1 H e puawai ahau no Harono, he rengarenga no nga awaawa.

“ I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.”

2 H e rengarenga i roto i nga tataramoa, ko taku e aroha nei i waenga i nga tamahine.

“ Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among the maidens.”

3 K ei te aporo i roto i nga rakau o te ngahere te rite o taku kaingakau i roto i nga taitamariki. Ahuareka ana taku noho iho i raro i tona taumarumarutanga, a he reka ana hua ki toku ngao.

“ Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the young men. In his shade I took great delight and sat down, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 I kawea ahau e ia ki te whare hakari, a ko tona kara i runga i ahau he aroha.

“He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love.

5 W hakakahangia ake ahau ki te karepe whakamaroke, whakahauorangia ahau ki te aporo; e mate ana hoki ahau i te aroha.

“Sustain me with raisin cakes, Refresh me with apples, Because I am lovesick.

6 K ei raro i toku mahunga tona maui, e awhi ana tona matau i ahau.

“Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me.”

7 H e ki tenei naku ki a koutou, e nga tamahine o Hiruharama, i te aroaro ano o nga anaterope, o nga hata o te parae, kaua e whakaohokia, kaua e whakaarahia taku e aroha nei, a kia pai ra ano ia.

“ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases.”

8 K o te reo ra o taku e aroha nei! Nana, te haere mai nei ia, e tupekepeke ana i runga i nga maunga, e mokowhiti ana i runga i nga pukepuke.

“ Listen! My beloved! Behold, he is coming, Climbing on the mountains, Leaping on the hills!

9 R ite tonu taku e aroha nei ki te anaterope, ki te kuao hata ranei: tenei ia te tu mai nei i muri o to matou taiepa, e matakitaki mai ana i nga matapihi, e whakaata mai ana ra roto i te mea ripekapeka.

“My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through the lattice.

10 I korero mai taku e aroha nei, i mea mai ki ahau, E ara, e taku ipo, e taku mea ataahua, ka haere mai.

“My beloved responded and said to me, ‘ Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along.

11 N ana, kua pahemo te hotoke, kua mutu te ua, kua kore;

‘For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.

12 K ua puta nga puawai ki te whenua; kua tata te wa e korihi ai nga manu, a e rangona ana te reo o te kukupa ki to tatou whenua;

‘The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines, And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.

13 K ua kopuku nga hua hou o te piki, kua puaka nga waina, e kakara mai nei. Maranga, e toku hoa, e taku mea ataahua, haere mai hoki.

‘The fig tree has ripened its figs, And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along!’”

14 E taku kukupa i roto i nga kapiti o te kamaka, i te wahi ngaro o te pikitanga, kia kite ahau i tou ahua, kia rongo ahau i tou reo; he reka hoki tou reo, he ataahua tou mata.

“ O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret place of the steep pathway, Let me see your form, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your form is lovely.”

15 H opukia mai ma taua nga pokiha, nga pokiha ririki e takakino nei i a taua mara waina; kua puawai hoki a taua waina.

“ Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom.”

16 N aku taku kaingakau, nana hoki ahau: kei waenga ia i nga rengarenga e whangai ana i tana kahui.

“ My beloved is mine, and I am his; He pastures his flock among the lilies.

17 I te mea kiano i matao te ra, a kiano i rere noa nga atarangi, tahuri mai, e taku e aroha nei, kia rite koe ki te anaterope, ki te kuao hata, i nga maunga o Petere.

“ Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.”