🔊 meditation on his problem, he demanded:

Alipokuwa akifikiria kwa kina juu ya tatizo lake, aliuliza:

🔊

meditation /ˌmedɪˈteɪʃn/

n. Fikira ya kina au kutafakari kwa umakini juu ya jambo fulani.

🔊 "A sheep—if it eats little bushes, does it eat flowers, too?"

"Kondoo—ikiwa anakula vichaka vidogo, je, anakula maua pia?"

🔊 "A sheep," I answered, "eats anything it finds in its reach."

"Kondoo," niliyajibu, "anakula chochote anachokikuta akiweza kukifikia."

🔊 "Even flowers that have thorns?"

"Hata maua yenye miiba?"

🔊

thorns /θɔːrnz/

n. Miiba, vitu vya kuuma vinavyopatikana kwenye shina au matawi ya mimea fulani.

🔊 "Yes, even flowers that have thorns."

"Ndio, hata maua yenye miiba."

🔊 "Then the thorns—what use are they?"

"Basi miiba hiyo—inafaa kwa nini?"

🔊 I did not know. At that moment I was very busy trying to unscrew a bolt that had got stuck in my engine. I was very much worried, for it was beginning to look as if my plane would be badly damaged, and I had very little drinking water left, so that I had every reason to fear the worst.

Sikujua. Wakati huo nilikuwa na shughuli nyingi sana nikijaribu kufungua bolt iliyokwama kwenye injini yangu. Nilikuwa na wasiwasi mkubwa, kwani ilikuwa inaanza kuonekana kama ndege yangu ingeharibiwa vibaya, na nilikuwa nimebaki na maji ya kunywa kidogo sana, kwa hivyo nilikuwa na sababu zote za kuogopa mambo yasiwe mazuri.

🔊

unscrew /ʌnˈskruː/

v. Kufungua kwa kuzungusha au kutoa parafujo, bolt, au kifuniko kilichosukwa.

🔊

bolt /bəʊlt/

n. Parafujo ndefu yenye shina laini na kichwa, kawaida hutumiwa pamoja na nati kufunga vitu pamoja.

🔊

stuck /stʌk/

adj. Kushikwa au kukwama mahali pasipoweza kusongeshwa au kutolewa kwa urahisi.

🔊

damaged /ˈdæmɪdʒd/

adj. Kuharibiwa, kuwa na uharibifu au madhara.

🔊 "The thorns—what use are they?"

"Miiba hiyo—inafaa kwa nini?"

🔊 The little prince never let go of a question once he had asked it. As for me, I was upset over that bolt. And I answered with the first thing that came into my head:

mfalme mdogo hakuwahi kuacha swali alilouliza. Kwa upande wangu, nilikuwa na hasira kwa sababu ya bolt hiyo. Nami nikajibu kwa jambo la kwanza lililokuja akilini mwangu:

🔊

upset /ʌpˈset/

adj. Kusumbuliwa, kuhuzunika, au kukasirishwa.

🔊 "The thorns are of no use at all. Flowers have thorns just for spite!"

"Miiba haina faida yoyote. Maua yana miiba kwa ubaya tu!"

🔊

spite /spaɪt/

n. Hali ya kumtaka mtu mwingine madhara au kumdhuru kwa sababu ya chuki, wivu, au uhasama.

🔊 But after a moment of silence he lashed out at me, as if with a kind of resentfulness:

Lakini baada ya muda mfupi wa ukimya, alinishambulia kwa hasira, kana kwamba kwa chuki fulani:

🔊

lashed out /læʃt aʊt/

v. Kushambulia kwa maneno makali au vitendo vikali ghafla na kwa hasira.

🔊

resentfulness /rɪˈzentfəlnəs/

n. Hali ya kuchukia au kukasirika kwa sababu ya jambo linalodhaniwa kuwa la haki.

🔊 "I don't believe you! Flowers are weak creatures. They are naive. They reassure themselves as best they can. They believe that their thorns are terrible weapons ..."

"Sikiamini! Maua ni viumbe dhaifu. Ni wazembe. Wanajituliza kadri wanavyoweza. Wanaamini kwamba miiba yao ni silaha kali ..."

🔊

naive /naɪˈiːv/

adj. Kutokuwa na uzoefu, ujuzi, au busara; kuwa rahisi kudanganywa au kuamini mambo kwa urahisi.

🔊

reassure /ˌriːəˈʃʊə(r)/

v. Kumtia moyo mtu, kumhakikishia tena, au kumfariji ili kupunguza wasiwasi au hofu.

🔊 I did not answer. At that instant I was saying to myself: "If this bolt still won't turn, I am going to knock it out with the hammer." Again the little prince disturbed my thoughts:

Sikujibu. Wakati huo nilikuwa nikijiambia: "Ikiwa bolt hii bado haitazunguka, nitaiponda kwa nyundo." Tena mfalme mdogo alivuruga mawazo yangu:

🔊

disturbed /dɪˈstɜːrbd/

v. Kusumbua, kuvuruga, au kukatiza utulivu, umakini, au mfumo wa kawaida wa jambo.

