Hawo 5

1 Meva nye abɔ me, nɔvinye nyɔnu, nye ŋugbetɔ; megbe nye lifi kple nu ʋeʋĩwo. Meɖu nye anyito, heno nye anyitsi; meno nye wain kple nye notsi. Miɖu nu, eye miano nu, O xɔlɔ̃wo, miɖu nu miaɖi ƒo, O lɔlɔ̃tɔwo.

I 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.

2 Medɔ alɔ̃, gake nye dzi ya le ŋu. Miɖo to! Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le ʋɔ ƒom! “Ʋu ʋɔ nam, nɔvinye nyɔnu, nye dzi lɔlɔ̃a, nye ahɔnɛ kple nye kpɔkpɔmatikɔe. Ahũ ƒo nye ta bekee, eye nye ɖa me yɔ fũu kple zãmu.

I 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.”

3 Meɖe nye awuwo ɖi; ɖe magatsɔ wo adoa? Meklɔ nye afɔwo; ɖe magaƒo ɖi woa?

I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?

4 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ do asi ɖe fesre nu, nye dzi tso tititi ɖe eŋu.

My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.

5 Metso be maʋu ʋɔ na nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, eye ami ʋeʋĩ le tsyɔtsyɔm le nye asi kple asibidɛwo ŋu, heɖuɖu ɖe gameti la ƒe asiléƒe ŋu.

I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

6 Meʋu ʋɔ na nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, gake nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ dzo; megale ʋɔa godo o. Esi wòdzo la, nye dzi ge ɖe dɔ me nam. Metsa dii, gake nyemekpɔe o. Meyɔe, gake metɔ o.

I 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.

7 Zãɖiala siwo le tsatsam le dua me la do gom. Woƒom, de abi ŋunye; dzɔla siwo le gliwo ŋu dzɔm la hã xɔ awu kpekpe si medo ɖe awu dzi la le asinye!

The 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.

8 O Yerusalem vinyɔnuwo, meta mi; ne miekpɔ nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ la, nya kae miagblɔ nɛ? Migblɔ nɛ be lɔlɔ̃ de dɔ lãme nam.

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love.

9 Wò, tugbefia, aleke wò lɔlɔ̃tɔ nyo wu lɔlɔ̃tɔ bubuawoe? Nu ka wò lɔlɔ̃tɔ tsɔ ƒo bubuawo tae hafi nèta nu na mí alea?

How 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?

10 Nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ le keklẽm, eye wòbiã, ale wòƒo ame akpe ewo ta.

My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.

11 Eƒe ta nye sika nyuitɔ, eƒe taɖa le mlɔmlɔmlɔ, eye wònyɔ abe akpaviã ƒe fu ene.

His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.

12 Eƒe ŋkuwo le abe ahɔnɛ siwo le tɔʋuwo to la tɔwo ene, woklɔ wo kple notsi, eye wosɔ ɖe ŋkutome nɛ abe dzonu ene.

His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.

13 Eƒe alɔgowo le abe kutsetse ʋeʋĩ si ɖo ɖe ɖoɖo nu, eye wòle ya ɖem nyuie la ene. Eƒe nuyiwo le abe dzogbenya si le ami ʋeʋĩ tsyɔm la ene.

His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

14 Eƒe abɔwo le abe sikati si ŋuti woɖo sohamkpe ɖo la ene. Eƒe ŋutigbalẽ le abe nyiɖu si ŋuti wotutu wòzrɔ̃ nyuie, eye wotsɔ safir ɖo atsyɔ̃ ɖe eŋu la ene.

His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.

15 Eƒe afɔwo le abe kpe xɔasi sɔti si wotsɔ sika nyuitɔ ɖo gɔmeɖokpe na la ene. Eƒe dzedzeme le abe Lebanon ene, eye wòxɔ asi abe eƒe sedatiwo ene.

His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

16 Vivi le eƒe nu me gɔ̃ hã, eye eya amea dzeani ŋutɔ. O Yerusalem vinyɔnuwo, esiae nye nye lɔlɔ̃tɔ, esiae nye xɔ̃nye.”

His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.