Rwĩmbo 1
1 Rũrũ nĩruo rwĩmbo rwa Solomoni rũrĩa rwega gũkĩra nyĩmbo ciothe.
THE SONG of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Ta nĩamumunye na mamumunya ma kanua gake: nĩ ũndũ wendo waku nĩ mwega gũkĩra ndibei.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth — for thy love is 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!
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the maidens love 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; the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will find thy love more fragrant than wine! sincerely do they 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 comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, 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.
Look not upon me, that I am swarthy, that the sun hath tanned 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 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?
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that veileth herself beside 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, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.
9 Wee, mwendwa wakwa-rĩ, ngũgerekanagia na mbarathi ya mũgoma yohereirwo ngaari ĩmwe ya ngaari cia ita rĩa Firaũni.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
10 Makai maku-rĩ, mathakarĩirwo mũno nĩ icũhĩ cia matũ, nayo ngingo yaku ĩkaagĩrĩrwo nĩ mĩgathĩ ya tũhiga twa goro.
Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, thy neck with beads.
11 Tũgũgũthondekera icũhĩ cia matũ cia thahabu, ciohanĩtio na tũbungo twa betha.
We will make thee circlets of gold with studs of silver.
12 Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aarĩ metha-inĩ yake-rĩ, maguta makwa manungi wega maiyũrĩtie mũtararĩko wamo kũu.
While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13 Mwendwa wakwa harĩ niĩ-rĩ, ahaana ta koohe ka manemane gakomeire gatagatĩ ka nyondo ciakwa.
My beloved is unto me as a bag of myrrh, that lieth betwixt my breasts.
14 Mwendwa wakwa harĩ niĩ-rĩ, nĩ ta kamanja ka mahũa ma mũhanuni kuuma mĩgũnda-inĩ ya mĩthabibũ ya Eni-Gedi.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna in the vineyards of En-gedi.
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, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as 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, yea, pleasant; also our couch is leafy.
17 Mĩratho ya nyũmba iitũ nĩ ya mĩtarakwa; nayo mĩitĩrĩro yayo nĩ ya mĩkarakaba.
The beams of our houses are cedars, and our panels are cypresses.
