agbadɔ ƒe mɔnuvɔwo ene.
I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Mègate ŋku nɔ kpɔyem, elabena menyo o; nyae be ɣee ɖum menyɔ alea. Danyevi ŋutsuwo do dɔmedzoe ɖe ŋunye, eye wona mekpɔ woƒe waingblewo dzi, ke megblẽ nye ŋutɔ nye waingble ya ɖi.
Do not consider me that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour: the sons of my mother have fought against me, they have made me the keeper in the vineyards: my vineyard I have not kept.
7 Gblɔe nam, wò ame si melɔ̃na, afi ka nènyia wò lãhawo le, eye ne ŋdɔ ʋu la, afi ka nènana wotsyɔa akɔ ɖo? Nu ka ŋuti manɔ abe nyɔnu si tsyɔ nu ŋkume ene le xɔ̃wòwo ƒe lãhawo gbɔ?
Shew me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest in the midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions.
8 Wò, tugbewo ƒe fia, ne mènyae o la, do afɔ na alẽhawo, eye nànyi wò gbɔ̃viwo le lãkplɔlawo ƒe agbadɔwo gbɔ.
If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
9 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, metsɔ wò sɔ kple sɔnɔ si wotsi ɖe Farao ƒe tasiaɖam ɖeka ŋuti.
To my company of horsemen, in Pharao’s chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.
10 Togɛ si nède la wɔe be wò alɔgo nya kpɔ nyuie, eye kɔga siwo nède la hã dze wò.
Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove’s, thy neck as jewels.
11 Míawɔ sikatogɛwo na wò, eye woawɔ klosalokpɛviwo ɖe ete.
We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.
12 Esi fia la le nuɖukplɔ̃ ŋu la, nye ami ʋeʋĩe le ya ɖem.
While the king was at his repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.
13 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le nam abe lifigoe le nye akɔnu ene.
A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts.
14 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le nam abe henaseƒoƒo si wogbe hebla tso En Gedi waingble me ene.
A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.
15 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, èdze tugbe loo! O, aleke nènya le kpɔkpɔm ale! Wò ŋkuwo le abe ahɔnɛtɔwo ene.
Behold thou art fair, O my love, behold thou art fair, thy eyes are as those of doves.
16 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, èdze ɖeka ŋutɔ! O, aleke nèhedze ɖekae nye esi! Míaƒe aba de ama nyuie.
Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.
17 Míaƒe xɔ ƒe daɖedziwo nye sedatiwo, eye míaƒe xɔ ƒe dzisasãwo nye vɔvɔli.
The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.
