Mlango Door

Mlango

Ama utapita
katika mlango huu
au hutapita.
 
Ukipita
kuna hatari
ya jinalo kulisahau.
Hayo ni matata
 
Mambo hukutizama mara mbili mbili
Nawe sharuti utazame kando
uwache yatendeke.
                Usitafute vita.
 
Usipopita
Huenda ukakuta
maisha mema ya kufuata
 
ukahifadhi mawazo yako
ukaendelea na kazi yako
ukafa kishujaa nchini mwako
 
lakini mengi huenda yakakupita
mengi yakakupofua, upofu ukakupata
kwa gharama gani? Sijui.
 
Mlango wenyewe
haumuahidi mtu kitu
Ni mlango tu!
 

Door

Either you go
through this door
or you don't.
 
If you go through
there's a danger
of forgetting your name.
That's the problem.
 
Everything looks at you twice
Ashamed, you look away,
you let it happen.
          You can't look for a fight.
 
If you don't go through
perhaps you'll have a good life.
 
you'll defend your ideals
you'll carry on with your work
you'll die a hero in your country
 
but perhaps many things will pass you by
you'll be blind to many things
at what cost? I don't know.
 
The door itself
can't make your decision
it's just a door!
 

Door

Either you go through
this door
or you don’t.
 
If you go through
there is a danger
of forgetting your name.
That is the difficulty/confusion/trouble.
 
Things look at you two two times [take a second look at you]
And with shame you have to look aside
you have to let it happen.
                You have to not look for war.
 
If you don’t go through
Perhaps you meet
a good life to follow
 
[and] you protect your thoughts
[and] you continue with your work
[and] you die heroically in your country
 
but perhaps many things pass by you
many things make you blind, you get blindness
for what price? I don’t know.
 
The door itself
does not decide anything for the person
It is just a door!
 

Original Poem by

Alamin Mazrui

Translated by

Katriina Ranne with The Poetry Translation Workshop Language

Swahili

Country

Kenya