Song of Solomon 1

1 ¹Di Song wey pass all song, wey be Solomon own. ^a a v1 Song of Solomon na poetic celebration of married love wey dey between di bride and di bridegroom. For long time, Christian tradition don also hear inside am di love wey our Papa get for im people through Jesus — di Bridegroom wey give imsef for im Bride. ²Make e kiss me with di kiss of im mouth—because your love sweet pass wine. ³Your anointing oil dey smell fine; your name be like perfume wey dem pour comot—no wonder di young women dey love you. ⁴Draw me come follow you; make we run. Di king don carry me enter im inside room. We go rejoice and we go find joy inside you; we go praise your love pass wine—dem dey right to love you.

⁵I dey black, but I fine, una daughters of Jerusalem, like di tents of Kedar, like di curtains of Solomon. ^b b v5 Kedar na desert people wey dem weave dia tents from black goat hair — di bride dey compare her black skin wey sun don burn to dia beautiful black tents. ⁶No dey look me anyhow because I dey black, because di sun don shine me. My mama pikin dem vex for me; dem make me keeper of di vineyards, but my own vineyard I no keep. ⁷Tell me, you wey my soul dey love, where you dey feed your flock, where you dey make dem rest for afternoon—why I go be like woman wey cover her face for beside di flocks of your companions? ^c c v7 Woman wey dey waka alone with her face cover for beside stranger own flocks, dem for take am as outsider wey no get person to look after her — na di last thing wey bride wan resemble.

⁸If you no know, you wey fine pass all women, follow di footmark of di flock, and feed your young goats for beside di shepherds' tents. ⁹My love, I dey compare you to horse-woman among Pharaoh im chariots. ¹⁰Your cheeks fine with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.

¹¹We go make ornaments of gold for you, wey get silver join inside. ¹²As di king dey sit for im table, my perfume spread im sweet smell. ^d d v12 Nard na precious, sweet-smelling oil wey dem bring from far place — na di same costly perfume wey dem later pour on Jesus before dem bury am. ¹³My beloved be like small bag of myrrh to me wey dey rest between my breast. ¹⁴My beloved be like bunch of henna flowers to me for di vineyards of Engedi. ^e e v14 Engedi na fresh-water oasis for beside di Dead Sea, wey dem sabi well-well for im rich, sweet-smelling gardens for inside di dry desert.

¹⁵See how you fine, my love—see as you fine! Your eyes be like dove. ¹⁶See how you fine, my beloved—you sweet true-true! Our bed dey green.

¹⁷Di beams of our house na cedar; our rafters na cypress.