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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
