Rwĩmbo 1
1 Rũrũ nĩruo rwĩmbo rwa Solomoni rũrĩa rwega gũkĩra nyĩmbo ciothe.
2 Ta nĩamumunye na mamumunya ma kanua gake: nĩ ũndũ wendo waku nĩ mwega gũkĩra ndibei.
Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine,
3 Mũtararĩko wa maguta macio wĩhakĩte nĩ mwega; rĩĩtwa rĩaku no ta mũtararĩko wa maguta manungi wega magĩitanĩrĩrio. Na nokĩo wendetwo nĩ airĩtu!
Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.
4 Ndũkandige, nĩtũthiĩ nawe; reke twĩhĩke! Mũthamaki nĩandoonyie nyũmba ciake cia thĩinĩ. Arata Tũgũcanjamũka na tũkene nĩ ũndũ waku; tũrĩkumagia wendo waku gũkĩra ndibei. Mwendwa Kaĩ marĩ na kĩhooto gĩa gũkwenda-ĩ!
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 Niĩ ndĩ mũirũ, no ndĩ mũthaka, inyuĩ aarĩ a Jerusalemu, njirĩte o ta hema cia Kedari, ngaagĩra o ta itambaya cia gũcuuria hema cia Solomoni.
I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Tigai kũndora nĩ ũndũ ndĩ mũirũ, tondũ njirĩte nĩ kũhĩa nĩ riũa. Ariũ a maitũ nĩmandakarĩire, makĩndua mũrori wa mĩgũnda ya mĩthabibũ; no mũgũnda wakwa wa mĩthabibũ nĩndĩũrekereirie.
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 Atĩrĩrĩ, wee nyendete, ta njĩra harĩa ũrarĩithĩria rũũru rwaku rwa mbũri, njĩĩra harĩa ũkwarahia ngʼondu ciaku mĩaraho. Ingĩikara atĩa ta mũtumia mũhumbe maitho ndũũru-inĩ cia arata aku?
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 We mũthaka kũrĩ andũ-a-nja othe, akorwo ndũũĩ-rĩ, umagara ũrũmĩrĩre makinya ma ngʼondu, ũkarĩithĩrie tũũri twaku hakuhĩ na hema cia arĩithi.
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 Wee, mwendwa wakwa-rĩ, ngũgerekanagia na mbarathi ya mũgoma yohereirwo ngaari ĩmwe ya ngaari cia ita rĩa Firaũni.
To my company of horsemen, in Pharao’s chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.
10 Makai maku-rĩ, mathakarĩirwo mũno nĩ icũhĩ cia matũ, nayo ngingo yaku ĩkaagĩrĩrwo nĩ mĩgathĩ ya tũhiga twa goro.
Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove’s, thy neck as jewels.
11 Tũgũgũthondekera icũhĩ cia matũ cia thahabu, ciohanĩtio na tũbungo twa betha.
We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.
12 Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aarĩ metha-inĩ yake-rĩ, maguta makwa manungi wega maiyũrĩtie mũtararĩko wamo kũu.
While the king was at his repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.
13 Mwendwa wakwa harĩ niĩ-rĩ, ahaana ta koohe ka manemane gakomeire gatagatĩ ka nyondo ciakwa.
A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts.
14 Mwendwa wakwa harĩ niĩ-rĩ, nĩ ta kamanja ka mahũa ma mũhanuni kuuma mĩgũnda-inĩ ya mĩthabibũ ya Eni-Gedi.
A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.
15 Hĩ! Kaĩ wee mwendwa wakwa ũkĩrĩ mũthaka-ĩ! Hĩ, ti-itherũ ũrĩ mũthaka! Maitho maku magĩrĩte o ta ma ndutura.
Behold thou art fair, O my love, behold thou art fair, thy eyes are as those of doves.
16 Hĩ! Kaĩ wee mwendwa wakwa ũkĩrĩ mũthaka-ĩ! Kaĩ ũkĩrĩ wa kwendeka-ĩ! Na ũrĩrĩ witũ nĩ ta nyeki ĩrĩa nduru.
Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.
17 Mĩratho ya nyũmba iitũ nĩ ya mĩtarakwa; nayo mĩitĩrĩro yayo nĩ ya mĩkarakaba.
The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.
