Tafsiri ya Sala ya Papa Francis

Katika ujumbe wangu wa jana,niliweka sala ya Baba Mtakatifu Francis ya kuiombea dunia. Sala hii inagusia na kujumlisha mambo mengi, kama vile upendo kwa wanadamu wote na viumbe vyote bila mipaka, kuwajali wasiojiweza, kuyatunza na kuyaboresha mazingira.

Sala hii inatuelekeza kumwomba Mungu atupe ufahamu wa thamani ya kila kiumbe, ufahamu na namna maisha yetu yalivyofungamana na maisha ya viumbe vyote. Aidha, sala inathimiza kumtegemea Mungu katika juhudi zetu za kutafuta haki, upendo, na amani.

Katika sala hii kuna mafundisho muhimu ya dini mbali mbali, matarajio ya wanaharakati wa masuala mbali mbali ya jamii, na matarajio ya wanamazingira. Ni sala inayofundisha busara za zamani za jamii mbali mbali, kama vile wenyeji wa asili wa Amerika ("Native Americans"). Wazo lililomo katika sala hii la kuviangalia viumbe vyote kwa uchaji linanikumbusha falsafa ya mwandishi Shaaban Robert. Kati ya sentensi zinazonigusa kwa namna ya pekee katika sala hii ni,

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.

Kuhitimisha maelezo yangu, napenda kusema kwamba sala hii ilivyo katika ki-Ingereza ikiwa imesheheni uchaji, busara, na maudhui, imeundwa kwa lugha iliyotukuka. Ninajiuliza iwapo tunaweza kuitafsiri kwa ki-Swahili, tukahifadhi utukufu wake kwa msingi wa uhalisia wa ki-Swahili. Ninajiuliza hivyo pamoja na kufahamu jinsi suala la tafsiri lilivyo gumu na tata. Ninatarajia kujaribu kuitafsiri sala hii siku zijazo.

A prayer for our earth

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.