🔊 "And you actually believe that the flowers—"

"Na wewe kweli unaamini kwamba maua—"

🔊 "Oh, no!" I cried. "No, no, no! I don't believe anything. I answered you with the first thing that came into my head. Can't you see? I am busy with matters of consequence!"

"Ah, hapana!" niliilia. "Hapana, hapana, hapana! Siamini chochote. Nilikujibu kwa jambo la kwanza lililokuja akilini mwangu. Huoni? Nina shughuli za muhimu!"

🔊

consequence /ˈkɒnsɪkwəns/

n. Umuhimu, thamani, au uzito wa jambo; pia inaweza kumaanisha matokeo ya kitendo.

🔊 He stared at me, thunderstruck.

Alinitazama kwa mshangao mkubwa.

🔊

thunderstruck /ˈθʌndəstrʌk/

adj. Kushangaa sana, kushtushwa kabisa, kama kugongwa na radi.

🔊 "Matters of consequence!"

"Shughuli za muhimu!"

🔊 He looked at me there, with my hammer in my hand, my fingers black with engine-grease, bending down over an object which seemed to him extremely ugly ...

Alinitazama pale, nikiwa nimeshikilia nyundo yangu, vidole vyangu vimeweza mafuta ya injini, nikijikunja juu ya kitu kilichokuwa kwake kikionekana kibaya sana ...

🔊

grease /ɡriːs/

n. Mafuta mnene, kama grisi, yanayotumiwa kwa kulainisha sehemu za mashine.

🔊 "You talk just like the grown-ups!"

"Unaongea kama watu wazima!"

🔊 That made me a little ashamed. But he went on, relentlessly: "You mix everything up together ... You confuse everything ..." He was really very angry. He tossed his golden curls in the breeze.

Hilo lilinifanya nione aibu kidogo. Lakini aliendelea, bila huruma: "Unachanganya kila kitu pamoja ... Unavuruga kila kitu ..." Alikuwa na hasira sana. Alitupita nywele zake za dhahabu kwenye upepo.

🔊

relentlessly /rɪˈlentləsli/

adv. Kwa ubidii usiokoma, kwa kustahimili, au bila huruma.

🔊

confuse /kənˈfjuːz/

v. Kuchanganya, kufanya mtu asielewe, au kusababisha utata.

🔊

tossed /tɒst/

v. Kutupa kwa haraka na kwa mwendo wa juu-chini au kutupa kwa urahisi.

🔊

curls /kɜːrlz/

n. Nywele zilizojipinda au kuwa na umbo la duara ndogo.

🔊

breeze /briːz/

n. Upepo mwepesi na wa kupendeza.

🔊 "I know a planet where there is a certain red-faced gentleman. He has never smelled a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never loved any one. He has never done anything in his life but add up figures. And all day he says over and over, just like you: 'I am busy with matters of consequence!' And that makes him swell up with pride. But he is not a man—he is a mushroom!"

"Najua sayari ambayo kuna bwana fulani mwenye uso mwekundu. Hajawahi kunusa ua. Hajawahi kutazama nyota. Hajawahi kupenda mtu yeyote. Hajawahi kufanya chochote katika maisha yake isipokuwa kuongeza takwimu. Na mchana kucha husema mara kwa mara, kama wewe: 'Nina shughuli za muhimu!' Na hilo humfanya ajivune. Lakini yeye si mtu—ni uyoga!"

🔊

swell up /swel ʌp/

v. Kuvimba, kuzidi ukubwa au kiasi (hasa kwa majivuno).

🔊

mushroom /ˈmʌʃrʊm/

n. Uyoga; pia hutumiwa kwa mfano wa kumdharau mtu asiye na hisia au maadili ya kibinadamu.

🔊 "A mushroom!"

"Uyoga!"

🔊 The little prince was now white with rage.

mfalme mdogo sasa alikuwa mweupe kwa hasira.

🔊

rage /reɪdʒ/

n. Hasira kali, ghadhabu kubwa.

🔊 "The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns which are never of any use to them? Is the warfare between the sheep and the flowers not important? Is this not of more consequence than a fat red-faced gentleman's sums? And if I know—I, myself—one flower which is unique in the world, which grows nowhere but on my planet, but which one little sheep can destroy in a single bite some morning, without even noticing what he is doing—Oh! You think that is not important!"

