Chai ya Jioni Evening Tea

Chai ya Jioni

Wakati tunywapo chai hapa upenuni
Na kuwatazama watoto wetu
Wakicheza bembea kwa furaha
Tujue kamba ya bembea yetu
Imeshalika na imeanza kuoza
Na bado kidogo tutaporomoka.
 
Kulikuwa na wakati ulinisukuma juu
Nikaenda zaidi ya nusu duara;
Kulikuwa na wakati nilikudaka
Ulipokaribia kuanguka,
Na kulikuwa na wakati tulibebana kwa zamu
Mmoja wima akisukuma mwingine amekaa.
Wakati huo, japo tulipaa mbele na nyuma
Tulicheka kwa matumaini yaliyotiwa chumvi
Na kisha tukaongozana jikoni kupika chajio;
Ilikuwa adhuhuri yetu.
 
Sasa tukisubiri ndoto tusizoweza kutekeleza tena
Tumalizie machicha ya chai yetu ya jioni
Bila kutematema na kwa tabasamu.
Baada ya hapo tujilambelambe utamuutamu
Uliobakia kwenye midomo yetu,
Tukikumbuka siku ilee ya kwanza
Tulipokutana jioni chini ya mwembe
Tukitafuta tawi zuri gumu
La kufunga bembea yetu
Naye mbwa Simba akikusubiri.
 
Lakini kabla hatujaondoka kimyakimya
Kukamilika nusu duara iliyobakia.
Tuhakikishe vikombe vyetu ni safi.
 

Evening Tea

While we're drinking tea on the verandah
watching our children
as they swing joyfully
we ought to know our rope
has frayed and worn thin:
a few more strands and we will fall.
 
Once, you used to push me
up higher than half a circle;
once, I used to catch you
as you almost fell.
Once, we used to take it in turns:
one of us standing to push the other on the swing.
Even though we swooped up high both forwards and backwards,
we too laughed at our high hopes -
and then we went in to make dinner.
It was our early afternoon.
 
Now we wait for dreams that can no longer be realised.
Let's drink our evening tea down to the dregs -
not spitting them out, but smiling.
Let us lick the sweetness from our lips
as we remember that very first day
when we met one evening under the mango tree
looking for a good stout branch
to bear our swing
while Simba the dog waited for you.
 
But before we leave so silently
to complete the half circle that remains,
let us make sure our cups are clean.
 

Our first query was ‘porch’, which Katriina had used in her literal version. This sounded quite American to us and so we went with ‘verandah’ which is also the word used in Arabic.

Next, we had to think about ‘we should know’ (in the literal): for this, and at other points in the poem, we settled on ‘ought’ which, in English, has the sense of a recommendation, or a moral obligation that’s stronger and more specific than ‘should’.

‘There was a time when’ became, first, ‘Once, you would’ and then ‘Once you used to’: the latter better expressing the sense of a repeated, habitual action in the past that’s closer to the Swahili original.

It was a real pleasure translating this luminous poem, the first poem we’ve ever translated from Swahili, and we’re very grateful to Katriina for introducing us to the poetry of Euphrase Kezilahabi. This poem was published in 1988, so it’s part of his later, more reflective style. We liked the way that he manages to convey such depth of emotions by conjuring up a glimpse of the everyday.

Evening Tea

While we drink tea here on the porch
And watch our children
(When they are) swinging cheerfully
We should know: the rope of our swing
Has already worn through and started to rot
And a little bit and we will fall down. 
 
There was a time when it pushed me upwards
(And) I went further than a half circle,
There was a time when I caught you in the air
When you almost fell down,
And there was a time when we took turns to carry each other
One standing and pushing, the other sitting (on the board).
During that time, even though we rose high in front and in back/behind
We laughed at too high/exaggerated hopes
And then went to the kitchen to prepare supper;
It was our early afternoon.                                                    
 
Now when we wait for dreams that we cannot carry out anymore
We shall/let us finish the tea grounds of our evening tea
Without spitting them out, smiling.
After that, let us lick/suck the sweet taste/sweetness
That remains on our lips,
While we remember that first day
When we met in the evening under the mango tree
Looking for a good, solid branch
To tie our swing to
Whilst the dog Simba (Lion) waited for you.
 
But before we will leave just silently (silent-silent)
To complete the half circle that remains
Let us/we should make sure that our cups are clean.
 

Original Poem by

Euphrase Kezilahabi

Translated by

Katriina Ranne with The Poetry Translation Workshop Language

Swahili

Country

Tanzania