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يَنامُ أَخِي الصَّغِيرُ مُتَأَخِّرًا جِدًّا.
أَنَا اَسْتيْقِظُ بَاكِراً لِأَنَّنِي مُمَيَّزَةٌ.
My little brother sleeps very late. I wake early, because I am great!
My small brother sabi sleep well well. I dey quick get up as bigger boy!
أَنَا وَاحِدَةٌ مِنَ اَلَّذينَ يَسْمَحُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ أَن تَدْخُلَ.
I am the one who lets in the sun.
Na me dey let sun enter inside.
مَامَا تقُولُ لِي: “أَنْتِ نَجْمَتِي اَلصَّباحيّةُ”.
“You’re my morning star,” says Ma.
You be my shine shine bobo mama go say.
أَنَا اَسْتَحِمُّ وَحْدِي، أَنَا لَا أَحْتَاجُ لِمُسَاعَدَةِ أَحَدٍ.
I wash myself, I don’t need any help.
I sabi bath mysef nobody dey help me.
أَنَا يُمْكِنُنِي أَنْ أَتَعَامَلَ مَعَ المَاءِ البَارِدِ وَالرَّائِحَةُ اَلكَرِيهَةُ لِلصَّابُونَةِ الزَّرْقَاءِ.
I can cope with cold water and blue smelly soap.
I no dey fear cold water and blue soap wen dey smell
مَامَا تُذَكِّرُنِي: “لَا تَنْسَيْ أَسْنَانَكِ”، فَأُجِيبُهَا: “أَنَا مُسْتَحِيلْ!”
Ma reminds, “Don’t forget teeth.” I reply, “Never, not me!”
Mama go say no forget your teeth o! I go tell am say no shaking.
بَعْدَ اَلاِسْتِحْمَامِ، أُسَلِّمُ عَلَى جَدِّي وَعَمَّتِي، وَأُوَدِّعُهُمْ.
After washing, I greet Grandpa and Auntie, and wish them a good day.
Wen I don bath finish, I go salute grandpapa and aunty, and tell dem say make today beta oo.
ثُمَّ أَلْبِسُ ثِيَابِي بِنَفْسِي، وَأَقُولُ: “أَنَا الآنَ كَبِيرَةٌ”.
Then I dress myself, “I’m big now Ma,” I say.
Den I go wear my cloth by myself, “I tell mama say I be bigger boy.
أَنَا اَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أُغْلِقَ أَزْرَارِي وَأَرْبِطَ حِذَائِي.
I can close my buttons and buckle my shoes.
I fit do my buttons and tie my shoe.
أَنَا أَتَأَكَّدُ مِنْ أَنَّ أَخِي اَلصَّغِيرُ يَعْرفُ كُلَّ أَخْبَارِ اَلمَدْرَسَةِ.
And I make sure little brother knows all the school news.
I dey tell my small brother all the gist from school.
أَبْذُلُ جُهْدِي فِي الصَّفِّ لِأَقُومَ بِالأفْضَلِ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ.
In class I do my best in every way.
For school, I dey try as my power gree me
أَنَا أَقُومُ بِكُلِّ هَذِهِ اَلأفْعَالِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.
لَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ الأَشْيَاءِ التِي أُحِبُّهَا اللَّعِبُ.
ثُمَّ اللَّعِبُ.
I do all these good things every day. But the thing I like most, is to play and play!
I dey do plenty things everyday. But na play I like pass.
Written by: Michael Oguttu
Illustrated by: Vusi Malindi
Translated by: Heba Tesheh, Maaouia Haj Mabrouk
Read by: Mashael Muhanna
