Praise of the Beloved

¹Zinhle kangakanani izinyawo zakho ezicathulweni zazo, wena ndodakazi yesikhulu! Amathanga akho ayizindilinga anjengemihlobiso, umsebenzi wezandla zengcweti.

²Inkaba yakho ingumkhele oncweliweyo, ongasweli iwayini elixutshanisiweyo; isisu sakho siyinqwaba kakolweni, ibiyelwe ngeminduze.

³Amabele akho amabili anjengezixhumu ezimbili ezingamawele ensephe.

⁴Intamo yakho injengoMbhoshongo woPhondo lweNdlovu; amehlo akho angamachibi aseHeshiboni ngasesangweni laseBati Rabimi; impumulo yakho injengombhoshongo waseLebanoni obhekene neDamaseku.

⁵Ikhanda lakho kuwe linjengeKarmeli, nomyeko wekhanda lakho unjengokububende; kuboshiwe inkosi ngesiyendane.

⁶Umuhle, umnandi kangakanani wena othandwa ngenjabulo!

⁷Isimo sakho siyisundu, namabele akho omabili anjengamahlukuzo.

⁸Ngathi: “Ngiyakukhwela esundwini, ngibambe amagatsha alo.” Amabele akho mawabe ngamahlukuzo omvini, nephunga lokuphefumula kwakho njengama-apula,

⁹nomlomo wakho njengewayini elihle elihamba lehle kamnandi, lewuka ngezindebe nangamazinyo.

¹⁰Mina ngingowothandiweyo wami, uyanginxanela.

¹¹Woza wena othandiweyo wami, siye endle, silale emizaneni.

¹²Masivuke ekuseni, siye ezivinini, sibone uma umvini uqhakazile, nezimbali zawo uma zivulekile, namapomegranati uma ekhahlele. Lapho ngiyakukunika uthando lwami.

¹³Amamandragora athaphuka iphunga, nangaseminyango yethu kukhona izinhlobo zonke zezithelo ezinqabileyo, ezintsha nezindala, engizibekele wena othandiweyo wami.