1I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved. Beloved
1 A go, ya ay waymo, ay wayhiijo, Ay kaa ay kalo ra. Ay n'ay zawul d'ay jinayey margu-margu. Ay n'ay yuwo ŋwa nga fanta ra, Ay n'ay duvaŋo d'ay wa gano mo haŋ. Doonko marga ne: Ya ay corey, wa ŋwa, wa haŋ. Oho, ya baakoy, wa haŋ iboobo. Wayhiijo ne:
1I am come into my garden, my sister, [my] bride: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
2I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.”
2 Ay goono ga jirbi, amma ay bina mana kani. Ay baakwa jinda neeya! A goono ga fu meyo kar, a goono ga ne: «Ma meyo fiti ay se, ya ay wayme, ya ay baakwa, Ay koloŋa, ay wane ihanna kaŋ sinda laru. Zama ay boŋo tay da harandaŋ, Ay boŋ hamney mo gonda cin hari tolli-tolliyaŋ.»
2I was asleep, but my heart waked: It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, [saying], Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; For my head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.
3I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?
3 Ay n'ay kwaayo kaa, Mate n'ay ga te ka ye k'a daŋ koyne? Ay n'ay ce taamey nyun, Mate n'ay ga te ka ye k'i ziibandi koyne?
3I have put off my garment; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
4My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.
4 Ay baakwa na nga kambe daŋ fu meyo funa gaa, Ay bina mo hẽ a se.
4My beloved put in his hand by the hole [of the door], And my heart was moved for him.
5I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
5 Ay tun zama ya fu meyo fiti ay baakwa se, Ay kambey mo go ga zawul tolli-tolli, Ay kambayzey gonda zawul hari fu meyo feeriyaŋ harey gaa.
5I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands droppeth with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt.
6I opened to my beloved; but my beloved left; and had gone away. My heart went out when he spoke. I looked for him, but I didn’t find him. I called him, but he didn’t answer.
6 Ay na fu meyo fiti ay baakwa se, Amma ay baakwa jin ka dira ka koy. Ay bina tu a se waati kaŋ a salaŋ. Ay n'a ceeci, amma ay mana du a. Ay n'a ce, amma a mana tu ay se.
6I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had withdrawn himself, [and] was gone. My soul had failed me when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.
7 Batukoy kaŋ ga kwaara windi n'ay gar. I n'ay kar k'ay maray. Meyey batukoy n'ay bangumo yabu ka ta ay gaa.
7The watchmen that go about the city found me, They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me.
8I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love. Friends
8 Ya araŋ Urusalima wandiyey, ay n'araŋ lordi: D'araŋ di ay baakwa, Kal araŋ ma ci a se ka ne ay jante baakasinay sabbay se. Doonko marga ne:
8I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved, That ye tell him, that I am sick from love.
9How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us? Beloved
9 Day, man no ni baakwa bisa baako fo, Ya nin kaŋ boori ka bisa wayborey kulu? Man no ni baakwa bisa baako fo kaŋ ni n'iri lordi ya-cine? Wayhiijo ne:
9What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, That thou dost so adjure us?
10My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.
10 Ay baakwa ya idaara no, ihanno mo no. A beera bisa boro zambar way wane.
10My beloved is white and ruddy, The chiefest among ten thousand.
11His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.
11 A boŋo sanda wura kaŋ bisa hay kulu booriyaŋ no, A boŋ hamno kunkunante no, Kaŋ ga bi sanda gaaru cine.
11His head is [as] the most fine gold; His locks are bushy, [and] black as a raven.
12His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.
12 A moy ga hima koloŋayyaŋ kaŋ go gooru me gaa waney, Nyunanteyaŋ no nda wa gani, I n'i sinji hal a ma boori mo.
12His eyes are like doves beside the water-brooks, Washed with milk, [and] fitly set.
13His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
13 A garbey ga hima sanda kobto kaŋ gonda haw kaano, Danga waddi kaŋ haw ga kaan gusamo cine. A me kuurey ga hima waaliya bokoyaŋ, I ga zawul hari tolli-tolli.
13His cheeks are as a bed of spices, [As] banks of sweet herbs: His lips are [as] lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
14His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.
14 A kambey ga hima wura korbayyaŋ kaŋ gaa i na topaz* tondiyaŋ daŋ. A gunda sanda cebeeri hinje no kaŋ ga nyaale, Kaŋ i taalam da safir tondiyaŋ.
14His hands are [as] rings of gold set with beryl: His body is [as] ivory work overlaid [with] sapphires.
15His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
15 A cey ga hima sanda tondi kwaaray cinariyaŋ, Kaŋ goono ga sinji wura hanno kanjeyaŋ ra. A diyaŋ ga hima Liban, Nga wo beeray-beerikoy no sanda sedreyaŋ cine.
15His legs are [as] pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: His aspect is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
16Lover His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
16 A meyo ga kaan gumo. Oho, nga bumbo ya baakasinay hari no gumo. Ay baakwa nooya -- ay cora nooya, Ya araŋ Urusalima wandiyey.
16His mouth is most sweet; Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.