Rwĩmbo 7
1 We mwarĩ ũyũ wa mũnene, ĩ magũrũ maku mekĩrĩtwo iraatũ ti mathaka! Magũrũ maku mathakarĩte makahaana ta mathaga, marĩa mathondeketwo nĩ moko ma mũbundi mũũgĩ.
You who are the daughter of a prince/king, you have lovely feet in your sandals. Your curved hips/thighs are like [SIM] jewels that have been made by a (skilled craftsman/man who shapes jewels very well).
2 Mũkonyo waku nĩ ta kaihũri ga gĩthiũrũrĩ karĩa gataagaga ndibei ningie. Njohero yaku ĩhaana ta kĩhumbu kĩa ngano ngonyore, gĩthiũrũrũkĩirio nĩ itoka.
Your navel is [like] [MET] a round bowl that is always full of wine mixed [with spices]. Your waist is [like] [SIM] a mound/bundle of wheat with lilies [growing] around it.
3 Nyondo ciaku ihaana ciana igĩrĩ cia thiiya, ikahaana mahatha ma thiiya.
Your breasts are as [as beautiful] as [SIM] two (fawns/young gazelles).
4 Ngingo yaku ĩhaana ta mũthiringo mũraihu wakĩtwo na mĩguongo. Maitho maku nĩ ta tũria twa Heshiboni, hakuhĩ na kĩhingo kĩa Bathi-Rabimu. Iniũrũ rĩaku rĩhaana ta mũthiringo mũraihu wa Lebanoni ũrĩa ũrorete na mwena wa Dameski.
Your neck is like [SIM] a tower [made of] ivory. Your eyes [sparkle/shine like] [MET] the pools in Heshbon [city], near the Bath-Rabbim gate. Your nose is [is as lovely] as [SIM] the tower of Lebanon which faces toward Damascus.
5 Mũtwe waku ũkũhumbaga tanji ta Kĩrĩma gĩa Karimeli. Nacio njuĩrĩ ciaku ciirĩte ikahaana ta rangi wa ndathi; mũthamaki aikaraga ta oohereirwo tũmĩcuha-inĩ twacio.
Your head is [majestic] like [SIM] Carmel Mountain. Your long hair is shiny [SIM] and black; [it is as though] I, your king, am captured by your tresses.
6 Wee wendo, kaĩ wee ũrĩ mũthaka na wa gũkenania-ĩ! Maũndũ maku nĩmagũkenania!
You whom I love, who have many charming features that attract me, are very beautiful and pleasant/pleasing.
7 Kĩrũgamo gĩaku kĩrũngarĩte ta mũtĩ wa mũkĩndũ, nacio nyondo ciaku ihaana ta imanjĩka cia matunda.
You are stately like [SIM] a palm tree, and your breasts are like [SIM] clusters/bunches of dates/fruit.
8 Ndoigire atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũhaica mũtĩ ũyũ wa mũkĩndũ; nĩngũtua matunda maguo.” Nyondo ciaku irotuĩka ta imanjĩka cia thabibũ, nayo mĩhũmũ yaku ĩtararĩke wega ta matunda,
I said [to myself], “I will climb that palm tree and take hold of those clusters of dates.” To me, your breasts are like clusters of grapes [that I can feel] and your breath is like the sweet fragrance of apples
9 nako kanua gaku gatuĩke ta ndibei ĩrĩa njega mũno. Mwendwa Ndibei ĩyo ĩrokinyĩra mwendwa wakwa, na ĩmerũke wega ĩrĩ gatagatĩ ka mĩromo na magego.
and your kisses are like very good wine. My kisses [MTY] go to the one who loves me and flow [like wine] over his lips and his teeth.
10 Niĩ ndĩ wa mwendwa wakwa, nake nĩ niĩ eriragĩria.
I belong to the man who loves me, and he desires me.
11 Mwendwa wakwa, ũka, nĩtũthiĩ mĩgũnda-inĩ, nĩtũthiĩ tũkaraarĩrĩre tũtũũra-inĩ.
You who love me, let’s go to the countryside, and sleep among the henna bushes (OR, in one of the villages).
12 Nĩtũrooke gũthiĩ tene mĩgũnda-inĩ ya mĩthabibũ tũkarore kana mĩthabibũ nĩmĩthundũku, na kana nĩĩcanũrĩte kĩro kĩayo, o na kana mĩkomamanga nĩĩrutĩte kĩro: kũu nĩkuo ngaakũheera wendo wakwa.
And let’s go early to the vineyards to see if the grapevines have budded and if there are blossoms on them that have opened, and to see if the pomegranate [trees] are blooming, and there I will make love to you.
13 Matunda ma mandarĩki nĩmaratararĩka, na mũrango-inĩ gwitũ kũrĩ na matunda ma mĩthemba yothe marĩa mega mũno, ma mũgethano o na mangĩ maikaru, marĩa ngũigĩire, wee mwendwa wakwa.
The mandrakes/love-apples are producing a fragrant odor, and we are surrounded by delightful [pleasures] [MET, EUP], new ones and old ones, pleasures that I have been saving to give to you, who love me.
