The Manuscript Keeper's Daughter of Pate | Binti wa Mweka Hati wa Pate | بِنْتُ حافِظِ المَخْطوطاتِ في باتي
"In the ancient island of Pate, a voluptuous woman who guards her father's precious manuscripts surrenders to the young scholar who comes seeking forbidden knowledge."
بِنْتُ حافِظِ المَخْطوطاتِ في باتي
Binti wa Mweka Hati wa Pate
The Manuscript Keeper's Daughter of Pate
الفصل الأول: جَزيرَةُ العِلْمِ
Sura ya Kwanza: Kisiwa cha Elimu
Chapter One: The Island of Knowledge
في جَزيرَةِ باتي العَتيقَةِ، حَيْثُ أَقامَتْ مَمالِكُ السَّواحِلِ مَجْدَها قَبْلَ قُرونٍ، وَقَفَتْ مَكْتَبَةٌ قَديمَةٌ تَحْوي أَنْدَرَ المَخْطوطاتِ العَرَبِيَّةِ وَالسَّواحِلِيَّةِ.
Katika kisiwa cha kale cha Pate, ambapo falme za Swahili zilijenga utukufu wao karne zilizopita, maktaba ya zamani ilikuwepo ikiwa na hati nadra za Kiarabu na Kiswahili.
In the ancient island of Pate, where the Swahili kingdoms built their glory centuries ago, stood an old library containing the rarest Arabic and Swahili manuscripts.
حافِظُ هَذِهِ المَخْطوطاتِ ماتَ قَبْلَ سَنَةٍ، تارِكاً ابْنَتَهُ نورَةَ بِنْتَ أَحْمَدَ وَصِيَّةً عَلى هَذا الكَنْزِ. نورَةُ في الثّالِثَةِ وَالثَّلاثينَ، لَمْ تَتَزَوَّجْ أَبَداً، مُكَرِّسَةً حَياتَها لِلْكُتُبِ.
Mweka hati alikufa mwaka mmoja uliopita, akiacha binti yake Nura binti Ahmed kuwa msimamizi wa hazina hii. Nura akiwa na umri wa miaka thelathini na tatu, hakuolewa kamwe, akitoa maisha yake kwa vitabu.
The keeper of these manuscripts had died a year ago, leaving his daughter Nura bint Ahmed as guardian of this treasure. Nura at thirty-three had never married, dedicating her life to the books.
كانَتْ نورَةُ امْرَأَةً سَواحِلِيَّةً فاتِنَةً، بِجَسَدٍ مُمْتَلِئٍ يُخْفيهِ العَباءَةُ السَّوْداءُ. عَيْناها كَحْلِيَّتانِ ذَكِيَّتانِ، وَشَفَتاها مُمْتَلِئَتانِ كَالتَّمْرِ النّاضِجِ.
Nura alikuwa mwanamke wa Kiswahili wa kupendeza, na mwili uliojaa uliofichwa na abaya nyeusi. Macho yake meusi yenye akili, na midomo yake iliyojaa kama tende lililoiva.
Nura was a captivating Swahili woman, with a full body hidden by the black abaya. Her kohl-lined eyes were intelligent, and her lips full like ripe dates.
الفصل الثاني: الباحِثُ الشّابّ
Sura ya Pili: Mtafiti Kijana
Chapter Two: The Young Scholar
جاءَ مِنَ القاهِرَةِ شابٌّ اسْمُهُ إبْراهيمُ بنُ خالِدٍ، طالِبٌ في الأَزْهَرِ في السّابِعَةِ وَالعِشْرينَ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ. كانَ يَبْحَثُ عَنْ مَخْطوطَةٍ نادِرَةٍ في التَّصَوُّفِ السَّواحِلِيِّ.
Alikuja kutoka Cairo kijana jina lake Ibrahim bin Khalid, mwanafunzi katika Al-Azhar mwenye umri wa miaka ishirini na saba. Alikuwa akitafuta hati nadra ya tasawwuf wa Kiswahili.
