< Rwĩmbo 2 >

1 Niĩ ndĩ ihũa rĩa Sharoni, ningĩ gĩtoka gĩa ituamba-inĩ.
I am [like] [MET] a flower/rose from the Sharon [Plain], and [like] [MET] a lily [that grows] in a valley.
2 O ta gĩtoka kĩrĩ mĩigua-inĩ-rĩ, nĩguo mwendwa wakwa atariĩ arĩ gatagatĩ ka airĩtu arĩa angĩ.
Among the [other] young women, the one whom I love is like [MET] a lily [growing] among thorns!
3 O ta mũtĩ wa mũtunda ũrĩ mĩtĩ-inĩ ya gĩthaka-rĩ, nĩguo mũnyendi atariĩ arĩ gatagatĩ ka aanake arĩa angĩ. Ngenagĩra gũikara kĩĩgunyĩ-inĩ gĩake, namo matunda make ngĩmacama njiguaga marĩ mũrĩo.
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 Nĩandoonyetie nyũmba nene ĩrĩa ĩrĩĩagĩrwo iruga, nayo bendera ĩrĩa ahaicĩtie igũrũ rĩakwa nĩ wendo.
You led me to the (banquet room/room where we could make love), and it is evident that you love me very much.
5 Njĩkĩrai hinya na thabibũ iria nyũmithie, mũnjerũhĩrie hinya na matunda, nĩ ũndũ ndĩ mũcuce nĩ wendo.
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 Guoko gwake kwa ũmotho akũigĩte rungu rwa mũtwe wakwa, nakuo guoko gwake kwa ũrĩo gũkaahĩmbĩria.
Put your left arm under my head and with your right arm hold me close.
7 Inyuĩ aarĩ a Jerusalemu, ndamwĩhĩtithia na thiiya, na mĩgoma ya thwariga cia werũ-inĩ atĩrĩ: Mũtikoimbuthũre wendo o na kana mũwarahũre, o nginya wĩrirĩrie kwarahũka guo mwene.
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 Ta thikĩrĩria, ũcio nĩ mwendwa wakwa! Ta rora! Ĩĩ nĩwe ũyũ ũroka, akĩrũgaga akĩrĩire irĩma-inĩ, arooka agĩtũrũhaga tũrĩma-inĩ.
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 Mwendwa wakwa ahaana ta thiiya, kana ta thwariga ĩrĩa nyanake. Ta kĩrore! Nĩwe ũũrĩa ũrũngiĩ thuutha wa rũthingo rwitũ, ararorera ndirica-inĩ, agacũthĩrĩria mĩanya-inĩ.
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 Mwendwa wakwa aaririe akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũrata wakwa, o wee mũthaka, ũkĩra tũthiĩ.
He spoke to me and said, “You whom I love, get up; my beautiful one, come with me [CHI]!
11 Atĩrĩrĩ! Hĩndĩ ya heho nĩ thiru; nayo mbura nĩĩkĩĩte ĩgatiga kuura.
Look, the (winter/cold season) is ended; the rain has stopped;
12 Nĩ hĩndĩ mahũa marakunũka thĩ; ihinda rĩa kũina nĩikinyu, mĩgambo ya ndutura nĩĩraiguuo bũrũri-inĩ witũ.
flowers are blooming throughout the country/land. It is now time to sing; we hear the doves cooing.
13 Mũkũyũ-rĩ, nĩũrutĩte ngũyũ cia mbere; mĩthabibũ ĩrĩa ĩratumũra kĩro nĩĩraruta mũtararĩko wayo wega. Ũkĩra, ũka mũrata wakwa; o wee wakwa mũthaka, ũkĩra tũthiĩ.”
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 Ndutura yakwa wee ũrĩ mĩatũka-inĩ ya rwaro rwa ihinga, kũu ciĩhitho-inĩ cia hurũrũka cia irĩma, nyonia ũthiũ waku, ta reke njigue mũgambo waku; nĩ ũndũ mũgambo waku nĩ mwororo, na ũthiũ waku nĩ mũthaka.
[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 Tũnyitĩrei mbwe, o tũbwe tũu tũnini, tũrĩa tũthũkagia mĩgũnda ya mĩthabibũ, o mĩthabibũ ĩyo iitũ ĩratumũra kĩro.
[There are other men who are like] [MET] little jackals/foxes that ruin vineyards; do not allow [those men to attack me].
16 Mwendwa wakwa nĩ wakwa na niĩ ndĩ wake; arĩithagia kũrĩa kũrĩ itoka.
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 Hũndũka nginya rĩrĩa kũrĩĩrura, nacio ciĩruru ciirĩrie. Hũndũka mwendwa wakwa, tuĩka ta thiiya, kana ta thwariga nyanake, ĩrĩ irĩma-inĩ cia Betheri.
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.

< Rwĩmbo 2 >