¹By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

¹ Cin ay daarijo boŋ ay n'a ceeci, Nga kaŋ ay bina ga ba, Ay n'a ceeci, amma ay mana du a.

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

²I will get up now, and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

² Kal ay ne: «Naŋ ya tun sohõ, Ka bar-bare kwaara fondey da batamey ra, Ay ga nga kaŋ ay bina ga ba din ceeci.» Ay n'a ceeci, amma ay mana di a.

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.

³The watchmen who go about the city found me; “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

³ Batukoy kaŋ ga bar-bare kwaara ra n'ay gar. Ay ne i se mo: «Araŋ mana di ay se nga kaŋ ay bina ga ba din, wala?»

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

⁴I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me.

⁴ In d'ey mana gay da fayyaŋ, Kal ay na nga kaŋ ay bina ga ba din gar. Ay n'a gaay, ay mana yadda k'a taŋ koyne, Kala kaŋ ay kand'a ay nyaŋo kwaara jina, Nga kaŋ n'ay hay din fuwo ra nooya. Arhiijo ne:

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.

⁵I 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.

⁵ Ya araŋ Urusalima wandiyey, Ay goono ga kaseeti araŋ gaa, Saajo jeerey nda ŋweyey boŋ, Wa si ay baakwa tunandi, Wa s'a mo hay mo, kala nd'a yadda jina. Doonko marga ne:

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.

⁶Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?

⁶ May no woone kaŋ goono ga tun saajo wo ra sanda dullu cinari, Kaŋ ga to zawul da lubban haw, Ngey nda haw kaano hamni kulu kaŋ i ga neera?

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

⁷Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage! Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

⁷ Wiiza! Suleymanu karga kaŋ i ga jare no, Kaŋ boro gaabikooni waydu goono g'a windi, Israyla* ra gaabikooniyaŋ no.

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

⁸They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.

⁸ I kulu borey kaŋ yaŋ ga waani takuba mo, Kaŋ yaŋ ga goni wongu gaa. I afo kulu gonda nga takuba ga koto nga gaa, I ga batu cin humburkumay sabbay se.

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

⁹King Solomon made himself a carriage of the wood of Lebanon.

⁹ Bonkoono Suleymanu na koytaray karga te nga boŋ se, Liban tuuri bundu wane.

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

¹⁰He made its pillars of silver, its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, its midst being paved with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.

¹⁰ A n'a kambey bundey te da nzarfu, A banda mo wura wane no, A gora do mo suudi no. A bindo ra kulu Urusalima wandiyey n'a taalam da baakasinay.

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.

¹¹Go forth, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon, with the crown with which his mother has crowned him, in the day of his weddings, in the day of the gladness of his heart. Lover

¹¹ Wa fatta, ya araŋ Sihiyona wandiyey ka bonkoono Suleymanu guna, Nga nd'a koytaray fuula kaŋ nyaŋo didiji a se a hiija hane, A bine kaani zaaro ra.

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.