¹I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Lover

¹ Ay ya roz* boosi no, Saruna batama wane, Ay ya gooro ra waaliya boko mo no. Arhiijo ne:

²As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. Beloved

² Sanda karjiyaŋ ra waaliya boko, Yaadin cine no ay baakwa ga hima wandiyey ra. Wayhiijo ne:

³As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.

³ Sanda saajo tuurey ra pom* nya, Yaadin cine no ay baakwa ga hima arwasey game ra. A biyo ra goray ga kaan ay se gumo. A tuuri izey mo haŋ kaŋ ga kaan ay meyo ra no.

⁴He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love.

⁴ A kande ay buci fuwo ra, Liiliwalo kaŋ a daŋ ay boŋ do mo, baakasinay no.

⁵Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am faint with love.

⁵ M'ay fundo yayandi da reyzin* takulayaŋ, M'ay bina yeenandi da pom izeyaŋ, Zama ay jante baakasinay sabbay se.

⁶His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me.

⁶ A kambe wow ma bara ay boŋo cire, A kambe ŋwaaro mo m'ay ganday. Arhiijo ne:

⁷I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

⁷ Ya araŋ Urusalima wandiyey, Ay goono ga kaseeti araŋ gaa, Saajo jeerey da ŋweyey boŋ: Wa si ay baakwa tunandi, Araŋ ma s'a mo hayandi mo kala nd'a yadda jina. Wayhiijo ne:

⁸The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.

⁸ Ay baakwa jinde nooya, guna a goono ga kaa. A ga sar no tondey boŋ, a ga gaan fandey boŋ.

⁹My beloved is like a roe or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.

⁹ Ay baakwa ga hima jeeri wala ŋwe ize cine. Guna, nga ne ga kay iri cinaro banda, A goono ga niigaw funey gaa, A go g'ay fonnay finetar gaa.

¹⁰My beloved spoke, and said to me, “Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.

¹⁰ Ay baakwa salaŋ ka ne ay se: «Ya ay baakwa, nin kaŋ ga sogo, Ma tun ka fatta.

¹¹For, behold, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone.

¹¹ Zama a go, kaydiya bisa, haro ban parkatak,

¹²The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

¹² Tuuri boosey goono ga bangay ndunnya ra, Waaliya kaayaŋ waate to. I go ga maa koloŋay jinde iri laabo ra.

¹³The fig tree ripens her green figs. The vines are in blossom. They give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.” Lover

¹³ Jeejay* nya goono ga nga ize gani ninandi ka kubandi, Reyzin tiksey mo goono ga boosu, I goono ga ngey haw kaana te. Ya ay baakwa, nin kaŋ ga sogo, Ma tun ka kaa ay banda.» Arhiijo ne:

¹⁴My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

¹⁴ Ya ay koloŋa kaŋ go tondi guusu ra ga tugu tondi zullante gaa, Naŋ ay ma di ni moyduma, ay ma maa ni jinda mo, Zama ni jinda ga kaan, ni takaro mo ga sogo.

¹⁵Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom. Beloved

¹⁵ Wa di iri se zoŋoyaŋ, zoŋo kayney din kaŋ yaŋ goono ga reyzin* kaley sara, Zama iri reyzin kaley goono ga boosu. Wayhiijo ne:

¹⁶My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.

¹⁶ Ay baakwa ya ay wane no, ay mo a wane no. A go ga kuru naŋ kaŋ gonda waaliya bokoyaŋ,

¹⁷Beloved Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Bether.

¹⁷ Hala mo ma bo, kuba ma ban. Ni ma bare, ya ay baakwa. Ma ciya sanda jeeri wala ŋwe ize Beter tondey boŋ.