Ingoma Yezingoma 5
1 Sengingenile esivandeni sami, dadewethu, mlobokazi, sengikhe imure yami lamakha ami, ngidle uhlanga loluju lwami kanye loluju lwami, nginathe iwayini lami lochago lwami. Dlanini, bangane, linathe, linathe kakhulu, bathandekayo.
I enter my garden, my sister, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spice. I eat my honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. Let us eat our fill of love! Let us be drunk with love!
2 Ngilele, kodwa inhliziyo yami iphapheme. Ilizwi lesithandwa sami liqoqoda, lisithi: Ngivulela, dadewethu, mthandwa wami, juba lami, opheleleyo wami, ngoba ikhanda lami ligcwele amazolo, inwele zami eziphotheneyo amathonsi ebusuku.
Though I was asleep, my mind was racing. I heard my love knocking, and calling out, “Please open the door, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect love. My head is soaked with dew, my hair is wet from the night mist.”
3 Ngikhuphile isigqoko sami, ngingasigqoka njani? Ngigezile inyawo zami, ngingazingcolisa njani?
I replied, “I've already got undressed. I don't have to get dressed again, do I? I've already washed my feet. I don't have to make them dirty again, do I?”
4 Isithandwa sami safaka isandla saso esikhaleni sesivalo, lemibilini yami yasiqubuleka.
My love thrust his hand into the opening. Deep inside I longed for him.
5 Ngasukuma mina ukuvulela isithandwa sami; lezandla zami zathonta imure, leminwe yami imure egelezayo, ezibanjeni zekhiye.
I got up to let my love in. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, as I grabbed the handles of the bolt.
6 Mina ngasivulela isithandwa sami, kodwa isithandwa sami sasitshibilike sedlula. Umphefumulo wami wehluleka ekukhulumeni kwaso. Ngasidinga, kodwa kangisitholanga, ngasibiza, kodwa kasingiphendulanga.
I opened up to my love, but he had left—he was gone! I was crushed as a result. I looked for him but I couldn't find him. I called him but he didn't answer.
7 Abalindi ababebhodabhoda emzini bangifica, bangitshaya, bangilimaza; abalindi bemiduli bangithathela ijali yami.
The watchmen found me as they went through the city. They beat me, they hurt me, and stole my cloak, those watchmen of the walls.
8 Ngiyalifungisa, madodakazi eJerusalema, uba lithola othandekayo wami, lizamtshelani? Ukuthi ngiguliswa luthando.
Women of Jerusalem, promise me if you find my love and wonder what you should tell him, tell him I am weak with love.
9 Isithandwa sakho simedlula ngani omunye othandekayo, wena omuhle phakathi kwabesifazana? Isithandwa sakho simedlula ngani omunye othandekayo ukuthi usifungise njalo?
Why is the one you love better than any other, most beautiful of women? In what way is the one you love better than any other that we should promise you that?
10 Isithandwa sami simhlophe sibomvana, inhlokonkulu phakathi kwenkulungwane ezilitshumi.
My love has dazzling good looks and is very fit—better than ten thousand others!
11 Ikhanda laso linjengegolide elicengeke kakhulu, inwele zaso eziphotheneyo ziyibulembu, zimnyama njengewabayi.
His head is like the finest gold, his hair is wavy and black as the raven.
12 Amehlo aso anjengamajuba ezifuleni zamanzi, agezwe ngochago, afakwe kakuhle.
His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, washed with milk and mounted like sparkling jewels.
13 Izihlathi zaso zinjengombheda wamakha, njengemibundu yamakha akhupha iphunga elimnandi. Indebe zaso zinjengemiduze, zithonta imure egelezayo.
His cheeks are like a flowerbed of spices that produces fragrance. His lips are like lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh.
14 Izandla zaso zinjengendandatho zegolide ezigcwele ibherule. Isisu saso sinjengophondo lwendlovu olukhanyayo, luhuqwe ngesafire.
His arms are round bars of gold inlaid with jewels. His abdomen is like carved ivory inlaid with lapis lazuli.
15 Imilenze yaso zinsika zelitshe elimhlophe zimiswe ezisekelweni zegolide elicwengekileyo. Ukukhangeleka kwaso kunjengeLebhanoni, elikhethelo njengemisedari.
His legs are columns of alabaster set on bases of gold. He looks strong, like the mighty cedars of Lebanon.
16 Umlomo waso umnandi kakhulu, yebo sonke siyathandeka kakhulu. Lesi yisithandwa sami, njalo lesi ngumngane wami, madodakazi eJerusalema.
His mouth is the sweetest ever; he is totally desirable! This is my love, my friend, women of Jerusalem.
