Leo nimekuita mwana,
Nikupe yangu ya moyo
Kwa upole nitanena
‘Kayatiye masikiyo
Tabiya hii yako mwana
Si yetu tujuwayo
Uli wa kulaza damu
Na uzembe uzidiyo
Pahala nawe hudumu
Uchao ni mbiyombiyo
Hutufai nawe humu
Na hiyo shambiroyo
Wapendani naumi
Unaiizia gange
Hulimi na walimi
Wataka ukajitenge
Haya sijaona mimi
Nakuasa ujichunge
Mwiza kazi yu wa chira
Ni aendewaye tenge
Asiyetaka ajira
Wala hashiki shilange
Ndiye muja wa hasara
Hubomoa asijenge
Unavitaka vya bure
Hulitoi jasho lako
Lako ndizo hamrere
Umebaki wa mitiko
Uchao ‘wa’tuza bure
Sizo zetu nyendo zako
La mno lako ni ung’are
Uzirembe nyele zako
Uturi ujirashire
Ukatembee kwa deko
Hukosi kuzua ghere
Na marashi ya mnuko
Unazani utaoa?
Utamwoa wa nani?
Jasho nalo hujatoa,
Utachokishika nini?
Utaithibiti ndoa?
Wa kukubali nani?
Unafaa kujitoa,
Fanye kazi kwa manani
Na mali ukayazoa
Hamadi kibindoni
Ndipo utapopoa
Ukamtafute mwendani
Si mambo ya kutanga
Fi na huyu fi na yule
Chunga utajikaanga
Ati umetujile uwele
Mchumba chumbiya mwenga
Na yule ukamuole
Utafanyani kiwatunga,
Himila wakahimile
Na hilo likawe janga
Na lije likulemele
Mwanangu hutochenga
Wote wakikujile
Kisomo ndiyo unacho
Shahada umejitwaliya
Ujuzi unao kocho
Hutaki kuutumiya
Upate ukitakacho
Kile cha kukufaiya
Mwana wan’tiya kichocho
Kwona umejiachiya
Umekuwa kitumiwacho
Kidhani wawatumiya
Unawapa wapendacho
Na wanachokutakiya
Koma mwanangu ukome
Usinifishe mvyeleo
Usombombi uukome
Ukome kwanzia leo
Sitakwita te’niseme
Ishapita hii leo
Ukware si kuwa dume
Dume ni ajiwekeo
Wa sitaha ndiye dume
Anakheshimu nafseo
Muungwana kama kimeme
Fikiri nokwelezeo
Mradi unayo masikizi,
Haya umenisikiya
Kazituwe nyendo hizi
Ukawe wa kutuliya
Ukasuhubiye kazi
Halafu itakufaiya
Nakoma zaidi s’ezi
Yametosha mekwambiya
Nimekuweko na juzi
Miyaka menipitiya
Nimejizolea ujuzi
Ndiyo ya’ nakupa yaya
My son I admonish you
My son today I have called you
The words of my heart to give you
I will speak gently
So open your ears
For this conduct of yours
Is not ours that we know
You have become a sluggard
And of extreme laziness
You don’t stay at one pace
Each day you are on a race
You are of no gain to us
With your loitering
Why do you love sleep?
And avoid work
You don’t till with those who till
I thing I had not seen before
And I worn you, take care
He who abhors work is accursed
Whose trade goes awry
Who looks not for employment
Nor handles a hoe
He is a man of loss
He demolishes rather than build
You only want free things
You don’t want to sweat
Yours is this ranting
You only make empty noise
Every day you sit idle
These are not our ways
Adorning yourself is what you value
To beautify your hair
And perfume yourself with sweet air
And walk round to show-off
You don’t cease to irritate
With the smell of your scent
Do you think you will ever marry?
Whose daughter will you marry?
Yet you have not sweated a drop
What will you have on your hand?
Will you manage your marriage?
And who will accept you at first place?
You should decide
To work with diligence
And make wealth
To have something in our purse
That is when you will rest
And look for the love of your heart
Tis not a matter of wondering
This time with this, that time with the other
Take care lest you fry yourself
We hear a disease has come amongst us
For a mate, date one
And marry that one What will you do if you impregnate them?
And pregnancy they carry with them
And it becomes a disaster
That will overwhelm you
My son you will not dodge
When all of them will come to you
Tis true you are educated
Degrees you have acquired
Skill you have in abundance
But you don’t want to use it
To get what you want
That which will be to you of benefit
Son, you cause me lot of trouble
Seeing you have abandoned yourself
You have become a thing to be used
Yet you think you are using them
Whatever they like you give them
And that which they ask of you
Cease my son cease,
Do not kill me who begot you
Stop causing trouble
Cease from today
I’ will not call you agin to tell you
This day has passed
Immorality is not being a man
A man is he who preserves himself
The one with decency is the man
He respects himself
He is as gentle as a ram
Think about this that I am telling you
As long as you have ears
You have heard all I have said
Forsake your ways
And settle down
And fall in love with work
It will benefit in days to come
I stop here, I’ll talk no further
What I have told you is enough
I have been there before
I have gone through years
And amassed experience
And here I give it to you
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