< Hawo 1 >
The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 Tsɔ wò nu gbugbɔ nu nam, elabena wò lɔlɔ̃ doa dzidzɔ nam wu wain.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is 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!
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is [as] ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love 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: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will make mention of thy love more than of wine: rightly do they 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 comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, 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.
Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, because the sun hath scorched me. My mother’s sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; [but] mine own vineyard have I 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?
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest [thy flock], where thou makest [it] to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that is veiled beside 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, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
9 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, metsɔ wò sɔ kple sɔnɔ si wotsi ɖe Farao ƒe tasiaɖam ɖeka ŋuti.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Togɛ si nède la wɔe be wò alɔgo nya kpɔ nyuie, eye kɔga siwo nède la hã dze wò.
Thy cheeks are comely with plaits [of hair], thy neck with strings of jewels
11 Míawɔ sikatogɛwo na wò, eye woawɔ klosalokpɛviwo ɖe ete.
We will make thee plaits of gold with studs of silver.
12 Esi fia la le nuɖukplɔ̃ ŋu la, nye ami ʋeʋĩe le ya ɖem.
While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le nam abe lifigoe le nye akɔnu ene.
My beloved is unto me [as] a bundle of myrrh, that lieth betwixt my breasts.
14 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le nam abe henaseƒoƒo si wogbe hebla tso En Gedi waingble me ene.
My beloved is unto me [as] a cluster of henna-flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, èdze tugbe loo! O, aleke nènya le kpɔkpɔm ale! Wò ŋkuwo le abe ahɔnɛtɔwo ene.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are [as] doves.
16 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, èdze ɖeka ŋutɔ! O, aleke nèhedze ɖekae nye esi! Míaƒe aba de ama nyuie.
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our couch is green.
17 Míaƒe xɔ ƒe daɖedziwo nye sedatiwo, eye míaƒe xɔ ƒe dzisasãwo nye vɔvɔli.
The beams of our house are cedars, [and] our rafters are firs.