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Haba na haba hujaza kibaba

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Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
View this proverb in English
Little by little fills up the jar
Kila kazi kubwa katika maisha huhitaji kufanyika kwa hatua ndogo, siku baada ya siku. 

Je, unajua methali zingine zinazofanana na hii au zinazotoa dhana hiyohiyo? 

Msemo huu unakumbusha shairi liitwalo "Vitu Vidogo" na Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney: 
Matone madogo ya maji,
Chembe kidogo za mchanga, 
hutengeneza bahari kubwa
Na ardhi ya kupendeza

Vivyo hivyo zile dakika ndogo,
ingawa ni ndogo,
hutengeneza enzi za milele. 
Julia Carney alitunga shairi hili mwaka wa 1845 darasani akiwa mwanafunzi darasani -- na alipewa dakika 10 tu kuliandika!
Sources
"Little Things" na Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney
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Other proverbs
What goes around comes around
This proverb means that we often get treated the same way we treat others. It is usually negatively, as a warning, or when a person who acted immorally gets their comeuppance. It could also be used as a promise of blessings to those who do good.  A third possible meaning is that Often compared to the Hindu doctrine of karma, the exact origin of the proverb is uncertain, but it seems to have emerged in the US in middle of the last century.

Related proverbs and quotes:
Shakespeare 
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips.  (Macbeth Act I, Scene 7) 
Bible:
As you sow, so shall you reap (Galatians 6:7)
Chinese:
善有善報，惡有惡報
Good is rewarded with good, and evil with evil.
German
Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus
What you shout into the forest, will echo out again

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Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
1
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Meaning it's better to be satisfied with what you have, rather than risking it for a chance at a larger reward.

This proverb turns out to be very old indeed. It comes from an ancient book called "The Story of Ahikar" also known as the "Proverbs of Ahiqar." 
My son, a sheep's foot in thine own hand is better than the whole shoulder in the hand of a stranger; better is a lambkin near thee than an ox far away; better is a sparrow held tight in the hand than a thousand birds flying about in the air; better is a hempen robe, that thou hast, than a robe of purple, that thou hast not.
The Story of Ahikar (page 110)
The book tells the story of an advisor to the ancient Assyrian and Egyptian rulers. It was probably written about 600 BCE, with the earliest surviving fragments dating to about 500 CE. 

Similar proverbs from around the world...
French:
Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras
A here-you-go is worth more than two you-can-have-it-laters
Japanese
明日の百より今日の五十
Today's 50 over tomorrow's 100
Italian
Meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani
Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow

And one more for fun...
"A monkey on the back is worth two in the bush."
-ChatGPT

Do you think this proverb is good advice? When is it better to go with a sure thing now or take a chance and search for something better?
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Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
1
Savings don't rot
 
by Rose Mwanri 🇹🇿 
🏆 Proverb Essay Contest 
🥈 Second Place Winner
A proverb is a metaphorical expression used in a community. Words in proverbs have additional meanings and proverbs have two sides. The first side gives an idea and the second side completes the idea. Akiba haiozi (Savings do not decay) is one of the Swahili proverbs that is widely used in African communities and by Kiswahili speakers globally, with the aim of reminding people about the importance of saving.

The purpose of this proverb is to encourage us as members of the community to prepare well for today's life as well as tomorrow so we are ready to face the various challenges of life.

This proverb shows us that it is normal for a human being to experience various emergencies in everyday life. For example, an illness, accident, or even death. When you have the savings that you have set aside, it will help you when you are faced with a sudden challenge that you did not expect.

Another benefit of saving is improving life. First of all, I advise we all have a regular savings plan to be able to improve our lives in general. The more we save, the more that savings can help us improve our housing and infrastructure within our communities. A good example is parents whose savings enable them to pay for school fees, supplies and even other expenses that may arise at the same time.

This proverb also reminds us that the more we save, the more we grow our treasury. As with the proverb that says "Haba and haba hujaza kibaba" (little by little fills up the measure). If you analyze these proverbs, they have the same meaning, and you will find that it is a great reminder about building a good fate for our community, now and later. [These proverbs] encourage us to invest every penny we get. We grow our treasury, because what we save is there for us.

Take the opportunity to ask yourself, how many times have you faced challenges and your savings kept the ship afloat? How many issues have arisen without notice that you used your savings to put things right? I believe we should all save regardless of whether our income is big or small. For example, you can start saving little by little from what you earn and in time your savings will add up to be big.

