¹Usiku, ndiri panhovo dzangu, Ndakamutsvaka anodikamwa nomweya wangu; Ndakamutsvaka, asi handina kumuwana.

¹By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

²Ndikati, ndichasimuka zvino, ndifambe-fambe neguta; Panzira dzomumusha, napamatare Ndipo pandichatsvaka anodikamwa nomweya wangu; Ndikamutsvaka, asi handina kumuwana.

²[I said], I will rise now, and go about the city; In the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

³Varindi, vanofamba-famba neguta, vakandiwana; Ndikati kwavari, Matongoona anodikamwa nomweya wangu here?

³The watchmen that go about the city found me; [To whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

⁴Ndakati ndangobva kwavari, ndakapfuura zvishoma, Ndikamuwana iye anodikamwa nomweya wangu; Ndikamubata, ndikaramba kumuregedza, Kusvikira ndamuisa mumba mamai vangu, Muimba yomukati yaiye wakandibereka.

⁴It was but a little that I passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, Until I had brought him into my mother's house, And into the chamber of her that conceived me.

⁵Ndinokupikirai, imwi vakunda veJerusaremu, Nemharapara kana nondo dzokubundo, Kuti murege kupfutidza kana kumutsa rudo, Kusvikira irwo rwada rumene.

⁵I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, Until he please.

⁶Ndianiko uyo anokwira achibva kurenje seshongwe dzohutsi, Anonhuhwira nemura nezvinonhuhwira, Nezvakakuyiwa zvose zvomutengesi?

⁶Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all powders of the merchant?

⁷Tarirai, ndicho chigaro chaSoromoni chinotakurwa; Mhare dzina makumi matanhatu dzakachikomberedza, Vanobva pamhare dzavaIsiraeri.

⁷Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; Threescore mighty men are about it, Of the mighty men of Israel.

⁸Vose vanoziva kubata munondo, vakadzidza kurwa; Murume mumwe nomumwe anomunondo wake pahudyu yake, Nokuda kwezvinotyisa usiku.

⁸They all handle the sword, [and] are expert in war: Every man hath his sword upon his thigh, Because of fear in the night.

⁹Mambo Soromoni akazviitira chigaro chinotakurwa chamatanda eRebhanoni.

⁹King Solomon made himself a palanquin Of the wood of Lebanon.

¹⁰Akaita mbiru dzacho nesirivha, Musana wacho nendarama, chigaro chacho nomucheka mutsvuku, . Mukati macho makarongwa norudo Rwavakunda veJerusaremu.

¹⁰He made the pillars thereof of silver, The bottom thereof of gold, the seat of it of purple, The midst thereof being paved with love, From the daughters of Jerusalem.

¹¹Budai, imwi vakunda veZiyoni, muone mambo Soromoni, Ane korona yaakadzikwa namai vake Pazuva rokuwana kwake, Napazuva romufaro womoyo wake.

¹¹Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon, With the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him In the day of his espousals, And in the day of the gladness of his heart.