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A boy singing in front of a woman.

Sirba Sakiimaa Sakima's song La chanson de Sakima

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Demoze Degefa

Language Oromo

Level Level 3

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A man, a woman, a boy and a girl standing outside a hut and some trees.

Sakiimaan warra isaatifi obbolette isaa ishee waggan afuri walin jirata. lafa namaa soressa tokko gubbaa jiratan. Manii citaa isaani mukkenin marfamtee jiriti.

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 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.

A boy thinking about when he was ill in bed.

Yeroo umriin Sakiimaa waggaa sidi ta’e kufee iji isaa jaame. Sakiimaan mucaa jimaa ture.

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

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

A boy talking to three women.

Sakiimaan hojii bayee warri wagga jahaa hihojjane hojata. Fakeenyaaf, maanggudootii ganda wajjiin taa’e dhimaa cimaa irrati nimari’ata.

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 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.

A boy and girl waving to a man and woman leaving.

Matiin Sakiimaa mana nama sorressaa kessa hojaatan. Isaanis ganamaan bahanii galgal galu. Sakiimaa obboleti isaa wajjiin manatti dhisanii deeman.

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.

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.

A boy singing to a woman.

Sakiimaan sirba sirbu jalata. Gaftokko harmeen isaa akkan jete isa gafatte. “Sakiimaa sirboota kana isaa barratee?”

Sakima loved to sing songs. One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”

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

A boy talking with a woman.

Sakiimaanis debise, “Sirbonni akasuman dhufeu, harme. Sammuu kootin dhaggefadhen isaan sirba.”

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

Sakima répondit, « Elles me viennent tout simplement, maman. Je les entends dans ma tête et ensuite je chante. »

A boy singing to a girl smiling.

Sakiimaan obboletti isaatif sirbu jalata, kessaa yeroo isheen aarte. Obbolettin isaas nidhagefati. Isheen suta jette sirbitti.

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 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.

A boy sitting and a girl standing next to him.

“Irra debitee nafsirbuu danadessa Sakiimaa” jete gafate obbolettin isaa.

“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.

A sad-looking man and woman sitting with their heads in their hands and a boy and girl next them.

Galgala tokko warri isaa gara manaa deebi’anii, cal jedhanii ta’an. Sakiimaan wanti tokko akka ta’ee nibeeka ture.

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

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

A boy talking to a man and woman and a girl standing next to them.

“Maltu badee abba koo, harmee ko?” jedhe gaafate Sakiimaan. Sakiimaan mucaan nama soressa sani badee jira. Namitichis qophaa isaa wanta’ef aare ture.

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

« 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.

A boy talking to a woman with her arms crossed and a man.

Sakiimaanis “Ani sirbuuf nandanada’a innis nigamada,” jedhe warra isaati hime. Garuu warri isaa yadaa kana hinfudhanne, “Inni bayee soressa. Ati mucaa jamaa dha. Siribi kee waan isan gargaaru sittifakkataa?”

“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?”

« 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? »

A girl with her hand on her tummy talking to a man, a woman and a boy.

Hata’uu malee, Sakiimaan shakkali isaa ittumma fufee. Obbolettin quxussun isaas isaa gargaarte. Akkam jette, “siribi Sakiimaa yeroon anigadee bayee nagaragar. Haluma kanan nama soressa kanas nigargaara.”

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.”

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. »

A girl leading a blind boy with a stick through a forest.

Guyyaa ittianu, Sakiimaan obbolettin isaa gara mana namtichaa soressa itti agarsiistu gafatee.

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

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

A boy standing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl standing next to him.

Foddaa guddaa tokko jala dhaabatee sirbuu calqaabe. Suuta jedhe mataan namtichaa soressa gara foddaati muldhatee.

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.

A boy singing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl and some workers standing next to him.

Hojjatonni hojii isaani nidhaaban. Isaanis sirba bareeda Sakiimaa dhageefatan. Namtichi too akkan jedhe, “Namni tokko iyyu hoggana keynaa sabbarsisu hindanada’u. Mucaan jamaa kuni waandanda’u ittifakkataa?”

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?”

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 ? »

A man standing outside a building calling a boy and girl walking away.

Sakiimaan sirbaa siaa xummure jenaan deeme. Namitichi sooressi suni gadii bahee, “Mee irraa deebi’i sirbi adaraa.”

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 sortit en vitesse et dit, « S’il te plaît, chante encore. »

Two men carrying a boy on a stretcher towards a man standing next to a boy and girl.

Yerooduma san namni lama nama wahi sireedhan bataani dhufan. Mucaan nama soressa sana rukkutame karaa gubbaa irratti gatamee argan.

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.

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.

A man standing between two boys in hospital beds and a girl standing in front of him.

Namni soressi sun mucaan isaa agrachuu isaatin bayee gammadee. Sakiimman wan isaa sabbarsiseef badhaasa laatef. Sakiimaa fi mucaa issaa gara mana yaalla gessee.

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.

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.

Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Peris Wachuka
Translated by: Demoze Degefa
Language: Oromo
Level: Level 3
Source: Sakima's song from African Storybook
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