Rwĩmbo 1
1 Rũrũ nĩruo rwĩmbo rwa Solomoni rũrĩa rwega gũkĩra nyĩmbo ciothe.
The Song of Songs, which pertaineth to Solomon.
2 Ta nĩamumunye na mamumunya ma kanua gake: nĩ ũndũ wendo waku nĩ mwega gũkĩra ndibei.
[SHE] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! [THEY] For better are thy caresses 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!
Like the fragrance of thy precious oils, Oil poured out, is thy name, For this cause, virgins 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!
[SHE] Draw me! [THEY] After thee, will we run! [SHE] The king, hath brought me, into his chambers. [THEY] We will exult and rejoice in thee, we will mention thy caresses, beyond wine, Sincerely 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.
[SHE] Swarthy, I am but comely, ye daughters of Jerusalem. [THEY] Like the tents of Kedar, like 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.
[SHE] Do not look on me, because, I, am so swarthy, because the sun hath scorched me, —My mother’s sons, were angry with me, they set me to keep the vineyards, 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, thou loved of my soul! Where wilt thou pasture thy flock? Where wilt thou let them recline at noon? For why should I be as one that wrappeth a veil about her, by 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.
[HE] If thou know not of thyself, most beautiful among women! get thee forth in the footsteps of the flock, and pasture thy kids by the huts of the shepherds. …
9 Wee, mwendwa wakwa-rĩ, ngũgerekanagia na mbarathi ya mũgoma yohereirwo ngaari ĩmwe ya ngaari cia ita rĩa Firaũni.
To a mare of mine, in the chariots of Pharaoh, have I likened thee, my fair one!
10 Makai maku-rĩ, mathakarĩirwo mũno nĩ icũhĩ cia matũ, nayo ngingo yaku ĩkaagĩrĩrwo nĩ mĩgathĩ ya tũhiga twa goro.
Comely are thy cheeks, with bead-rows, thy neck, with strings of gems.
11 Tũgũgũthondekera icũhĩ cia matũ cia thahabu, ciohanĩtio na tũbungo twa betha.
[THEY] Rows of golden ornaments, will we make thee, with studs of silver.
12 Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aarĩ metha-inĩ yake-rĩ, maguta makwa manungi wega maiyũrĩtie mũtararĩko wamo kũu.
[SHE] By the time the king is in his circle, my nard, will have given out its fragrance:
13 Mwendwa wakwa harĩ niĩ-rĩ, ahaana ta koohe ka manemane gakomeire gatagatĩ ka nyondo ciakwa.
A bag of myrrh, is my beloved to me, between my breasts, shall it tarry the night!
14 Mwendwa wakwa harĩ niĩ-rĩ, nĩ ta kamanja ka mahũa ma mũhanuni kuuma mĩgũnda-inĩ ya mĩthabibũ ya Eni-Gedi.
A cluster of henna, is my beloved to me, 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.
[HE] Lo! thou art beautiful my fair one, lo! thou art beautiful, Thine eyes, [are] doves!
16 Hĩ! Kaĩ wee mwendwa wakwa ũkĩrĩ mũthaka-ĩ! Kaĩ ũkĩrĩ wa kwendeka-ĩ! Na ũrĩrĩ witũ nĩ ta nyeki ĩrĩa nduru.
[SHE] Lo! thou art beautiful, my beloved, Yea delightful! [BOTH] Yea! our couch, is covered with leaves:
17 Mĩratho ya nyũmba iitũ nĩ ya mĩtarakwa; nayo mĩitĩrĩro yayo nĩ ya mĩkarakaba.
The beams of our house, are cedars, Our fretted ceiling, is cypress-trees.