"Maua yamekuwa yakiotesha miiba kwa mamilioni ya miaka. Kwa mamilioni ya miaka kondoo wamekuwa wakiwala kwa njia ile ile. Na je, si jambo la muhimu kujaribu kuelewa kwa nini maua yanajitahidi sana kuotesha miiba ambayo haiwafai kamwe? Je, vita kati ya kondoo na maua si muhimu? Je, hili si muhimu zaidi kuliko hesabu za bwana mwenye uso mwekundu na mwenye mafuta? Na ikiwa najua—mimi mwenyewe—ua moja ambalo ni la kipekee duniani, ambalo halikuki isipokuwa kwenye sayari yangu, lakini ambalo kondoo mdogo anaweza kuliharibu kwa umoja mmoja asubuhi moja, bila hata kugundua anachofanya—Oh! Unafikiri hilo si muhimu!"

🔊

warfare /ˈwɔːrfeə(r)/

n. Vita, mapigano, au mgogoro wa kudumu kati ya pande mbili.

🔊

sums /sʌmz/

n. Hesabu, mahesabu ya kifedha, au matokeo ya kuongeza namba.

🔊

unique /juˈniːk/

adj. Kipekee, kimoja tu kama hicho, isiyo na kifani.

🔊 His face turned from white to red as he continued:

Uso wake ukabadilika kutoka mweupe hadi mwekundu alipoendelea:

🔊 "If some one loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to himself: 'Somewhere, my flower is there ...' But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all his stars will be darkened ... And you think that is not important!"

"Ikiwa mtu anapenda ua, ambalo ua moja tu linakua katika mamilioni na mamilioni ya nyota, inatosha kumfanya afurahi kuangalia nyota tu. Anaweza kujiambia: 'Mahali fulani, ua wangu upo ...' Lakini ikiwa kondoo atakula ua huo, kwa papo moja nyota zake zote zitakuwa giza ... Na wewe unafikiri hilo si muhimu!"

🔊

blossom /ˈblɒsəm/

n. Ua la mmea (hasa la mti unaozaa matunda).

🔊

darkened /ˈdɑːrkənd/

v. Kufanywa kuwa giza, kuzima mwanga, au kuharibika furaha na tumaini.

🔊 He could not say anything more. His words were choked by sobbing.

Hakuweza kusema chochote zaidi. Maneno yake yalizuiwa na kulia kwa sauti.

🔊

choked /tʃəʊkt/

v. Kuzuiwa kupumua au kusema kwa sababu ya kukaba koo (kwa mfano na hisia kali).

🔊

sobbing /ˈsɒbɪŋ/

n. Kulia kwa sauti, kuvuma kwa kukaba pumzi wakati wa kulia.

🔊 The night had fallen. I had let my tools drop from my hands. Of what moment now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death? On one star, one planet, my planet, the Earth, the little prince was in need of consolation! I took him in my arms and rocked him. I said to him:

Usiku ulikuwa umeshuka. Nilikuwa nimeacha zana zangu zianguke kutoka mikononi mwangu. Nyundo yangu, bolt yangu, au kiu, au kifo—sasa zilikuwa na umuhimu gani? Kwenye nyota moja, sayari moja, sayari yangu, Duniani, mfalme mdogo alikuwa anahitari faraja! Nikamkumbatia na kumtikisa. Nikamwambia:

🔊

consolation /ˌkɒnsəˈleɪʃn/

n. Fariji, maneno au vitendo vinavyomtia moyo mtu aliye na huzuni.

🔊

rocked /rɒkt/

v. Kutetemesha kwa upole kwa mwelekeo wa mbele na nyuma au kulia na kushoto (kwa mfano wakati wa kumlaza mtoto).

🔊 "The flower that you love is not in danger. I will draw you a muzzle for your sheep. I will draw you a railing to put around your flower. I will—"

"Ua unaloupenda haliko hatarini. Nitakuchorea kinyago cha kondoo wako. Nitakuchorea uzio wa kuzunguka ua wako. Nita—"

🔊

muzzle /ˈmʌzl/

n. Kifuniko cha mdomo cha mnyama (kama mbwa) ili kisime.

🔊

railing /ˈreɪlɪŋ/

n. Ua la chuma au mbao, reli, linalotumika kuzuia au kuzunguka eneo.

🔊 I did not know what to say to him. I felt awkward and blundering. I did not know how I could reach him, where I could overtake him and go on hand in hand with him once more.

Sikujua nini cha kumwambia. Nilijisikia mzito na kukosa ufasaha. Sikujua namna ningeweza kumfikia, mahali ningeweza kumshika na kuendelea mkononi mwake tena.

🔊

awkward /ˈɔːkwərd/

adj. Kutokuwa na urahisi, kusita, au kuhisi aibu; pia kuelekea kusababisha hali isiyo ya kawaida.

🔊

blundering /ˈblʌndərɪŋ/

adj. Kufanya makosa makubwa kwa ujinga au kutojali, kukosa uangalifu.

🔊

overtake /ˌəʊvəˈteɪk/

v. Kumpata na kumpita mtu anayekwenda mbele; pia kumfikia kiwango cha kuelewa hisia za mwingine.

🔊 It is such a secret place, the land of tears.

Ni mahali pa siri sana, nchi ya machozi.

Chapter VII (Sura ya Saba)