1 Ndaswika ku nnda wangu, hazwadzi yangu, nlongo wangu,
ndotjela mira ne zwipayisi,
ndoja mape ne butji gwe nyutji,
ndong'wa nkumbi wangu we zhambi ne nkaka.
Ijani, imwi bakwinya bangu, mung'we,
ing'wani kwakanginilila, imwi badani!
Lumbo gwe bunna
2 Ndakayizela, koga moyo wangu wakabe wakalinga.
Teedza, wandinoda unokokodza eti,
“Undizhulile, hazwadzi yangu, tjido tjangu,
njiba yangu, wakapelela,
nsholo wangu unadoba le khawa,
mavudzi angu azhele madokhwe e busiku.”
3 Ndakabe ndakaambula tjiambalo tjangu,
ndakabe ndinga tjiambala tjini?
Ndakabe ndangula makumbo angu,
ndakabe ndowobe ndialongelani shambgwa?
4 Nthu wangu wakabiga luboko gugwe pa buli le dendele,
moyo wangu ukashatha kwazo.
5 Ndakamilika kuno zhulila tjibhayamoyo tjangu,
maboko angu akadubikiwa mu mira,
zwinyala zwangu zwidotha mira,
udothela mu tjizhuli tje dendele.
6 Ndakan'zhulila tjido tje moyo wangu,
ngono awana ashanduka abgwilila.
Ndikatemeka mafupa ngoyenda kukwe,
ndakanshaka, ansheta,
an'dana, akasindidabile.
7 Balindi bakandiwana,
bali mu kuyenda yenda kwabo mu nzi nkulu,
bakandiloba, bakandikubadza,
bakanditolela jasi langu,
ibabaje balindi be makuma!
8 Ndomukumbila, imwi bakololokadzi be Jerusalema
amungabona nthu wangu, mumbudze kuti ndogwala gwe ludo.
9 Tjido tjitjo tjopinda bamwe badiwa ngeni,
iwe mbuya kupinda bamwe bakadzi?
Tjido tjitjo tjopinda bamwe badiwa ngeni,
kwa ungatiambila zwingapa?
10 Tjido tje moyo wangu tjokwidzima tjili tjishaba,
tjopinda balume bali gumi le zwiwulu (10 000).
11 Nsholo uwe i golide mbuyanana nge kwayo,
mavudzi awe akazwipomba matema se gungubo.
12 Mesho awe anonga e njiba dzili pa misenya ye vula,
akangudziwa ne nkaka kwakalizanila, agele zubuyanana.
13 Matama awe anonga minda dze zwipayisi zwinonuhwilila.
Milomo iye inonga maluba inodotha mira inowunga.
14 Maboko awe anonga zwikombo zwe golide,
zwakanakisiwa nge dayimani.
Mbili unonga nyanga dze zhowu dzakakuyungiwa,
wakanakisiwa nge mabgwe e safire.
15 Makumbo awe anonga phanda dze alabhasita,
dzakagadzikiwa pezhugwi kwe golide.
Ndingiko iye ungati Lebanoni,
mbuya se misida.
16 Ndebeleko iye inozipa kwazo,
unoyemulika kwazo kwazo.
Iwoyu tjido tjangu, nzwalani wangu,
imwi bakololokadzi be Jerusalema.
The Man
1 I have entered my garden,
my sweetheart, my bride.
I am gathering my spices and myrrh;
I am eating my honey and honeycomb;
I am drinking my wine and milk.
The Women
Eat, lovers, and drink
until you are drunk with love!
The Fourth Song
The Woman
2 While I slept, my heart was awake.
I dreamed my lover knocked at the door.
The Man
Let me come in, my darling,
my sweetheart, my dove.
My head is wet with dew,
and my hair is damp from the mist.
The Woman
3 I have already undressed;
why should I get dressed again?
I have washed my feet;
why should I get them dirty again?
4 My lover put his hand to the door,
and I was thrilled that he was near.
5 I was ready to let him come in.
My hands were covered with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh,
as I grasped the handle of the door.
6 I opened the door for my lover,
but he had already gone.
How I wanted to hear his voice!
I looked for him, but couldn't find him;
I called to him, but heard no answer.
7 The sentries patrolling the city found me;
they struck me and bruised me;
the guards at the city wall tore off my cape.
8 Promise me, women of Jerusalem,
that if you find my lover,
you will tell him I am weak from passion.
The Women
9 Most beautiful of women,
is your lover different from everyone else?
What is there so wonderful about him
that we should give you our promise?
The Woman
10 My lover is handsome and strong;
he is one in ten thousand.
11 His face is bronzed and smooth;
his hair is wavy,
black as a raven.
12 His eyes are as beautiful as doves by a flowing brook,
doves washed in milk and standing by the stream.
13 His cheeks are as lovely as a garden
that is full of herbs and spices.
His lips are like lilies,
wet with liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are well-formed,
and he wears rings set with gems.
His body is like smooth ivory,
with sapphires set in it.
15 His thighs are columns of alabaster
set in sockets of gold.
He is majestic, like the Lebanon Mountains
with their towering cedars.
16 His mouth is sweet to kiss;
everything about him enchants me.
This is what my lover is like,
women of Jerusalem.