Rwĩmbo 3

1 Ũtukũ wothe ndĩ ũrĩrĩ-inĩ wakwa ndĩracaragia ũcio ngoro yakwa yendete; ndĩramũcaririe, no ndinamuona.

At night on my bed I was longing for him whom my soul loves; I looked for him, but I could not find him.

2 Nĩngũũkĩra thiĩ ngacangacange itũũra-inĩ inene, hungure njĩra-inĩ ciarĩo na nja ciarĩo; thiĩ ngeethe ũcio ngoro yakwa yendete. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ngĩmũcaria, no ndiigana kũmuona.

I said to myself, “I will get up and go through the city, through the streets and squares; I will search for him whom my soul loves.” I searched for him, but I did not find him.

3 Arangĩri nĩmanyonire, magĩthiũrũrũka itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene. Ngĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Nĩmuonete ũrĩa ngoro yakwa yendete?”

The watchmen found me as they were making their rounds in the city. I asked them, “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

4 O ndamahĩtũka o ũguo, nĩguo ndonire ũrĩa ngoro yakwa yendete. Ngĩmũnyiita na ndiamũrekirie, o nginya ngĩmũtoonyia nyũmba ya maitũ, ngĩmũtoonyia kanyũmba ga thĩinĩ ka ũrĩa wanjiarire.

It was only a little while after I had passed them that 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 bedroom of the one who had conceived me.

5 Inyuĩ aarĩ a Jerusalemu, ndamwĩhĩtithia na thiiya, na mĩgoma ya thwariga cia werũ-inĩ atĩrĩ: Mũtikoimbuthũre wendo o na kana mũwarahũre, o nginya wĩrirĩrie kwarahũka guo mwene.

I want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and the does of the fields, that you will not awaken or arouse love until she pleases.

6 Nũũ ũyũ ũroka ambatĩte oimĩte werũ-inĩ ahaana ta itu rĩa ndogo, arĩ mũtararĩko wa manemane na ũbani, iria ithondeketwo na mahuti mothe manungi wega ma mwonjoria?

What is that coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the powders sold by merchants?

7 Atĩrĩrĩ! Nĩ ngaari ya gũkuua Solomoni, yumagarĩtio nĩ njamba cia ita mĩrongo ĩtandatũ, iria ndĩĩe mũno cia Isiraeli,

Look, it is the bed of Solomon; sixty warriors surround it, sixty soldiers of Israel.

8 othe meeohete hiũ cia njora, na othe marĩ na ũũgĩ wa mbaara, o ũmwe wao eyohete rũhiũ rwa njora, ehaarĩirie nĩ ũndũ wa imakania iria ingĩũka ũtukũ.

All of them are skilled with a sword and are experienced in warfare. Every man has his sword at his side, armed against the terrors of the night.

9 Mũthamaki Solomoni nĩethondekeire ngaari ya kũmũkuuaga; amĩakĩte na mĩtĩ ya kuuma Lebanoni.

King Solomon made himself a sedan chair of the wood from Lebanon.

10 Itugĩ ciayo atumithĩtie cia betha, naguo mwĩtiiro wayo nĩ wa thahabu, gĩtĩ kĩayo kĩgemetio na gĩtambaya kĩa rangi wa ndathi, mwena wa thĩinĩ wayo ũgemetio na wendo nĩ aarĩ a Jerusalemu.

Its posts were made of silver; the back was made of gold, and the seat of purple cloth. Its interior was decorated with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 Inyuĩ aarĩ a Zayuni ta kiumei, mwĩrorere Mũthamaki Solomoni ekĩrĩte thũmbĩ, thũmbĩ ĩrĩa nyina aamwĩkĩrire mũthenya wake wa kũhikania, mũthenya o ũrĩa ngoro yake yakeneire.

Go out, daughters of Zion, and gaze on King Solomon, bearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, on the day of the joy of his heart.