Ewe bibi mwenye enzi This Love

Ewe bibi mwenye enzi

Ewe bibi mwenye enzi, salamu zangu pokea
Mbona unanipa kazi, pendo sijalizowea
Roho ina majonzi, moyo umejiinamia
Fikiri utanabahi, pendo lipi ni la kweli
 
Ulisema wewe wangu, Mpaka mwisho wa dunia
Ukaapa jina la mungu, hutobadili nia
Sasa kama si mwenzangu, mbona unanikimbia
Fikiri utanabahi, pendo lipi ni la kweli
 
Siku tuliyoonana, leo naikumbukia
Jinsi tulivyopendana, kwangu ukizingatia
Leo mbona twatupana, hukufika nusu njia
Fikiri utanabahi, pendo lipi ni la kweli
 
Niko mbele ya kaumu, haya zimeniingia
Moyo unanilaumu, pendo lako kuridhia
Mpenzi sijafahamu, nini umekusudia
Fikiri utanabahi, pendo lipi ni la kweli
 

This Love

O heavenly lady, please accept my greeting
Why do you torment me, I’m new to this feeling
My soul is full of pain, my heart is sent slumping
Think it through and you’ll see, this love is the true love
 
You said you would be mine, until the world ended
You promised in god’s name, I was what you wanted
Now it’s like you’re not mine, why am I avoided
Think it through and you’ll see, this love is the true love
 
The moment our eyes met, I recall it today
How we loved each other, or I did anyway
Why do you discard me, you didn’t come halfway
Think it through and you’ll see, this love is the true love
 
A crowd has assembled, shyness envelops me
But my heart accuses, insists our love must be
What is it that you meant, darling I still can’t see
Think it through and you’ll see, this love is the true love
 

You Royal Lady

You royal lady, receive my greetings
Why do you trouble me, I am not experienced with this love
The soul is sad, the heart is leaning on itself
Think and realise, which is true love
 
You said you were mine, until the end of the world
You swore in god’s name, you wouldn’t change intent
Now its like you are not my peer (mine), why are you running away from me
Think and realise, which is true love
 
The day that we saw each other, I remember it today
How we loved each other, especially my side considered
Today why are you forgetting me, you didn’t go half way
Think and realise, which is true love
 
I am in front of people, shame has enveloped me
My heart blames me, your love to fulfil;
My love I didn’t understand, what it is that you meant
Think and realise, which is true love
 

Translator’s Note

After our literal translator, Ida Hadjivayanis, explained that this poem is very famous in Zanzibar as the lyric to a taarab song, we couldn’t resist having a go at making it work in English. Especially as it was Valentine’s Day. And if our rhymes and lines sound a bit corny, that’s because we decided to embrace our inner popstars – even if that meant using phrases like ‘I was what you wanted’ and ‘the moment our eyes met’.

There are definitely some images that stand out though, even in our cheesy cover-version! We loved Ida’s literal translation of one line as ‘the heart is leaning on itself’ – as though it was weary, and having to be its own shoulder to cry on. Because we were trying to keep to a strict syllable count to mimic the original form, we had to make it 6 syllables, and ended up settling on ‘my heart is sent slumping’.

It’s definitely worth listening to the song in Swahili to feel the full romance – it’s on youtube here.

Clare Pollard

Original Poem by

Seif Salum

Translated by

Ida Hadjivayanis with The Poetry Translation Workshop Language

Swahili

Country

Zanzibar