🔊 As each day passed I would learn, in our talk, something about the little prince's planet, his departure from it, his journey. The information would come very slowly, as it might be drawn out of a chance remark. It was in this way that I heard, on the third day, about the catastrophe of the baobabs.

Kila siku ilipokuwa ikipita, nilijifunza, katika mazungumzo yetu, jambo kuhusu sayari ya mfalme mdogo, kuondoka kwake kutoka humo, na safari yake. Habari hiyo ilikuja polepole sana, kama ilivyoweza kutolewa kutokana na usemi wa bahati nasibu. Ni kwa njia hii kwamba nikasikia, siku ya tatu, kuhusu msiba wa mibuyu.

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departure /dɪˈpɑːrtʃər/

n. Kuondoka, tendo la kuondoka mahali fulani.

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catastrophe /kəˈtæstrəfi/

n. Msiba mkubwa, janga la ghafla na lenye uharibifu mkubwa.

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baobabs /ˈbeɪoʊbæbz/

n. Mti mkubwa wa tropiki wenye shina refu na tupu.

🔊 This time, once more, I had the sheep to thank for it. For the little prince asked me abruptly—as if seized by a grave doubt—"It is true, isn't it, that sheep eat little bushes?"

Wakati huu, tena, nilikuwa na kondoo kuwashukuru kwa jambo hilo. Kwa sababu mfalme mdogo aliniuliza ghafla—kana kwamba alishikwa na shaka kubwa—"Ni kweli, sivyo, kwamba kondoo hula vichaka vidogo?"

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abruptly /əˈbrʌptli/

adv. Kwa ghafla, bila kutarajia au bila maandalizi.

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grave /ɡreɪv/

adj. Kubwa, muhimu sana, lenye hatari au wasiwasi mkubwa.

🔊 "Yes, that is true."

"Ndio, hiyo ni kweli."

🔊 "Ah! I am glad!"

"Ah! Nimefurahi!"

🔊 I did not understand why it was so important that sheep should eat little bushes. But the little prince added:

Sikuelewa kwa nini ilikuwa muhimu sana kwamba kondoo wale vichaka vidogo. Lakini mfalme mdogo akaongeza:

🔊 "Then it follows that they also eat baobabs?"

"Basi inafuata kwamba wao pia hula mibuyu?"

🔊 I pointed out to the little prince that baobabs are not little bushes, but, on the contrary, trees as big as castles; and that even if he took a whole herd of elephants away with him, the herd would not eat up one single baobab.

Niliweka wazi kwa mfalme mdogo kwamba mibuyu si vichaka vidogo, bali, kinyume chake, ni miti mikubwa kama majumba; na kwamba hata kama angechukua kundi zima la ndovu pamoja naye, kundi hilo lingekula hata mbuyu mmoja tu.

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herd /hɜːrd/

n. Kundi kubwa la wanyama wa aina moja wanaosonga pamoja.

🔊 The idea of the herd of elephants made the little prince laugh.

Wazo la kundi la ndovu lilimfanya mfalme mdogo acheke.

🔊 "We would have to put them one on top of the other," he said.

"Tungewalazimu kuwaweka mmoja juu ya mwingine," alisema.

🔊 But he made a wise comment:

Lakini alitoa maoni yenye hekima:

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wise /waɪz/

adj. Mwenye hekima, mwenye busara na ufahamu mzuri.

🔊 "Before they grow so big, the baobabs start out by being little."

"Kabla hawajakua kubwa hivyo, mibuyu huanza kwa kuwa midogo."

🔊 "That is strictly correct," I said. "But why do you want the sheep to eat the little baobabs?"

"Hiyo ni sahihi kabisa," nikasema. "Lakini kwa nini unataka kondoo wale mibuyu midogo?"

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strictly /ˈstrɪktli/

adv. Kabisa, kwa ukali, bila kukosekana.

🔊 He answered me at once, "Oh, come, come!", as if he were speaking of something that was self-evident. And I was obliged to make a great mental effort to solve this problem, without any assistance.

Alinijibu mara moja, "Oh, njoo, njoo!", kana kwamba alikuwa akizungumza juu ya jambo lililojidhihirisha. Nami nililazimika kufanya juhudi kubwa ya kiakili kutatua tatizo hili, bila msaada wowote.

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self-evident /ˌself ˈevɪdənt/

adj. Dhahiri yenyewe, inayojithibitisha wenyewe bila hitaji la uthibitisho.

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obliged /əˈblaɪdʒd/

adj. Kulazimishwa, kuhisi au kuwa na wajibu wa kufanya kitu.

🔊 Indeed, as I learned, there were on the planet where the little prince lived—as on all planets—good plants and bad plants. In consequence, there were good seeds from good plants, and bad seeds from bad plants. But seeds are invisible. They sleep deep in the heart of the earth's darkness, until some one among them is seized with the desire to awaken. Then this little seed will stretch itself and begin—timidly at first—to push a charming little sprig inoffensively upward toward the sun. If it is only a sprout of radish or the sprig of a rose-bush, one would let it grow wherever it might wish. But when it is a bad plant, one must destroy it as soon as possible, the very first instant that one recognizes it.

