< Wimbo wa Sulemani 3 >
1 Usiku kucha kwenye kitanda changu nilimtafuta yule moyo wangu umpendaye; nilimtafuta, lakini sikumpata.
[SHE] Upon my couch, in the night-time, sought I the beloved of my soul, —I sought him, but found him not.
2 Sasa nitaondoka na kuzunguka mjini, katika barabara zake na viwanja; nitamtafuta yule moyo wangu umpendaye. Kwa hiyo nilimtafuta lakini sikumpata.
Come! I must arise, and go about in the city, In the paths and in the broadways, I must seek the beloved of my soul, —I sought him, but found him not.
3 Walinzi walinikuta walipokuwa wakizunguka mji. Nikawauliza, “Je, mmemwona yule moyo wangu umpendaye?”
The watchmen that go round in the city, found me, The beloved of my soul, have ye seen?
4 Kitambo kidogo tu baada ya kuwapita nilimpata yule moyo wangu umpendaye. Nilimshika na sikumwachia aende mpaka nilipomleta katika nyumba ya mama yangu, katika chumba cha yule aliyenichukua mimba.
Scarcely had I passed from them, when I found the beloved of my soul, —I caught him, and would not let him go, until that I had brought him into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
5 Binti za Yerusalemu, ninawaagiza kwa paa na kwa ayala wa shambani: Msichochee wala kuamsha mapenzi hata yatakapotaka yenyewe.
[HE] I adjure you ye, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, —That ye wake not, nor arouse, the dear love until she please.
6 Ni nani huyu anayekuja kutoka jangwani kama nguzo ya moshi, anayenukia manemane na uvumba iliyotengenezwa kwa vikolezo vyote vya mfanyabiashara?
[THEY] Who is this, coming up out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke, —with perfume of myrrh, and frankincense, besides all the aromatic powder of the merchant?
7 Tazama! Ni gari la Solomoni lisindikizwalo na mashujaa sitini, walio wakuu sana wa Israeli,
Lo! his couch,’tis Solomon’s own, Threescore heroes, around it, —of the heroes of Israel:
8 wote wamevaa panga, wote wazoefu katika vita, kila mmoja na upanga wake pajani, wamejiandaa kwa ajili ya hofu za usiku.
All of them, grasping the sword, trained for war, —every man, with his sword upon his thigh, because of dread, in the night-time.
9 Mfalme Solomoni alijitengenezea gari; alilitengeneza kwa mbao kutoka Lebanoni.
A palanquin, King Solomon made himself, of the trees of Lebanon:
10 Nguzo zake alizitengeneza kwa fedha, kitako chake kwa dhahabu. Kiti chake kilipambwa kwa zambarau, gari lake likanakshiwa njumu kwa upendo na binti za Yerusalemu.
The supports thereof, made he of silver, the couch thereof, of gold, the seat thereof, of purple, —the midst thereof, hath an inlay of love from the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Tokeni nje, ninyi binti za Sayuni, mkamtazame Mfalme Solomoni akiwa amevaa taji, taji ambalo mama yake alimvika siku ya arusi yake, siku ambayo moyo wake ulishangilia.
Go forth and gaze, ye daughters of Zion, upon King Solomon, —wearing the crown, wherewith his mother, crowned him, in the day of his marriage, and in the day of his heart gladness.