There came from Cairo a young man named Ibrahim ibn Khalid, a student at Al-Azhar twenty-seven years of age. He was searching for a rare manuscript on Swahili Sufism.
"المَخْطوطَةُ الَّتي تَبْحَثُ عَنْها مَوْجودَةٌ هُنا،" قالَتْ نورَةُ. "لَكِنَّها لا تُقْرَأُ إلّا داخِلَ المَكْتَبَةِ."
"Hati unayoitafuta iko hapa," alisema Nura. "Lakini inasomwa tu ndani ya maktaba."
"The manuscript you seek exists here," said Nura. "But it may only be read inside the library."
"سَأَبْقى ما يَلْزَمُ."
"Nitabaki kadri inavyohitajika."
"I will stay as long as necessary."
نَظَرَتْ إلى هَذا الشّابِّ الوَسيمِ ذي اللِّحْيَةِ الخَفيفَةِ وَالعَيْنَيْنِ البُنِّيَّتَيْنِ. شَيْءٌ تَحَرَّكَ في قَلْبِها لِأَوَّلِ مَرَّةٍ مُنْذُ سَنَواتٍ.
Alimtazama kijana huyu mzuri mwenye ndevu nyepesi na macho ya kahawia. Kitu kilitingishika moyoni mwake kwa mara ya kwanza kwa miaka.
She looked at this handsome young man with the light beard and brown eyes. Something stirred in her heart for the first time in years.
الفصل الثالث: الدُّروسُ اللَّيْلِيَّة
Sura ya Tatu: Masomo ya Usiku
Chapter Three: The Night Lessons
قَضى إبْراهيمُ أَيّاماً في المَكْتَبَةِ، وَنورَةُ تُساعِدُهُ في فَهْمِ اللَّهْجَةِ السَّواحِلِيَّةِ القَديمَةِ.
Ibrahim alitumia siku nyingi maktabani, na Nura akimsaidia kuelewa lahaja ya Kiswahili ya kale.
Ibrahim spent days in the library, with Nura helping him understand the ancient Swahili dialect.
في المَساءِ، كانا يَجْلِسانِ قَريبَيْنِ، رُؤوسُهُما مُنْحَنِيَةٌ فَوْقَ المَخْطوطاتِ.
Jioni, wangekaa karibu, vichwa vyao vikiwa vimeinama juu ya hati.
In the evening, they would sit close, their heads bent over the manuscripts.
"هَذا المَقْطَعُ يَتَحَدَّثُ عَنِ الحُبِّ الإلَهِيِّ،" قالَتْ، صَوْتُها يَهْمِسُ. "لَكِنَّ الصّوفِيِّينَ اسْتَخْدَموا لُغَةَ الحُبِّ البَشَرِيِّ لِوَصْفِهِ."
"Kifungu hiki kinazungumza kuhusu upendo wa Mungu," alisema, sauti yake ikinong'ona. "Lakini Wasufi walitumia lugha ya upendo wa kibinadamu kuielezea."
"This passage speaks of divine love," she said, her voice whispering. "But the Sufis used the language of human love to describe it."
"هَلْ ذُقْتِ هَذا الحُبَّ البَشَرِيَّ؟" سَأَلَها فَجْأَةً.
"Je, umeonja upendo huu wa kibinadamu?" alimuuliza ghafla.
"Have you tasted this human love?" he asked her suddenly.
احْمَرَّ وَجْهُها. "لا. كُتُبي كانَتْ حُبّي الوَحيدَ."
Uso wake uligeuka mwekundu. "Hapana. Vitabu vyangu vilikuwa upendo wangu pekee."
Her face reddened. "No. My books have been my only love."
