Ingoma Yezingoma 1
1 Ingoma yezingoma kaSolomoni.
This is [King] Solomon’s most beautiful song.
2 Kangange ngezangiwo zomlomo wakhe ngoba uthando lwakho lumnandi kulewayini.
Kiss me [on my lips], because your love [for me] is more delightful than wine.
3 Limnandi iphunga lamagcobo akho; ibizo lakho linjengamakha atheliweyo. Yikho izintombi zikuthanda kangaka!
The fragrance of the cologne on your [skin] is [very] sweet/pleasing [CHI]. And your reputation is [very] good and spreads, [like] [SIM] the fragrance of the special oil spread on your skin. That is why the [other] young women are attracted to you.
4 Ngithatha uhambe lami, kasiphangise! Inkosi kayingingenise endlini yayo. Abangane Siyathokoza njalo siyajabula ngawe; sizalubabaza uthando lwakho okudlula iwayini. Umlobokazi Kabazenzi ukuba bakuthande!
Take me quickly; take me to your home. [It is as though] you are my king; take me into your room. We are very happy [DOU] about you; we say that your love [for each other] is better than wine. It is not surprising that the other young women adore you.
5 Ngimnyama kodwa ngiyabukeka, lina madodakazi aseJerusalema ngimnyama okwamathente aseKhedari, okwamakhetheni amathente kaSolomoni.
You women of Jerusalem, I am dark but beautiful; my dark skin is like [SIM] the tents in Kedar, [or] like the beautiful curtains in Solomon’s palace.
6 Linganginyonkolozi ngoba ngimnyama, ngimnyama ngenxa yokutshiswa lilanga. Abanewethu bangizondela bangenza umlindi wesivini; angabe ngisanaka esami isivini.
[But] do not stare at me because of the sun having caused my skin to become dark; my brothers were angry with me, [so] they forced me to work [out in the sunshine] in the vineyards, so I was not able to take good care of my body/skin [CHI, MET].
7 Akungitshele, wena engikuthandayo, uyelusela ngaphi imihlambi yezimvu zakho lokuthi ziphumula ngaphi izimvu zakho emini? Kungani ngisiba njengomfazi ombozileyo eceleni kwemihlambi yabangane bakho na?
You whom I [SYN] love, where will you take your flock of sheep today? Where will you allow them to rest at noontime? I want to know because it is not right [RHQ] for me to wander around like a prostitute looking for you among the flocks that belong to your friends.
8 Nxa ungazi, wena omuhle okudlula bonke abesifazane, landela umkhondo wezimvu udlisele amazinyane embuzi zakho eduze lamathente abelusi.
You who are the most beautiful of all the women, if you [search for me and] do not know [where I will take my sheep], follow the tracks/footprints of the sheep. [Then] allow your young goats to (graze/eat grass) near the shepherds’ tents.
9 Sithandwa sami, ngikufanisa lebhiza elisikazi elibotshwe enqoleni kaFaro.
You [are beautiful], my darling, like the young female horse that pulls the chariot of the king of Egypt.
10 Izihlathi zakho zinhle ngokuceciswa, intamo yakho ngobuhlalu obucazimulayo.
Your cheeks are decorated with jewelry, and there are strings of beads/pearls around your neck.
11 Sizakwenzela amacici egolide, ebalazwe ngesiliva.
We will make for you [some] gold earrings that are decorated/inlaid with silver.
12 Khonapho inkosi isetafuleni amakha ami enadi alanquza iphunga lawo elimnandi.
While the king was on his couch, the smell of my perfume spread [around the room].
13 Kimi isithandwa sami sinjengemfuko yemure ithe khoxo phakathi kwamabele ami.
The man who loves me is [as delightful as [MET]] a (sachet/small cloth bag) of myrrh between my breasts.
14 Kimi isithandwa sami sinjengelixha lempoko zehena eliphuma esivinini se-Eni-Gedi.
He is like [MET] a bunch of flowers from the vineyards at En-Gedi.
15 Bakithi, umuhle njani sithandwa sami! Ngeqiniso umuhle! Amehlo akho angamajuba.
You whom I love, you are beautiful; you are very beautiful! Your eyes are [as delightful/charming as] doves.
16 Umuhle ngempela, sithandwa sami! Bakithi, uyabukeka! Umbheda wethu butshani obuluhlaza tshoko.
You who love me, you are very delightful/handsome, you are wonderful! This green grass will be [like] a couch [where we lie down].
17 Izinsika zendlu yethu ngezomsedari lezintungo ngezefire.
[Branches of] cedar [trees] will shade us; [it is as though branches of] juniper/pine [trees] will be like [MET] a roof [over our heads].