Kwa hakika, kama nilivyojifunza, kulikuwa na mimea mizuri na mimea mibaya kwenye sayari ambayo mfalme mdogo aliishi—kama kwenye sayari zote. Kwa hiyo, kulikuwa na mbegu nzuri kutoka kwa mimea mizuri, na mbegu mbaya kutoka kwa mimea mibaya. Lakini mbegu hazionekani. Zinalala kwa kina katika giza la ardhi, hadi mojawapo kati yao ishikwe na hamu ya kuamka. Kisha hii mbegu ndogo itajinyosha na kuanza—kwa woga mwanzoni—kukusukuma chipukizi chema kidogo kisicho na madhara juu kuelekea jua. Ikiwa ni chipukizi cha figili tu au tawi la mwaridi, mtu angeiacha ikue popote ilipotaka. Lakini ikiwa ni mmea mbaya, ni lazima mtu uiangamize haraka iwezekanavyo, wakati huo huo tu anapoutambua.

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in consequence /ɪn ˈkɒnsɪkwəns/

phrase. Kwa hivyo, kwa sababu hiyo, matokeo yake.

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invisible /ɪnˈvɪzəbl/

adj. Isiyoonekana, isiyo na umbo linaloweza kuonekana kwa jicho.

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seized /siːzd/

v. Kushikwa ghafla na hisia, nia, au nguvu fulani.

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timidly /ˈtɪmɪdli/

adv. Kwa woga, kwa hofu, kwa kutokuwa na ujasiri.

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charming /ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ/

adj. Kivutio, chenye kupendeza na kuvutia.

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sprig /sprɪɡ/

n. Tawi dogo la mimea, hasa lenye majani au maua.

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inoffensively /ˌɪnəˈfensɪvli/

adv. Bila kusumbua, bila kudhuru, kwa njia isiyochukiza.

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sprout /spraʊt/

n. Mmea mchanga uliotoka kwenye mbegu, kichipukizi.

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radish /ˈrædɪʃ/

n. Mboga ya mizizi yenye rangi nyekundu au nyeupe na ladha kali.

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rose-bush /ˈroʊz bʊʃ/

n. Mmea wa waridi.

🔊 Now there were some terrible seeds on the planet that was the home of the little prince; and these were the seeds of the baobab. The soil of that planet was infested with them. A baobab is something you will never, never be able to get rid of if you attend to it too late. It spreads over the entire planet. It bores clear through it with its roots. And if the planet is too small, and the baobabs are too many, they split it in pieces . . .

Sasa kulikuwa na mbegu zingine za kutisha kwenye sayari ambayo ilikuwa nyumbani kwa mfalme mdogo; na hizi zilikuwa mbegu za mbuyu. Udongo wa sayari hiyo ulikuwa umejaa nazo. Mbuyu ni kitu ambacho hutoweza kamwe, kamwe kuuondoa ikiwa utaulinda ukiwa umechelewa. Unenea kwenye sayari nzima. Unachimba kupitia kwa mizizi yake. Na ikiwa sayari ni ndogo sana, na mibuyu ni mingi mno, inaipasua vipande vipande . . .

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infested /ɪnˈfestɪd/

adj. Imejaa, imeambukizwa na viumbe visivyopendekezwa kwa wingi.

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bores /bɔːrz/

v. Kutoboa, kuchimba kwa kuzunguka kwa nguvu.

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split /splɪt/

v. Kupasua, kugawanya katika sehemu mbili au zaidi kwa nguvu.

🔊 "It is a question of discipline," the little prince said to me later on. "When you've finished your own toilet in the morning, then it is time to attend to the toilet of your planet, just so, with the greatest care. You must see to it that you pull up regularly all the baobabs, at the very first moment when they can be distinguished from the rosebushes which they resemble so closely when they are very young. It is very tedious work," the little prince added, "but very easy."

"Ni suala la nidhamu," mfalme mdogo aliniambia baadaye. "Unapomaliza kujitayarisha mwenyewe asubuhi, basi ndio wakati wa kujitayarisha sayari yako, hivyo tu, kwa uangalifu mkubwa. Lazima uhakikishe kwamba unang'oa mara kwa mara mibuyu yote, wakati huo huo tu unapoweza kutofautishwa na mianzi ya waridi ambayo yanafanana nayo sana wakiwa wadogo. Ni kazi yenye kuchosha sana," mfalme mdogo akaongeza, "lakini rahisi sana."

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discipline /ˈdɪsəplɪn/

n. Nidhamu, udhibiti wa kujizuia na kufuata kanuni.

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toilet /ˈtɔɪlət/

n. Taratibu za kujitayarisha (k.m. kuvaa, kusafisha) asubuhi.

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distinguished /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

v. Kutofautisha, kutambua tofauti kati ya vitu viwili.

