Rwĩmbo 3
1 Ũtukũ wothe ndĩ ũrĩrĩ-inĩ wakwa ndĩracaragia ũcio ngoro yakwa yendete; ndĩramũcaririe, no ndinamuona.
On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.
2 Nĩngũũkĩra thiĩ ngacangacange itũũra-inĩ inene, hungure njĩra-inĩ ciarĩo na nja ciarĩo; thiĩ ngeethe ũcio ngoro yakwa yendete. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ngĩmũcaria, no ndiigana kũmuona.
I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and squares. I will seek the one I love. So I sought him but did not find him.
3 Arangĩri nĩmanyonire, magĩthiũrũrũka itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene. Ngĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Nĩmuonete ũrĩa ngoro yakwa yendete?”
I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city: “Have you seen the one I love?”
4 O ndamahĩtũka o ũguo, nĩguo ndonire ũrĩa ngoro yakwa yendete. Ngĩmũnyiita na ndiamũrekirie, o nginya ngĩmũtoonyia nyũmba ya maitũ, ngĩmũtoonyia kanyũmba ga thĩinĩ ka ũrĩa wanjiarire.
I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me.
5 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.
O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
6 Nũũ ũyũ ũroka ambatĩte oimĩte werũ-inĩ ahaana ta itu rĩa ndogo, arĩ mũtararĩko wa manemane na ũbani, iria ithondeketwo na mahuti mothe manungi wega ma mwonjoria?
Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?
7 Atĩrĩrĩ! Nĩ ngaari ya gũkuua Solomoni, yumagarĩtio nĩ njamba cia ita mĩrongo ĩtandatũ, iria ndĩĩe mũno cia Isiraeli,
Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage, escorted by sixty of the mightiest men of Israel.
8 othe meeohete hiũ cia njora, na othe marĩ na ũũgĩ wa mbaara, o ũmwe wao eyohete rũhiũ rwa njora, ehaarĩirie nĩ ũndũ wa imakania iria ingĩũka ũtukũ.
All are skilled with the sword, experienced in warfare. Each has his sword at his side prepared for the terror of the night.
9 Mũthamaki Solomoni nĩethondekeire ngaari ya kũmũkuuaga; amĩakĩte na mĩtĩ ya kuuma Lebanoni.
King Solomon has made his carriage out of the timber of Lebanon.
10 Itugĩ ciayo atumithĩtie cia betha, naguo mwĩtiiro wayo nĩ wa thahabu, gĩtĩ kĩayo kĩgemetio na gĩtambaya kĩa rangi wa ndathi, mwena wa thĩinĩ wayo ũgemetio na wendo nĩ aarĩ a Jerusalemu.
He has made its posts of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple fabric. Its interior is inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Inyuĩ aarĩ a Zayuni ta kiumei, mwĩrorere Mũthamaki Solomoni ekĩrĩte thũmbĩ, thũmbĩ ĩrĩa nyina aamwĩkĩrire mũthenya wake wa kũhikania, mũthenya o ũrĩa ngoro yake yakeneire.
Come out, O daughters of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, wearing the crown his mother bestowed on the day of his wedding— the day of his heart’s rejoicing.