الفصل الرابع: المَخْطوطَةُ المُحَرَّمَة
Sura ya Nne: Hati Iliyokatazwa
Chapter Four: The Forbidden Manuscript
"هُناكَ مَخْطوطَةٌ لَمْ أُرِها لَكَ،" قالَتْ في اللَّيْلَةِ السّابِعَةِ. "مَخْطوطَةٌ عَنِ الحُبِّ الجَسَدِيِّ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلِ وَالمَرْأَةِ، كَطَريقٍ لِلْوُصولِ إلى اللهِ."
"Kuna hati ambayo sijakuonyesha," alisema usiku wa saba. "Hati kuhusu upendo wa kimwili kati ya mwanaume na mwanamke, kama njia ya kumfikia Mungu."
"There is a manuscript I have not shown you," she said on the seventh night. "A manuscript about physical love between man and woman, as a path to reaching God."
"أُريدُ أَنْ أَراها."
"Nataka kuiona."
"I want to see it."
أَخْرَجَتْ صُنْدوقاً صَغيراً مِنْ خَزانَةٍ سِرِّيَّةٍ. فَتَحَتْهُ وَأَخْرَجَتْ مَخْطوطَةً مُزَخْرَفَةً.
Alitoa sanduku dogo kutoka kabati ya siri. Alilifungua na kutoa hati iliyopambwa.
She brought out a small box from a secret cabinet. She opened it and took out an illuminated manuscript.
الصُّوَرُ فيها صَريحَةٌ—رِجالٌ وَنِساءٌ في أَوْضاعٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ مِنَ الحُبِّ.
Picha ndani yake zilikuwa wazi—wanaume na wanawake katika nafasi tofauti za upendo.
The images in it were explicit—men and women in various positions of love.
"هَذا..." بَدَأَ إبْراهيمُ.
"Hii..." Ibrahim alianza.
"This is..." Ibrahim began.
"هَذا كَنْزٌ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ مُنْذُ أَبي." اقْتَرَبَتْ مِنْهُ. "وَأَنا أُريدُ أَنْ أَفْهَمَهُ... عَمَلِيّاً."
"Hii ni hazina ambayo hakuna mtu aliyeiona tangu baba yangu." Alimkaribia. "Na mimi nataka kuielewa... kwa vitendo."
"This is a treasure no one has seen since my father." She approached him. "And I want to understand it... practically."
الفصل الخامس: الدَّرْسُ الأَوَّل
Sura ya Tano: Somo la Kwanza
Chapter Five: The First Lesson
أَزاحَتْ عَباءَتَها. تَحْتَها ثَوْبٌ رَقيقٌ يَكْشِفُ جَسَدَها المُمْتَلِئَ.
Aliondoa abaya yake. Chini yake kulikuwa na nguo nyembamba inayoonyesha mwili wake uliojaa.
She removed her abaya. Beneath it was a thin garment revealing her full body.
"يا نورَةُ..." صَوْتُهُ يَرْتَجِفُ.
"Nura..." sauti yake ilitetemeka.
"O Nura..." his voice trembled.
"المَخْطوطَةُ تَقولُ إنَّ المَعْرِفَةَ الحَقيقِيَّةَ تَأْتي مِنَ التَّجْرِبَةِ." أَمْسَكَتْ يَدَهُ وَوَضَعَتْها عَلى ثَدْيِها.
"Hati inasema kwamba elimu ya kweli inakuja kutokana na uzoefu." Alichukua mkono wake na kuuweka kwenye titi lake.
"The manuscript says that true knowledge comes from experience." She took his hand and placed it on her breast.
شَعَرَ بِثِقَلِ ثَدْيِها تَحْتَ الثَّوْبِ الرَّقيقِ. حَلَمَتُها تَتَصَلَّبُ تَحْتَ راحَتِهِ.
Alihisi uzito wa titi lake chini ya nguo nyembamba. Chuchu yake ilikuwa ngumu chini ya kiganja chake.
He felt the weight of her breast beneath the thin garment. Her nipple hardened under his palm.
"عَلِّمْني." عَيْناها تَتَوَسَّلانِ.
"Nifundishe." Macho yake yaliomba.
"Teach me." Her eyes pleaded.
الفصل السادس: الصَّفَحاتُ الحَيَّة
Sura ya Sita: Kurasa Hai
Chapter Six: The Living Pages
خَلَعَ ثِيابَها بِبُطْءٍ كَمَنْ يَفْتَحُ مَخْطوطَةً ثَمينَةً.
Alivua nguo zake polepole kama mtu anayefungua hati ya thamani.
He removed her clothes slowly like one opening a precious manuscript.
جَسَدُها ظَهَرَ كَصَفَحاتٍ مِنَ الجَمالِ. بَشَرَتُها السَّمْراءُ الدّاكِنَةُ، ثَدْياها الثَّقيلانِ بِحَلَماتٍ كَالزَّبيبِ الأَسْوَدِ، بَطْنُها المُسْتَديرَةُ، وَفَخِذاها السَّمينَتانِ.
Mwili wake ulionekana kama kurasa za uzuri. Ngozi yake nyeusi, matiti yake mazito na chuchu kama zabibu nyeusi, tumbo lake la mviringo, na mapaja yake manono.
Her body appeared like pages of beauty. Her dark brown skin, her heavy breasts with nipples like black raisins, her rounded belly, and her plump thighs.
"أَنْتِ أَجْمَلُ مِنْ أَيِّ مَخْطوطَةٍ رَأَيْتُها." انْحَنى وَقَبَّلَ بَطْنَها.
"Wewe ni mzuri kuliko hati yoyote niliyoiona." Aliinama na kubusu tumbo lake.
"You are more beautiful than any manuscript I have seen." He bent and kissed her belly.
"اِقْرَأْني،" هَمَسَتْ. "اِقْرَأْ كُلَّ سَطْرٍ مِنّي."
"Nisome," alinong'ona. "Soma kila mstari wangu."
"Read me," she whispered. "Read every line of me."
الفصل السابع: التَّفْسيرُ العَميق
Sura ya Saba: Tafsiri ya Kina
Chapter Seven: The Deep Interpretation
اسْتَلْقَتْ عَلى سَجّادَةٍ فارِسِيَّةٍ قَديمَةٍ. فَتَحَتْ فَخِذَيْها كَمَنْ يَفْتَحُ كِتاباً.
Alilala juu ya zulia la Kiajemi la kale. Alifungua mapaja yake kama mtu anayefungua kitabu.
She lay on an ancient Persian carpet. She opened her thighs like one opening a book.
نَزَلَ بِفَمِهِ إلى زَهْرَتِها. بَدَأَ يَقْرَأُ بِلِسانِهِ.
Alishuka kwa mdomo wake hadi ua lake. Alianza kusoma kwa ulimi wake.
He descended with his mouth to her flower. He began to read with his tongue.
"آآآهْ!" صَرَخَتْ. "هَذا تَفْسيرٌ لَمْ أَعْرِفْهُ!"
"Aaah!" alipiga kelele. "Hii ni tafsiri ambayo sikuijua!"
"Aaah!" she screamed. "This is an interpretation I did not know!"
أَمْسَكَتْ رَأْسَهُ وَضَغَطَتْهُ أَعْمَقَ. لِسانُهُ يَسْتَكْشِفُ أَسْرارَها كَما يَسْتَكْشِفُ عالِمٌ نَصّاً قَديماً.
Alishika kichwa chake na kukibonyeza ndani zaidi. Ulimi wake ulichunguza siri zake kama msomi anavyochunguza maandishi ya kale.
She grabbed his head and pressed it deeper. His tongue explored her secrets as a scholar explores an ancient text.
الفصل الثامن: الاتِّحادُ المُقَدَّس
Sura ya Nane: Muungano Mtakatifu
Chapter Eight: The Sacred Union
"الآنَ،" لَهَثَتْ. "كَما في المَخْطوطَةِ—الصّورَةُ الثّالِثَةُ."
"Sasa," alihema. "Kama ilivyo kwenye hati—picha ya tatu."
"Now," she panted. "As in the manuscript—the third image."
نَظَرَ إلى المَخْطوطَةِ. الصّورَةُ تُظْهِرُ المَرْأَةَ فَوْقَ الرَّجُلِ.
Alitazama hati. Picha ilionyesha mwanamke juu ya mwanaume.
He looked at the manuscript. The image showed the woman atop the man.
اسْتَلْقى وَصَعِدَتْ فَوْقَهُ. أَنْزَلَتْ جَسَدَها المُمْتَلِئَ عَلى ذَكَرِهِ بِبُطْءٍ.
Alilala chali na kupanda juu yake. Aliteremsha mwili wake uliojaa juu ya uume wake polepole.
He lay down and she climbed atop him. She lowered her full body onto his member slowly.
"يا إلَهي!" أَنَّتْ وَهُوَ يَمْلَأُها. "أَنْتَ كَقَلَمٍ يَكْتُبُ داخِلي!"
"Mwenyezi Mungu!" aliugua akimjaza. "Wewe ni kama kalamu inayoandika ndani yangu!"
"My God!" she moaned as he filled her. "You are like a pen writing inside me!"
الفصل التاسع: المَعْرِفَةُ الكامِلَة
Sura ya Tisa: Elimu Kamili
Chapter Nine: Complete Knowledge
تَحَرَّكَتْ فَوْقَهُ بِإيقاعٍ مُتَصاعِدٍ. ثَدْياها الثَّقيلانِ يَرْتَجِفانِ فَوْقَ وَجْهِهِ. رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَمَصَّهُما.
Alisogea juu yake kwa mdundo unaoongezeka. Matiti yake mazito yalitetemeka juu ya uso wake. Aliinua kichwa chake na kuyanyonya.
She moved atop him with an increasing rhythm. Her heavy breasts trembled above his face. He raised his head and sucked them.
"أَكْمِلْ! أَكْمِلْ!" صَرَخَتْ.
"Endelea! Endelea!" alipiga kelele.
"Continue! Continue!" she screamed.
أَمْسَكَ وِرْكَيْها العَريضَتَيْنِ وَساعَدَها عَلى التَّحَرُّكِ أَسْرَعَ.
Alishika viuno vyake vipana na kumsaidia kusogea haraka zaidi.
He grabbed her wide hips and helped her move faster.
وَصَلا إلى الذُّرْوَةِ مَعاً. صَرَخا كَصُراخِ الصّوفِيِّينَ في حَضْرَةِ اللهِ.
Walifikia kilele pamoja. Walipiga kelele kama kilio cha Wasufi mbele ya Mungu.
They reached the climax together. They screamed like the cry of Sufis in the presence of God.
الخاتِمَة
Hitimisho
Epilogue
بَقِيَ إبْراهيمُ في باتي وَتَزَوَّجَ نورَةَ. أَصْبَحا مَعاً حُرّاسَ المَخْطوطاتِ.
Ibrahim alibaki Pate na kuoa Nura. Walikuwa pamoja walinzi wa hati.
Ibrahim stayed in Pate and married Nura. Together they became the guardians of the manuscripts.
وَيُقالُ إنَّهُما دَرَسا المَخْطوطَةَ المُحَرَّمَةَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ، وَاكْتَشَفا فيها أَسْراراً جَديدَةً لَمْ يَعْرِفْها أَحَدٌ مِنْ قَبْلُ.
Na inasemekana kwamba walisoma hati iliyokatazwa kila usiku, na kugundua ndani yake siri mpya ambazo hakuna mtu aliyezijua hapo awali.
And it is said that they studied the forbidden manuscript every night, and discovered in it new secrets that no one had known before.
انْتَهَتِ القِصَّة | Mwisho wa Hadithi | The End