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Molemo o bua le dijalo
Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo
Upalesa Uthanda Izityalo
Khalai talks to plants
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This is Khalai.
O ke Molemo. O
dingwaga di le supa. O
molemo go tshwana le
leina la gagwe.
UKhalai lona. Uneminyaka eyisikhombisa. Igama lakhe lichaza ‘olungile’ ngolimi lwakubo, isi Lubukusu.
Lo nguPalesa. Uneminyaka esixhenxe ubudala. Igama lakhe lithetha ukuthi ‘intyatyambo’ kulwimi lwakhe iSetswana.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Molemo fa a tsoga o
bua le setlhare sa
dinamune. “Ka kopo
setlhare sa dinamune,
gola o gogobe mme o
re fe dinamune tse di
monate.”
UKhalai uvuka ekuseni akhulume nesihlahla samawolintshi. “Ngiyacela sihlahla samawolintshi, khula ubemkhulu usiphe amawolintshi amaningi avuthiwe.”
UPalesa uyavuka athethe nomthi weeorenji. “Nceda mthi weeorenji, khula ube mkhulu usinike amaorenji amaninzi avuthiweyo.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Molemo o ya sekolong.
Mo tseleng o bua le
bojang. “Ka kopo
bojang, nna talana
mme o se omelele.”
UKhalai uya esikoleni. Endleleni ukhuluma notshani. “Ngiyakucela tshani, yiba luhlaza kakhulu ungomi.”
UPalesa uhamba ngeenyawo ukuya esikolweni. Endleleni uthetha nengca. “Nceda ngca, yiba luhlaza kakhulu ungomi.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Molemo o feta
ditšheshe tsa naga. “Ka
kopo ditšheshe ,
tswelela go ntlafala
gore ke kgabise moriri
wa me ka wena.”
UKhalai wedlula izimbali zasendle, “Ngiyanicela zimbali, hlalani niqhakaza ukuze nginihlome ezinweleni zami.”
UPalesa udlula kwiintyatyambo zasendle. “Ncedani zintyatyambo, qhamani ukuze ndihombise ngani iinwele zam.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Kwa sekolong, Molemo
o bua le setlhare se se
mo gare ga tshimo ya
sekolo. “Ka kopo
setlhare, mela dikala
tse dikgolo gore re
kgone go balela mo
tlase ga moriti wa
gago.”
Esikoleni, uKhalai ukhuluma nesihlahla esimila phakathi nezakhiwo, “Ngiyakucela sihlahla, khipha amahlamvu amade ukuze sifunde siphansi komthunzi wakho.”
Esikolweni uPalesa uthetha nomthi osembindini wesakhiwo. “Nceda mthi, khupha amasebe amakhulu ukwenzela sifundele phantsi komthunzi.”
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Molemo o bua le
ditlhare tse di potapotileng legora la
sekolo. “Ka kopo gola o
tie, o thibele disenyi go
tsena mo.”
UKhalai ukhuluma nothango oluzungeze isikole, “Ngicela ukhule uqine ukuze uvimbe abantu ababi bangangeni.”
UPalesa uthetha nemithi yokubiyela ejikeleze isikolo sakhe. “Nceda ukhule womelele, unqande abantu abakhohlakeleyo bangangeni.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Fa Molemo a fitlha kwa
gae o ile a tswelela go
bua le setlhare sa
dinamune.”A dinamune
tsa gago ga ise di
butswe?”
Lapho uKhalai ebuya esikoleni uvakashela isihlahla samawolintshi. “Asevuthiwe kodwa amawolintshi akho?” kubuza uKhalai.
Xa uPalesa ebuyela ekhaya esuka esikolweni, undwendwela umthi weeorenji. “Ingaba awakavuthwa amaorenji wakho?” uyabuza uPalesa.
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
Molemo o ne a bua ka
go swaba a re,
“dinamune ga ise di
butswe. Ke tla go bona
kamoso setlhare sa
dinamune.” “ Ka
gongwe o tla be o
ntiretse namune e e
butswileng!”
“Amawolintshi aseluhlaza,” uKhalai edonsa umoya.” Ngiyokubona kusasa sihlahla samawolintshi,” kusho uKhalai. “Mhlawumbe uzobe usunalo iwolintshi lami elivuthiwe!”
“Amaorenji aseluhlaza,” wanesingqala uPalesa. “Ndiyakukubona ngomso mthi weeorenji,” watsho uPalesa. “Mhlawumbi uyakube sele unalo iorenji elivuthiweyo lam.”
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
Written by: Ursula NafulaIllustrated by: Jesse PietersenTranslated by: Lorato Trok
