My Angel:

So at my wedding, my darling husband serenaded me to an old Swahili song called Malaika (My angel). His brother spontaneously harmonized and I dissolved into a puddle of mush. It was the most romantic and wonderful thing that anyone had ever done for me.

So with this in mind, I've decided that I need to learn to sing the song as a lullaby. Here are the words:

Malaika, nakupenda Malaika
Malaika, nakupenda Malaika
Ningekuoa mali we, ningekuoa dada
Nashindwa na mali sina we, Ningekuoa Malaika
Nashindwa na mali sina we, Ningekuoa Malaika

Pesa zasumbua roho yangu
Pesa zasumbua roho yangu
Nami nifanyeje, kijana mwenzio
Nashindwa na mali sina we Ningekuoa Malaika
Nashindwa na mali sina we Ningekuoa Malaika

Kidege, hukuwaza kidege
Kidege, hukuwaza kidege
Ningekuoa mali we, ningekuoa dada
Nashindwa na mali sina, we Ningekuoa Malaika
Nashindwa na mali sina, we Ningekuoa Malaika

Malaika, nakupenda Malaika
Malaika, nakupenda Malaika
Ningekuoa mali we, ngekuoa dada
Nashindwa na mali sina we, Ningekuoa Malaika
Nashindwa na mali sina we, Ningekuoa Malaika

Repetitive, but the words are kind of complex for me - more sophisticated than the words I usually use in swahili, like "would you like some tea" and "good night, husband." So I have some work to do.

Here is what the song means (without some of the repetition):
My angel, I love you, my angel
And I, your young lover,
What can I do?
Were I not defeated by lack of good fortune,
I would marry you, my angel.
Money is troubling my soul.
Little bird, I dream of you, little bird.
And I, your young lover,
What can I do?
If I were not defeated by lack of good fortune,
I would marry you.
My angel, I love you my angel...

I've been listening to Miriam Makeba sing it, but here is Angelique Kidjo singing it:


The meaning, reminds me of this song - which I love: