1 Asleep on my bed, night after night
I dreamed of the one I love;
I was looking for him, but couldn't find him.
2 I went wandering through the city,
through its streets and alleys.
I looked for the one I love.
I looked, but couldn't find him.
3 The sentries patrolling the city saw me.
I asked them, “Have you found my lover?”
4 As soon as I left them, I found him.
I held him and wouldn't let him go
until I took him to my mother's house,
to the room where I was born.
5 Promise me, women of Jerusalem;
swear by the swift deer and the gazelles
that you will not interrupt our love.
The Third Song
The Woman
6 What is this coming from the desert like a column of smoke,
fragrant with incense and myrrh,
the incense sold by the traders?
7 Solomon is coming, carried on his throne;
sixty soldiers form the bodyguard,
the finest soldiers in Israel.
8 All of them are skillful with the sword;
they are battle-hardened veterans.
Each of them is armed with a sword,
on guard against a night attack.
9 King Solomon is carried on a throne
made of the finest wood.
10 Its posts are covered with silver;
over it is cloth embroidered with gold.
Its cushions are covered with purple cloth,
lovingly woven by the women of Jerusalem.
11 Women of Zion, come and see King Solomon.
He is wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head
on his wedding day,
on the day of his gladness and joy.
1 Pa ndakabe ndili mu bulawo busiku
ndakanshaka, tjido tje moyo wangu,
ndakan'vima anshaya,
ndakandana, koga akasindidabile.
2 Ndowomilika ngwenu ha tendeleka ne nzi nkulu
mu dzizila ne mu matengeselo,
ndowonshaka iye wandinoda kwazo,
ndakan'vima, koga andizombona.
3 Balindi bakandiwana,
sekwa bakabe beyenda yenda mu nzi nkulu.
“Matongobona poni nthu wangu we pa moyo kene?”
4 Kwakati kusathu kukanoti ngayi ndisinobapinda,
ndikabe ndashangana newe pa moyo,
ndakan'gumbatila, asitongo nletja
kuswikila ndan'kotosa ku nzi wa mme bangu,
kunoti ku ng'umba ye wakandizwisenga.
5 Ndotunisa tjose, imwi bakololokadzi be Jerusalema,
nge phala kene phalapala dze shango,
musitange ludo,
kuswikila guzwilakidza agushaka.
Lumbo gwe butatu
6 Ndiyani iwowuje waswika unodwa ku tjilambanyika,
unonga bhulubusi,
lina nnuhwo we mira ne motsha
ne zwizholo zose zwe ntengesi kene?
7 Tjidzobona, i ngwa ya Solomoni!
Ina mikwita ye balume bali makumi matathatu (60),
mu mikwita ye balume be Iziraela,
8 bose bakashakatila zwibhayano,
bana luzibo gwe ngwa,
mmwe ne mmwe akadedela thumo pa thunji
akalinda tjibaka tjainowolobana busiku.
9 Mambo Solomoni wakazwibezhela koloyi
ye lukuni gwe Lebanoni.
10 Wakathama zwibhali zwayo nge siliva,
kushule yakathamiwa nge golide,
tjigalo tjayo tjina mbala nshaba wakabondelela,
mukati kwatjo tjakakuyungiwa kunodika
ne bakololokadzi be Jerusalema.
11 Bhudani imwi bakololokadzi be Ziyoni,
mu bone Mambo Solomoni,
aka ambala tjiala tjaakambadziwa na mmeyabe
mu zhuba le ndobolo iye,
mu zhuba le kushatha kwe moyo uwe.