Music Translations: Zali za Mentali
Ok, I'm an about-to-be-Georgetown alum and I finally had time to finish this project of translating one of Professor Jay's best songs from Swahili. Its a bit rough, but its all there. The words which I didn't know I left in the original Kiswahili. Thanks to Mwalimu Lusweti for the consultation.
Naamka asubuhi nipo chwiri tena mapema
Nautoa mkeka sakafuni kisha naukunja vyema
Nawaza nitakula nini mentali kisha naguna
Naanza kujikongoja kichwa chini mikono nyuma
Naelekea kilingeni nilikopaki mkokoteni
Nasaga na rumba kimshazali nyie acheni
Nawapa 'Hi' machizi wananipa peace tunafurahi
Tunapiga stori nyingi walah bila maslahi
Mara napata zali napeleka kago uswahili
Wananipa bukumbili dangaa chee nazisunda chini
Wakati natoka huku kijasho chembamba kikinitoka
Nikaona toto ya nguvu nikajikuta nimeropoka
"Dada habari samahani naomba niulize swali"
Akajibu "maskini koma tafadhali hii ngoma ya gari"
"Ehee unajua dada", "we vipi hebu nipishe"
"Dada mbona mkali", "wee kinyago kubali yaishe"
Nikasema Inshala sawa hiyo yote kwa sababu ya fukara
Nisije nikakubaka nitupwe selo nikawe kafara
Nikaachana nae sehemu za nyuma akizitingsha
Nilikula kwa macho hali yangu haikuridhisha
Nageuza mkokoteni nakuelekea maskani
Nikawapa stori machizi wakanicheka ikawa utani
Siku moja nililemaa maskani sikuwa na tenda
Na nilikuwa nikitafakari ni vipi siku itakwenda
Kumbe kuna gari ilikuja na kupaki karibu yangu
Sikuweza kuisikia labda sababu ya njaa yangu
Nilishtushwa ghafla na mlio mkali wa honi
Nilipatwa na mshtuko na hofu kubwa moyoni
Kuangalia pembeni ilikuwa imepaki Toyota Surf
Kulikuwa na sura ngeni ya malaika akaomba tafu
Nilisita kunyanyuka kwa sababu nilikuwa mchafu
Na alitoa elfu kumi na alikuwa akitaka dafu
Nilipokea hela alichotaka nilimletea akakipokea
Tabasamu zito akanitolea nilimpa chenji
"Ohh no keep chenji, una mawazo mengi itakufariji week end"
Alikunywa maji ya dafu alitupa na kunikonyeza
Niliganda kama nyamafu nikahisi alinibeza
Alinipa busu la huba shavuni akanichombeza
"I love You"
Akawasha gari akateleza
Chorus - Kiitikio
Zali la mentali limetokea wakati mimi n'njaa
Nikapendwa na demu mkali
Na kuwaacha watu wote wakinishangaa 'katika mitaaa'
Verse 2
Zilipita siku mbili nikiwaza kilichotokea
Nikawaza yule ni mtu au jini amenitokea
Potelea mbali uchawi hauendi kwa mentali
Narudi nanyonya napuliza mentali nakuwa shwari
Nabeba rumbesa nakatiza Samora Avenue
Mara kwa ghafla mbele yangu inapaki Toyota mark II
Ohh napata ghadhabu mara nyingi sipendi dharau
Naifuata gari kuanza kupaka mara nahema juu juuu "Aaa" ni yule mrembo"
"Maskini pole sana mzigo mbona mzito kweli utafika nao salama"
Natabasamu "Oh nimeshazoea mama na namshukuru Mwenyezi Mungu kwani hii ni kama karama"
Anakuwa mnyonge anakata kucha anantazama anaaza kulia anatoa leso anainama
"Namwambia bibie ni mara ya pili tunaonana
na sidhani kama ni mbaya iwapo tutafahamiana"
"Naitwa Vicki, nina miaka 22 ni mtoto wa kipekee kwenye familia ya kitajiri"
'Oh naitwa Jay ukiniita fukara haukosei
Na naishi kwa nguvu za macho siku zenyewe hazisogei
Alishuka toka garini na kusema
"Jay nakupenda"
Akaruka kwangu mdomoni nakuanza kupata denda
Nilichomoka kwake na kuanza kurudi nyuma
"Tafadhali mpenzi Jay jamani nionee huruma
Acha kubeba mizigo panda ndani kwenye mchuna
