Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister.
They lived on a rich man’s land.
Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.
Sakima yabanaga n’ababyeyi be na bashiki be bakuru. Bari batuye kubutaka bw’umugabo w’umukungu. Inzu y’ibyatsi yabo yabaga kumpera y’umurongo w’ibiti.
Sakima vivait avec ses parents et sa petite sœur, qui avait quatre ans. Ils vivaient sur la terre d’un homme riche. Leur hutte à toit de chaume était située au bout d’un rang d’arbres.
When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight.
Sakima was a talented boy.
Ubwo Sakima yarafite imyaka itatu, yararwaye anabura ububone (aba impumyi). Sakima yari umuhungu w’impano.
Quand Sakima avait trois ans, il est tombé malade et a perdu la vue. Sakima était un garçon avec beaucoup de talent.
Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do.
For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.
Sakima yakoraga ibintu byinshi abandi bana b’imyaka itandatu badakora. Urugero, yashoboraga kwicarana nabakuze bo mu igiturage bakaganira kubintu by’ingirakamaro.
Sakima faisait beaucoup de choses que d’autres garçons de six ans ne faisaient pas. Par exemple, il pouvait se tenir avec les membres plus âgés du village et discuter de questions importantes.
The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house.
They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening.
Sakima was left with his little sister.
Ababyeyi ba Sakima bakora mu inzu y’umugabo w’umukire. Bavaga murugo kare mugitondo bakanagaruka nimugoroba bwije. Sakima yasigaranaga na bashiki be.
Les parents de Sakima travaillaient chez l’homme riche. Ils quittaient leur maison tôt le matin et revenaient tard le soir. Sakima restait seul chez eux avec sa petite sœur.
Sakima loved to sing songs.
One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”
Sakima répondit, « Elles me viennent tout simplement, maman. Je les entends dans ma tête et ensuite je chante. »
Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry.
His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song.
She would sway to the soothing tune.
Sakima yakundaga kuririmbira mushiki we muto, cyane cyane, iyo yasonzaga. Mushiki we yuga indirimbo ye yakundaga. Yahitaga aceceka kubera ijyana ituje.
Sakima aimait chanter pour sa petite sœur, surtout si elle avait faim. Sa sœur l’écoutait chanter sa chanson préférée. Elle se balançait en écoutant la chanson apaisante.
“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him.
Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.
« Peux-tu la chanter encore et encore, Sakima? » le suppliait sa sœur. Sakima acceptait et la chantait encore et encore.
One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet.
Sakima knew that there was something wrong.
Ikigoroba kimwe ubwo ababyeyi be bagarukaga murugo, bari bacecetse. Sakima yaraziko hari ikintu kitari kiza.
Un soir quand ses parents sont revenus chez eux, ils étaient très tranquilles. Sakima savait qu’il y avait un problème.
“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked.
Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing.
The man was very sad and lonely.
“Ni iki kitari kiza? Sakima yarabajije. Sakima yamenye ko umuhungu w’umugabo w’umukire yabuze. Umugabo yari ababaye cyane anigunze.
« Qu’est-ce qu’il y a, maman et papa? » Sakima demanda. Sakima apprit que le fils de l’homme riche avait disparu. L’homme était très triste et seul.
“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents.
But his parents dismissed him.
“He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”
“Nshobora kumuririmbira. Ashobora kongera akishima.” Sakima yabwiye ababyeyi be. Ariko ababyeyi be baramwangiye. “Ni umukire cyane. Uri umwana w’impumbi gusa. Uratekereza ko indirimbo yawe iribumufashe?”
« Je peux chanter pour lui. Il redeviendra peut-être heureux, » dit Sakima à ses parents. Mais ses parents rejetèrent l’idée. « Il est très riche. Tu es seulement un garçon aveugle. Penses-tu vraiment que ta chanson l’aidera? »
However, Sakima did not give up.
His little sister supported him.
She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”
Ariko, Sakima ntiyahaze. Mushiki we muto yaramushigikiye. Yaravuze, “Indirimbo za Sakima ziranturisha iyo nshonje. Zizatuzisha umugabo w’umukire nawe.”
Toutefois, Sakima ne démissionna pas. Sa petite sœur l’appuyait. Elle disait, « Les chansons de Sakima me calment quand j’ai faim. Elles calmeront l’homme riche aussi. »
The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.
Umunsi ukurikiye ho, Sakima yasabye mushiki we muto kumuyobora ku insu y’umugabo w’umukire.
Le lendemain, Sakima demanda à sa petite sœur de le mener chez l’homme riche.
He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song.
Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.
Il se tint sous une grande fenêtre et commença à chanter sa chanson préférée. Lentement, la tête de l’homme riche apparu à la grande fenêtre.
The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song.
But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”
Abakozi bahakaritse ibyo bari gukora. Bateze amatwi indirimbo ziza ya Sakima. Ariko umugabo umwe yaravuze. “Ntamuntu numwe wari wakabashije guhoza bosi. Uyu mwana w’impumyi aratekereza ko aribumuhoze?”
Les ouvriers arrêtèrent ce qu’ils faisaient. Ils écoutèrent la belle chanson de Sakima. Mais un homme dit, « Personne n’a été capable de consoler le patron. Est-ce que ce garçon aveugle pense qu’il pourra le consoler ? »
Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave.
But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”
Sakima termina de chanter sa chanson et s’apprêtait à partir. Mais l’homme riche sorti en vitesse et dit, « S’il te plaît, chante encore. »
At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher.
They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.
Muri ako kanya, abagabo babiri baje bikoreye umuntu mu ingobyi. Bari babonye umuhungu w’umugabo w’umukire yakubiswe yanasizwe k’uruhande rw’umuhanda.
À ce moment, deux hommes sont arrivés en portant quelqu’un sur une civière. Ils avaient trouvé le fils de l’homme riche tabassé et abandonné sur le bord de la route.
The rich man was so happy to see his son again.
He rewarded Sakima for consoling him.
He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.
Umugabo w’umukire yari yishimye cyane kongera kubona umuhungu we. Yajyanye umuhungu we na Sakima kwa muganga (ibitaro) kugirango Sakima yongere abone.
L’homme riche fut tellement content de revoir son fils. Il récompensa Sakima de l’avoir consolé. Il emmena les deux garçons à l’hôpital pour que Sakima puisse retrouver la vue.