Also, this proverb helps to develop knowledge for individuals and communities, especially where there has been a difference in savings from one generation to another. In the past we are told that people used to store their savings by digging underground, putting under the bed or even other places that they believed were safe. Today, people do not use traditional methods to save their savings. When it comes to money, there are banks with stable and safe systems for storing money. In terms of crop saving, there are also safe ways to store crops, even for a long time, without spoiling. In fact, savings do not decay.

In Swahili, we say “Akiba haizoi” ("Savings don't rot"), “Haba na haba hujaza kibaba” (“Little by little fills up the measure") meaning that the savings may seem small but the more they increase, the bigger they become. On the contrary, we are told “Chovya chovya humaliza buyu la asali” (“Dip [by] dip finishes the jar of honey”), “Bandu bandu humaliza gogo” (“Chop [by] chop finishes the log.”) If we take from our savings little by little without a good reason, the day will come when we’re infuriated to see all the savings are gone without anything meaningful getting done. Let's remember “mali bila daftari huisha bila habari” ("Wealth without a notebook disappears without notice"). Let's look at an example of this poem that stresses us about saving.

  Savings are truly a treasure, they never betray,
  For us it’s very important, they carries us through times
  When we really have nothing, they stand sincerely,
  Let's all save, savings is a savior.

Truly, it’s clear that we should take care of the good things and the resources we have by saving, so that we can save ourselves when we are faced with surprising challenges in our present and future lives.
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Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
1
Asiyefunzwa na mamaye hufunzwa na ulimwengu

Swali: Je, umejifunza zaidi kutoka kwa wazazi wako ama kupitia uzoefu wako ulimwenguni?


Methali hii hutumika wakati mtu amekosa na kupata madhara, haswa kama ameonywa... kama vile dereva wa lori katika picha hii (kutoka Oxfordshire, Uingereza). Bila kujali kama ulifunzwa na wazazi, hatimaye lazima ukabiliane na ukweli wa maisha halisi. Ona pia: Mtoto akilia wembe, mpe

Kuna shairi lililotungwa na Akilimali Snow-White juu ya methali hii:

ASOFUNZWA NA WAZAZI, HUFUNZWA NA ULIMWENGU
na Akilimali Snow-White

Zama walinipumbaza, wazee kwa kunilea,
Nikashindwa kujifunza, myendo mipya ya dunia,
Leo najipendekeza, kwa walimwengu sikia,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Kazi zote singeweza, bila kuwanyenyekea,
Kutii kuwembeleza, kisha kuwatumikia,
Hata nikawapendeza, wakanifunza kwa nia,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Sasa kusema naweza, Kizungu bila udhia,
Kama vile Kingereza, na lugha zingine pia,
Kwa juhudi najifunza, hata zimenielea,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Naweza kuzungumza, pasipo kutia doa,
Na paovu kuongoza, doa nikaliondoa,
Mwishowe pakapendeza, lingano moja hatua,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Sina nilipopasaza, pasina kupachungua,
Pande zote hachunguza, marifa nikachukuwa,
Hata najua kuuza, bidhaa na kununua,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Kiasi nilo jifunza, si haba kwa kubabia,
Nitokapo napendeza, kazi njema natumia,
Ni vigumu kuibeza, jinsi inanielea,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Haifai kupuuza, kwa kitu usicho jua,
Jaribu kupeleleza, na kisha ukichungua,
Nia unap,o ikaza, hushindwi kitu kujua,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Kazi nilizojifunza, babangu hakuzijua,
Hakujua Kingereza, kuuza na kununua,
Bali kujipendekeza, ndipo mwana nikajua,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

Nawatilia nyongeza, mlio nisaidia,
Nyote mlionifunza, Rabi awape afia,
Mungu heri tawajaza, mema kuwarudishia,
Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na walimwengu.

- Diwani ya Akilimali

Fikeni E. M. K. Senkoro (1988) aliandika juu ya shairi hili:
[M]tu hawezi kupata uzoefu wa mambo yote yahusuyo maisha kutoka kwa wazazi wake: lazima awe tayari kufunzwa na ulimwengu, yaani kujifunza kutoka kwa wengine zaidi ya baba na mama yake. 

Nimejitahidi kutafsiri shairi hili kwa Kiingereza, na nitashukuru sana sana kupata feedback zenu, ndugu wajuaji wa Kiswahili na Kiingereza. (Someni hapa.)

Mnafikiriaje? Shairi hili lina maana gani kwako? 
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Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy