Shakespeare : Sonnet 12

Abdullahi Botan took part in the largest ever poetry festival in London’s Southbank Centre, which brought together up to 200-plus poets who represented the Olympic nations. Thousands of nominations were whittled down to one poet per country. Botan was selected to represent Somalia.

 When I do count the clock that tells the time,
Goortaan xisaabiyo waqtiga yaan, garan waxaan joogo
 
And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;
Iyo waxaan dharaar wacan arkoo, wahab-habeenowday, 
 
When I behold the violet past prime
Ubaxii is wadhay iyo markaan, eego wixii doorshay
 
And sable curls all silver'd o'er with white;
Oo waafi timo qurux madow, wahee! cadday-siiyey,
 
When lofty trees I see barren of leaves
Waqti bay dhirtuba waayi dhogor, iyo caleen waabta 
 
Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,
Waxay waayo’ weyliyo lo’duba, wiire kaga baydho,
 
And summer's green all girded up in sheaves
Wixii tacab xagaagii la guray iyo, qamadi waaxiishey
 
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,
Wax is jiita baqal weyn ku raran baa, muuq gadh-waayeel leh.
 
of thy beauty do I question make,
Waxse aan walaaley is warin, qurux wacnaantaadan 
 
That thou among the wastes of time must go,
Waxa xiga inuu yahay gabow sidii, Waaqla' omasoore, 
 
Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake
Wanaagsane waxgarad baa aqbala, inuusan waarayne
 
And die as fast as they see others grow;
Wareegtadana uu dhiman’ dhashuna, noqon dad waaweyne
 
And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence
Wedkuna difaac maleh wax celin, waran Azraa’iile!
 
Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.
Warasiyo carruur inaad dhashoo waxaan ahayn mooyi!

Somali interpreter/translator vacancy at the Red Cross

There is a vacancy available at the International Red Cross for a Somali interpreter. The details are here,
http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/job/current-vacancies/fd-som-interp.htm

I think that, for reasons of neutrality, ethnic Somalis are not allowed to apply for the post. So this is a good opportunity for those non-Somalis who have gone to the trouble of learning this obscure language.

Adjectives - past tense

How do you say ' I am fine/Ok' in Somali? 


Waan ladnahay/fiicanahay/wanaagsanahay


How do you say 'I was fine'?


...
You chop off the 'ahay' at the end of the word and add 'aa'


Waan ladnaa/ Waan fiicnaa*/Waan wanaagsanaa - I was fine


*I think 'fiican' could be a special case. You have to remove the 'a' before the 'n' as well.


You use this for sentences like 'I am/was beautiful', 'I am/was tall', 'I am/was rich'


Waan     + adjective + ahay  >      Waan  + adjective + aa
Waad     + adjective + tahay >      Waad  + adjective + ayd
Wuu       + adjective + yahay >    Wuu    + adjective + aa
Wey       + adjective  + tahay >    Wey    + adjective + ayd
Waannu + adjective  + nahay > Waannu + adjective + ayn
Weynu   + adjective  + nahay > Weynu  + adjective  + ayn
Waad     + adjective   + tihiin >  Waad    + adjective  + aydeen
Wey       + adjective   + yihiin>  Wey      + adjective  + aayeen


Waan dhuubanahay - I am slim  >   Waan dhuubanaa - I was slim
Waan guruxsanahay - I am beautiful > Waan guruxsanaa - I was beautiful
Waan buuranahay >  Waan buuranaa - I was fat
Waan dheerahay - I am tall > Waan dheeraa - I was tall