Rwĩmbo 3
1 Ũtukũ wothe ndĩ ũrĩrĩ-inĩ wakwa ndĩracaragia ũcio ngoro yakwa yendete; ndĩramũcaririe, no ndinamuona.
One night when I was lying in bed, I longed for the one I love. I longed for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
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.
So I said to myself, “I will get up now and go through the city, looking in its streets and squares for the one I love.” I looked for him but I didn't find him.
3 Arangĩri nĩmanyonire, magĩthiũrũrũka itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene. Ngĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Nĩmuonete ũrĩa ngoro yakwa yendete?”
The watchmen found me as they went through the city. “Have you seen the one I love?” I asked them.
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.
Only a little farther on after I'd passed them I found my love! I held him close and would not let him go until I'd brought him to my mother's house, to the room 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.
Women of Jerusalem, swear to me by the gazelles or the wild deer that you won't disturb our love until the right time.
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 in from the wilderness like a plume of smoke, like a burning sacrifice scented with myrrh and frankincense, with all kinds of imported perfumed powders?
7 Atĩrĩrĩ! Nĩ ngaari ya gũkuua Solomoni, yumagarĩtio nĩ njamba cia ita mĩrongo ĩtandatũ, iria ndĩĩe mũno cia Isiraeli,
Look, it's Solomon's sedan chair, accompanied by sixty of Israel's best warriors.
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 of them are expert swordsmen who have battle experience. They each carry a sword strapped to the thigh, ready for any night-time attacks.
9 Mũthamaki Solomoni nĩethondekeire ngaari ya kũmũkuuaga; amĩakĩte na mĩtĩ ya kuuma Lebanoni.
(Solomon's sedan chair was made for him with wood from 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.
Its posts were covered in silver, and the back was covered in gold. The seat cushion was purple. The interior was lovingly decorated.) Women 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! Look, women of Zion! See King Solomon wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head on his wedding day, his happiest day.