Twende Mbezi Beach kwangu upepo unapovuma"
Sikiliza Vick napenda tuwe marafiki
Lakini hadhi yako hutakiwi kuwa na mtu wa dhiki
Hata wazazi wako naaamini hawataafiki
Tajiri na tajiri maskini thithaminiki
Tafuta kibopa mwenzio ili usishushe hadhi yako
Mimi sistahili hata kuwa kijakazi wako
"Tafadhali Jay usitamke maneno hayo
Naomba unielewe haya machache niyasemayo
Hadi huu wakati mimi nimekupenda kwa dhati
Ukikubali niwe wako nitajiita mwenye bahati"
Nimeelewa Vicki naomba niwahishe mzigo
Tajiri ni mkorofi anan'subiri migomigo
Na kila nikichelewa mwenzako napata kipigo
Nasaga na rumba jua na mvua kwa mpigo
Tuliongea mengi akanipa hela za matumizi
Sikuwahi hata kuziona nilikuwa kama chizi
Niliacha kubeba mizigo penzi letu likaota mizizi
Watu wa uswahili wakasema natumia kizizi
Baada ya miezi mitano Vick alipata ujauzito
Tulifurahi sana mambo yakawa mpwito-mpwito
Swala la kwenda kwa wazazi wake halikuwa zito
Walifurahi sana kuniona tukafanya tambiko
Walisema Jay maisha ya Vick yapo chini yako
Tumefurahi mmpendana kumlea ni jukumu lako
Ilipangwa mikakati kamambe ya kufunga ndoa
Watu hawakuamini kama mimi vipi nitamuoa
Ilifika siku ya siku mentali Jay ndani ya jumba
Na Vick ndani ya shela hakuna uchawi wala ndumba
Tulishikana mikono ni nderemo na vifijo
Tukafunga pingu za maisha kanisani bila ya fujo
Furaha isiyo kifani lilifanyika bonge la party
Watoto wa uswahili walibeba wali kwenye mashati (du)
Zawadi zilizagaa zilikuwa nyingi tena kemkem
Baba mkwe alitupa benzi, kiwanda nyumba na bm
Acha zawadi nyingi kutoka kila sehemu
Nilikumbuka nikacheka nilivyoteswa na wale mademu
Mambo swadakta nipo na Vick ndio my wife
Kidume nang'aa wanajigonga shenzi tipe (shenzi tipe)
Nilipokuwa arosto mlinikwepa kama ukoma
Mambo juu ya mstari kunisalimu mnaona noma
Sasa hivi napeta nabadili gari full kipupwe
Mlio nicheka wanataka ardhi ipasuke
Naelekea kilingeni kuwapa dili machizi wangu
Tena mara kwa mara siwezi kuwacha asili yangu
Vick ni Jay, Jay ni Vick mustarehe kutoka ndani ya dhiki
Sasa kila siku sherehe ahaaaa!
AND NOW THE TRANSLATION:
I woke up early in the morning weary again,
I took the mat from the floor and I folded it neatly.
I’m dreaming of what I’ll eat (my mentality is food) and then I grumble
I began to stagger, head and hands down
Facing the bar, where I parked my handcart
I grind the dance (rumba) out of wack/you all stop.
I say hi to my friends they say ‘peace’ we are happy.
We tell a lot of stories, trading them freely.
Once I get good luck, I am taking one of those Swahili charms.
My peoples give me 2000 shillings
While doing this I’m sweating so much I’m losing weight
I saw this big girl and found myself talking without thinking
“Hey girl, excuse me, I’d like to ask you a question.”
She answered ‘poor man’, please stop this ‘ngoma ya gari’ (worthless talk)
“Hey, you know sis!” “Well, YOU, I need to pass!”
“Sis, why are you being so harsh?”
“You are a clown, and I agree you will always be one.”
I said, “Inshallah, ok, that’s all cuz I’m a beggar. Lest I rape you and be thrown in jail where I may become a sacrifice!
I left her, watching her backside bounce and shake
I feasted with my eyes, but the feeling didn’t return
I turned the cart over and pointed it towards home
I told my mates the story and they laughed like it was a joke.
