Hawo 2
1 Nyee nye Saron seƒoƒo kple dzogbenya le balimewo.
I am [like] [MET] a flower/rose from the Sharon [Plain], and [like] [MET] a lily [that grows] in a valley.
2 Abe ale si dzogbenya le ŋuwo domee ene la, nenemae nye nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le ɖetugbiwo dome.
Among the [other] young women, the one whom I love is like [MET] a lily [growing] among thorns!
3 Abe ale si apluti nɔna le avemetiwo dome ene la, nenemae nye nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le ɖekakpuiwo dome. Melɔ̃a anyinɔnɔ ɖe eƒe vɔvɔli te, eye eƒe kutsetse vivia nunye ŋutɔ.
And among [the other] men, you, the man who loves me, are like [MET] an apple/fruit tree [that grows] in the forest. [You are like a tree whose] shadow [protects me from the sun], and your [being close to me] [EUP] is like [MET] eating sweet fruit.
4 Ekplɔm yi ɖe afi si woɖo kplɔ̃ ɖo, eye lɔlɔ̃ nye aflaga si wòtsɔ tsyɔ dzinye.
You led me to the (banquet room/room where we could make love), and it is evident that you love me very much.
5 Etsɔ waintsetsebolo do ŋusẽm kple aplu fa dzi nam, elabena lɔlɔ̃ na meku ƒenyi.
Refresh me and strengthen me [with your lovemaking] [like I am refreshed by eating] [MET, EUP] raisins and other fruit, because I very much desire that you love me even more.
6 Etsɔ eƒe miabɔ de nye ta te, eye wòtsɔ eƒe ɖusibɔ kpla kɔ nam.
Put your left arm under my head and with your right arm hold me close.
7 Yerusalem nyɔnuviwo, meta sãde kple zinɔ le gbe me be, “Migaʋuʋu lɔlɔ̃ alo anyɔe o, va se ɖe esime eya ŋutɔ lɔ̃ hafi.”
You young women of Jerusalem, solemnly promise me, while the does and gazelles [are listening], that you will not disturb us while we are making love until we are ready to quit.
8 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, ɖo to afii! Kpɔ ɖa, nye lɔlɔ̃tɔe nye ekem gbɔna, le kpo tim flɔ towo, eye wòle kpo dzom le togbɛwo tame.
I hear the voice of the man who loves me. [It is as though] [MET] he is leaping over the mountains and skipping over the hills
9 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le abe sãde alo zivi ene. Kpɔ ɖa, eyae nye ekem le tsitre ɖe míaƒe kpɔ godo, le nu kpɔm to fesre nu, eye wòdo ŋku ɖa to fesrenuvɔ me.
like [SIM] a deer or a gazelle. Now he is standing outside the wall of our house, looking in the window, and peering through the (lattice/wooden strips inside the window frame).
10 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ ƒo nu kplim be, “Nye dzi lɔlɔ̃a, tsi tsitre, eye nye tugbefia, va dze yonyeme.
He spoke to me and said, “You whom I love, get up; my beautiful one, come with me [CHI]!
11 Kpɔ ɖa, vuvɔŋɔli nu va yi, tsidzadza ke, eye enu va yi.
Look, the (winter/cold season) is ended; the rain has stopped;
12 Seƒoƒo ke ɖe anyigba dzi, hadzidzi ƒe ɣeyiɣi ɖo, eye wose akpakpawo ƒe xɔxlɔ̃ le míaƒe anyigba dzi.
flowers are blooming throughout the country/land. It is now time to sing; we hear the doves cooing.
13 Gbotiwo de asi tsetse me xoxo, eye wainkawo ƒe seƒoƒo le ya ɖem nyuie. Tso va, nye dzi lɔlɔ̃a; nye tugbefia, va dze yonyeme.”
There are young/new figs on the fig trees, and there are blossoms on the grapevines and their fragrance fills the air. You whom I love, get up; my beautiful one, come with me!
14 Nye ahɔnɛ le agakpewo tome, le towo ƒe bebeƒewo, do wò mo ɖa, eye na mase wò gbe, elabena wò gbe vivina, eye wò mo nya kpɔna.
[You are like] [MET] a dove that is hiding [far from me] in an opening/crack in the rocky cliff. Show me your face, and allow me to hear your voice, because your voice is sweet-sounding and your face is lovely [CHI].”
15 Milé abeiwo nam, abeivi siwo le wainkawo gblẽm, eye wole míaƒe wainka siwo ƒo se la gblẽm.
[There are other men who are like] [MET] little jackals/foxes that ruin vineyards; do not allow [those men to attack me].
16 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ nye tɔnye, eye nye hã menye etɔ, eya ame si le tsa ɖim le dzogbenyawo dome.
You who love me, I belong to you and you belong to me, and you [experience pleasure when you kiss] my lips [like] [MET] a shepherd enjoys taking care of his sheep.
17 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, trɔ gbɔ hafi ŋu nake, viviti nasi dzo, eye nànɔ abe sãde alo zivi le togbɛ tsakliwo dzi ene.
You who love me, come and be like [SIM] a gazelle or like a young deer on the hills of Bether, and then flee like a deer at dawn [tomorrow morning], when the darkness fades.
