Oyu ne Khalai. Myaka dhendi ne kwokowadi. Dina dyendi kwatongora eshi ‘ghomuwa’ mundimi dhawo, Lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Uyu ni Khalai. Ali na imyaka cine-lubali. Ishina lyakwe mu lulimi lwakwe, ulwa Cilubukusu lipilibula “umusuma”.
Khalai kupinduka no kughamba no thitondo thomaghumi. “Nakanderera we thitondo thomaghumi, kure wangu ghutupeko maghumi ghomengi ghopyuu.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Lyonse Khalai nga ashibuka alasosha icimuti ca macungwa ati: “We cimuti ca macungwa, napaapaata kula, utwaale na macungwa ayaapya ayeengi.”
Khalai kuna kuyenda kushure. Mundhira dhendi kughamba no muhonyi. “Nakukanderera muhonyi, kure thinamahako no mbadi ghukukute.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai nga aleenda lyonse pa kuya ku sukuulu alasosha icaani ati: “We caani, napaapaata moneka uwayemba elyo kabili wilauma.”
Khalai kuna kupita mitemo. “Namukanderera mwadhimitemo, mutemune vene kengeyo podigho eshi ni kuture muhuki dhange.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Khalai nga asaanga amaluba ya mpanga nayo alayeba ati: “Mwe maluba muleebalula bwino-bwino pakuti ndeswako no kubiika mu mushishi wandi.”
Kushure, Khalai kuna kughamba no thitondo ethi thakara pakatji koditete.” Nakukanderera thitondo, yandje mite dhishokuru, podiyo eshi tutoyere mumumvure.
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.”
Khalai nga afika ku sukulu, lyonse alasosha icimuti icabeela pakati ka lubansa lwe sukulu ati: “We cimuti, napaapaata kula utwale ne misambo iyakutupeela icintelelwe icakuti tuleikalamo pa kubelenga.”
Khalai kuna kughamba no ruthito oru ha dhingumutwedha kushure dhawo. “Nakanderera kure nongcamu no shingeke hanu hoyikaritha yoyimango mbadi hangene mo.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