One day, I was paralyzed at home, not doing anything and I was thinking of how my day would go.
Well then a car comes up to park near my place
I wasn’t able to hear it, maybe cuz of my hunger
I was suddenly surprised by the loud blast of its horn.
I was shocked, and fear came over my heart to look to the corner post; there was parked a Toyota Surf
There was a strange picture of an angel she begged me to spread (?)
I hesitated to get up because I was so dirty; she gave me 10,000 shillings and wanted an unripe coconut to drink
I took the money and gave her what she wanted, she smiled mysteriously as I passed it to her.
She removed the change I gave her: “Oh no, keep change. You’ve got lots of dreams to make your weekend happy!” She drank the coconut water and gave me a wink;
I was petrified with silence, thinking she was making fun of me.
Then she gave me a loving kiss, with her arms enticing me, “I love you.”
She started the car and slipped away.
V 2
2 days passed with me thinking about what happened
I pondered, trying to decide whether that girl was a person or a djinn
I got lost in different charms, it wasn’t coming from my mentality?
I returned, nursed, and blew into my mentality; I was peaceful.
I carried and shortcutted across Samora Avenue, when all of a sudden in front of me parked a Toyota Mark II.
I have dignity, and I don’t like to insulted; I followed the car as it began to park. I was out of breath and very excited: aha, its that DIME!
“Maskini, sorry that load is so heavy, I hope you arrive with it safely.”
She smiled, “I have already told my mother and thanked God for an honor like this.”
She was humble, she wanted to watch me all night; she began to cry, folding her leso.
“I am telling Bibi, this is the second time we have met, and I don’t think its wrong if we get to know each other. I am Vicky, 22 years old, from a rich family.”
“And I’m Jay, if you called me a beggar you wouldn’t be wrong. I live by the power of my eyes and sometimes the days themselves go by so slowly.”
She got out from her car and said “Jay, I love you”, jumping into my arms, teeth began to get French kissed.
I was freeing myself from her grip and began to return back.
“Please Jay, lets go, I should be decent. Stop carrying loads and climbing in cars.
Lets go to Mbezi Beach (my place) when the wind is rough.”
“Listen Vicky, I’d love for us to be friends but your honor will be spoiled by me, an cursed (or unfortunate) person.
Your parents, especially, I believe they won't agree.
The rich and rich wannabes don’t respect each other.
Look for a person who is rich like you so that you don’t lower your status.
I am not even worthy to be your slave.”
“Please Jay, don’t tell me this, I beg you understand me, there is no shame in what I say. The feeling of loving you it is indescribable and genuine, if you agree that I should be yours I will call myself lucky.”
“I understand Vicky, and beg that I may deliver the package on time. The rich are cruel and he is waiting in Magomeni. We talked a lot, she gave me cash to carry, I was not on time to feel like I was one of the boys. I stopped carrying loads, our love gave me roots, The Swahili said, I use kizizi.
V 3
After 5 months, Vicky got pregnant, we very happy, the news was pandemonium.
The question of going to her parents wasn’t an issue;
They were very happy to see me and they made offerings for my health and safety.
They said “Jay, Vicky’s life is in your care. We were very happy that you all love each other, and to care for her is your responsibility.
Plans commenced quickly and intensively to set a wedding date.
People didn’t believe me that I would marry Vicky.
The day arrived, the day I had been dreaming of; I was inside the mansion and Vicky inside her wedding veil.
There was no witchcraft nor ndumba. We held hands to joyful shouts of applause, opening the pingu of life in the church with no disruption.
Happinness which has no equal, our wedding party was gigantic.
The kids carried rice in their shirt, gifts glittered and were plentiful.
The father of the bride gave us a Benz, a house with a yard, and a BMW, leaving many gifts from every place. I laughingly remembered how I was tortured by my old working clothes. Things are cool, and Vicky is my wife.
My glittering manliness collided with some ‘shenzi. (??)
I was broke, She used to avoid me like leprosy, now my conditions are the top like a ruler, greeting me, she saw my status.
Now I bend and turn the car cool season. They laughed at me before and now they want the earth to split (and swallow her up).
I am headed to a mystery place to give my people a deal!
And from time to time I cant abandon my origins.
Vicky and Jay, Jay and Vicky celebrate coming from misfortune.
Now every day celebrate!
