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La chanson de Sakima Wimbo wa Sakima Sakima's song

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Alexandra Danahy

Read by Monique Bournot-Trites

Language French

Level Level 3

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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.

Sakima aliishi na wazazi wake na dada yake wa miaka minne. Waliishi katika shamba la mtu tajiri. Nyumba yao ya nyasi ilikuwa mwisho wa safu ya miti iliyopendeza.

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.


Quand Sakima avait trois ans, il est tombé malade et a perdu la vue. Sakima était un garçon avec beaucoup de talent.

Sakima alipokuwa na umri wa miaka mitatu, aliugua na kupoteza uwezo wa kuona. Hata hivyo, Sakima alikuwa mvulana mwenye kipaji.

When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight. Sakima was a talented boy.


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.

Sakima alitenda mambo mengi ambayo wavulana wengine wa umri wake hawakufanya. Kwa mfano, aliketi na watu wazima na kujadili mambo muhimu.

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.


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.

Wazazi wa Sakima walifanya kazi katika nyumba ya yule tajiri. Walitoka nyumbani asubuhi na mapema na kurudi jioni. Sakima aliachwa na dada yake.

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.


Sakima adorait chanter des chansons. Un jour sa mère lui demanda, « Où apprends-tu à chanter ces chansons, Sakima? »

Sakima alipenda kuimba nyimbo. Siku moja mama yake alimuuliza, “Sakima, unajifunza nyimbo hizi kutoka wapi?”

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 alimjibu, “Nazisikia akilini mwangu kisha naziimba.”

Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”


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.

Sakima alipenda kumwimbia mdogo wake hasa akihisi njaa. Dada yake alimsikiliza na kucheza.

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.


« Peux-tu la chanter encore et encore, Sakima? » le suppliait sa sœur. Sakima acceptait et la chantait encore et encore.

“Naomba uimbe tena na tena, Sakima,” mdogo wake alimsihi. Sakima alikubali na kuimba mara nyingine.

“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him. Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.


Un soir quand ses parents sont revenus chez eux, ils étaient très tranquilles. Sakima savait qu’il y avait un problème.

Jioni moja, wazazi wake waliporudi nyumbani, walikuwa kimya sana. Sakima alijua kwamba lazima kulikuwa na jambo baya.

One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet. Sakima knew that there was something wrong.


« 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.

“Kuna shida gani, mama, baba?” Sakima aliuliza. Sakima aligundua kwamba mwana wa tajiri wao alikuwa amepotea. Tajiri alihuzunika na kuwa na upweke mkubwa.

“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked. Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing. The man was very sad and lonely.


« 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? »

“Labda atafurahi tena nikimwimbia,” Sakima aliwaambia wazazi wake. Wazazi wake walidharau wazo lake. “Yeye ni tajiri sana. Wewe ni mvulana asiyeona. Unadhani wimbo wako utamsaidia?”

“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?”


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. »

Hata hivyo, Sakima hakukata tamaa. Mdogo wake alimpa moyo. Alisema, “Nyimbo za Sakima hunituliza mimi nikiwa na njaa. Zitamtuliza tajiri vile vile.”

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.”


Le lendemain, Sakima demanda à sa petite sœur de le mener chez l’homme riche.

Siku iliyofuata, Sakima alimwomba mdogo wake amwongoze hadi kwenye nyumba ya tajiri.

The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.


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.

Alisimama chini ya dirisha moja kubwa na kuanza kuimba wimbo wake alioupenda. Pole pole, kichwa cha tajiri kilionekana dirishani.

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.


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 ? »

Wafanyakazi waliacha kazi zao. Wakasikiliza wimbo mzuri wa Sakima. Hata hivyo, mwanamume mmoja alisema, “Hakuna aliyefaulu kumtuliza bwana. Je, huyu mvulana asiyeona anafikiri atamtuliza?”

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?”


Sakima termina de chanter sa chanson et s’apprêtait à partir. Mais l’homme riche sortit en vitesse et dit, « S’il te plaît, chante encore. »

Sakima alipomaliza kuimba wimbo wake alianza kuondoka. Tajiri alitoka nje kwa haraka na kusema, “Tafadhali, imba tena.”

Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave. But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”


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.

Wakati huo huo, watu wawili walikuja wakiwa wamembeba mtu kwenye machela. Walimkuta mwana wa tajiri akiwa amechapwa na kuachwa kando ya barabara.

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.


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.

Tajiri alifurahi sana kumwona mwana wake tena. Alimzawadia Sakima kwa kumliwaza. Aliwapeleka mwanawe na Sakima hosipitali ili Sakima aweze kusaidiwa kuona tena.

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.


Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Peris Wachuka
Translated by: Alexandra Danahy
Read by: Monique Bournot-Trites
Language: French
Level: Level 3
Source: Sakima's song from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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