UJANA
1
Ewe ulo na busara, fikiri bibi na bwana,
Fikiri lilo tohara, na lile lilo dhamana,
Pia fikiri izara, wewe nayo kukutana,
Sihadawe na ujana, na ujana una mwisho
2
Ujana ni jambo bora, ameupamba Rabana,
Tena umetia fora, ulitendalo hufana,
Basi usiwe mkora, akiba uweke sana,
Sihadawe na ujana na ujana una mwisho.
3
Kuweka jambo dharura, jihimu kuweka mwana,
Siyo pato kulipura, kwa usiku na mchana,
Ukitoweka ujura, elewa umekubana,
Sihadawe na ujana, na ujana una mwisho.
4
Hebu zituze fikara, ushike ninayonena,
Akiba kwako sitam, ukiijaza shehena,
Na pia huwa kafara, na shida isije tena,
Sihadawe na ujana, na ujana una mwisho.
5
Ufanyapo biashara, ewe kijana kazana,
Ujihimu kila mara, na akiba kushikana,
Uzee ukikudara, uwe umetulizana,
Sihadawe na ujana, na ujana una mwisho.
6
Kwa kweli Si masihara, mwanadamu hutatana,
Kukosa kitu ni dhara, jina hutojulikana,
Au uitwe fukara, mzee mja wa lana,
Sihadawe na ujana, na ujana una mwisho.
7
Ujana hukuzingira, ukangiwa na fitina,
Ukafikwa na majira, uzee ukawa jina,
Basi na wako ujira. wa kazi weka hazina,
Sihadawe na ujana, na ujana una mwisho
MVUVI
1
Ndimi mvuvi halisi, Kulla vuvi nalijuwa
Nivuwaye mikambisi, na papa wenye khatuwa
Wala sivui vingisi, mishipi haisumbuwa
Nimekwambiya elewa
2
Sivuwi bahari ndogo, hatia nanga fuoni
Havisimbika vigogo, vilivyozama majini
Na wala Sivuwi ngogo, vidagaa na mbinini
Siwavui asilani
3
Jabali hulijilisi, jishipi nikalitupa
Haotea mifulusi, na nguru na mijipapa
Si kasikazi Si kusi, khabari yangu nakupa
Wala sivui kwa pupa
4
Na nivuapo malema, huingia ndani ndani
Maji yangu ni ya pima, thalatha u thalathini
Na ndiyo ninayozama, lema halibwaga tini
Uliza mimi n'nani?
5
Na nivuapo maziyo, mavuvi ya kizamani
Kwa hino hali niliyo, huvua kwa kutamani
Hatafuta kiteweyo, cha wali mwema kombeni
Haandaa siniani
6
Ela uvuvi wa juya, kuvua siutamani
Sababuye 'takwambiya, ufahamiwe mwendani
Ni kwambakwe huingiya, samaki waso thamani
Kama wewe mwafulani
7
Ni Kuu yangu bahari,elewa sana elewa
Huko hakwendi vihori,wala vyenu vimashuwa
Shoti nahodha hodari,kisha ende kwa ngalawa
Na milango kuijuwa
From Malenga wa Mvita by Ahmad Nassir
TITI LA MAMA
Titi la mama litamu,hata likiwa la mbwa,
Kiswahili naazimu,sifayo iliyofumbwa,
Kwa wasiokufahamu,niimbe ilivyo kubwa,
Toka kama mlizamu, funika palipozibwa,
Titile mama litamu ,Jingine halishi hamu.
Lugha yangu ya utoto,hata sasa nimekua,
Tangu ulimi mzito,sasa kusema najua,
Ni sawa na manukato,moyoni mwangu na pua,
Pori bahari na mto,napita nikitumia,
Titile mama litamu,jingine halishi hamu.
TRANSLATION OF THE FIRST POEM
One's mother's breast is the sweetest
Canine it may be,
And thou,Swahili,my mother- tonque,
art still the dearest to me.
My song springs forth from a welling
heart, I offer thee my plea
That who have not known thee,
may join in hormage to thee.
One's mother's breast is the sweetest,
no other so satisfies.
The speech of my childhood ,now I am
fully grown
I realize thy beauty and have made it
all on my own
And though refreshest my spirit like the
scent of the roses blown
Through desert and o'er ocean may I
thy praises known.
One's mother's breast is the sweetest,
no other so satisfies.
By Shaban Rorbert from Jahadhmi's anthology of Swahili poetry