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resemble /rɪˈzembl/

v. Kufanana, kuwa na mfanano na kitu au mtu mwingine.

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tedious /ˈtiːdiəs/

adj. Achisha, lenye kurudia na kuchosha.

🔊 And one day he said to me: "You ought to make a beautiful drawing, so that the children where you live can see exactly how all this is. That would be very useful to them if they were to travel some day. Sometimes," he added, "there is no harm in putting off a piece of work until another day. But when it is a matter of baobabs, that always means a catastrophe. I knew a planet that was inhabited by a lazy man. He neglected three little bushes . . ."

Na siku moja aliniambia: "Unapaswa kutengeneza mchoro mzuri, ili watoto walio mahali pa kuishi kwako waweze kuona haswa jinsi yote haya yalivyo. Hiyo ingekuwa muhimu sana kwao ikiwa wangetembea siku moja. Wakati mwingine," akaongeza, "hakuna madhara ya kuahirisha kipande cha kazi hadi siku nyingine. Lakini linapokuja suala la mibuyu, hilo humaanisha msiba daima. Nilijua sayari ambayo ilikuwa ikaliwa na mtu mvivu. Alipuuza vichaka vidogo vitatu . . ."

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inhabited /ɪnˈhæbɪtɪd/

adj. Ilikaliwa, yenye watu au viumbe wanaoishi humo.

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neglected /nɪˈɡlektɪd/

v. Kupuuza, kukosa kutunza au kushughulikia kwa umakini.

🔊 So, as the little prince described it to me, I have made a drawing of that planet. I do not much like to take the tone of a moralist. But the danger of the baobabs is so little understood, and such considerable risks would be run by anyone who might get lost on an asteroid, that for once I am breaking through my reserve. "Children," I say plainly, "watch out for the baobabs!"

Kwa hivyo, kama mfalme mdogo alivyoelezea kwangu, nimetengeneza mchoro wa sayari hiyo. Sipendi sana kuchukua mtindo wa mwenye maadili. Lakini hatari ya mibuyu haieleweki sana, na hatari kubwa kama hiyo ingeweza kukabili mtu yeyote ambaye angepotea kwenye asteroidi, kwamba kwa mara hii moja nimevunja usiri wangu. "Watoto," nasema waziwazi, "jihadharini na mibuyu!"

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moralist /ˈmɔːrəlɪst/

n. Mtu anayefundisha au kushauri juu ya maadili na tabia nzuri.

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considerable /kənˈsɪdərəbl/

adj. Kubwa, muhimu, yenye thamani au ukubwa unaostahili kuzingatiwa.

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asteroid /ˈæstərɔɪd/

n. Kiolwa kidogo kinachozunguka jua, hasa kwenye ukanda kati ya Mirihi na Mshtarii.

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breaking through /ˈbreɪkɪŋ θruː/

v. phrase. Kuvunja, kushinda kizuizi (k.m. ukimya, hofu).

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reserve /rɪˈzɜːrv/

n. Hali ya kujizuia, kutokuwa na ujasiri wa kueleza hisia au mawazo.

🔊 My friends, like myself, have been skirting this danger for a long time, without ever knowing it; and so it is for them that I have worked so hard over this drawing. The lesson which I pass on by this means is worth all the trouble it has cost me.

Marafiki zangu, kama mimi mwenyewe, wamekuwa wakizunguka hatari hii kwa muda mrefu, bila hata kujua; na kwa hivyo ni kwa ajili yao kwamba nimefanya kazi kwa bidii hii kwenye mchoro huu. Somo ambalo napitisha kwa njia hii lina thamani ya shida zote ambazo zimenigharimu.

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skirting /ˈskɜːrtɪŋ/

v. Kuzunguka, kuepuka kwa karibu, kukaribia bila kugusa moja kwa moja.

🔊 Perhaps you will ask me, "Why are there no other drawings in this book as magnificent and impressive as this drawing of the baobabs?"

Labda utaniniuliza, "Kwa nini hakuna michoro mingine katika kitabu hii yenye fahari na kuvutia kama mchoro huu wa mibuyu?"

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magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfɪsnt/

adj. Bora, zuri sana, lenye kustaajabisha na uzuri.

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impressive /ɪmˈpresɪv/

adj. Lenye kuvutia moyo, lenye kushangaza kwa ubora wake.

🔊 The reply is simple. I have tried. But with the others I have not been successful. When I made the drawing of the baobabs I was carried beyond myself by the inspiring force of urgent necessity.

Jibu ni rahisi. Nimejaribu. Lakini kwa wale wengine sijaweza kufanikiwa. Nilipotengeneza mchoro wa mibuyu nilipeperushwa nje ya nafsi yangu na nguvu ya kusisimua ya dharura.

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inspiring /ɪnˈspaɪərɪŋ/

adj. Kinachohamasisha, kinachotia moyo na kutia nguvu.

🔊

urgent /ˈɜːrdʒənt/

adj. Ya haraka, inayohitaji usikizwaji wa haraka.

Chapter V (Sura ya Tano)