As the appetite increases, food tastes better.

The proverb first appeared in Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote, published in 1615 (in Part II, Chapter V)

Parents often say this to their children when they are fussy eaters.

Maana yake, afadhali kuridhika na ulicho nacho, badala ya kuiweka hatarini kwa ajili ya kupata kitu kubwa zaidi.

 Methali hii ni ya zamani sana. Chanzo cha methali hii ni kitabu cha kale kiitwacho  "Hadithi ya Ahikar." (Kinajulikana pia kama "Methali za Ahiqar.")

Kitabu hiki kinasimulia hadithi ya mshauri wa wafalme wa kale wa Ashuru na Misri. Inadhaniwa kuwa hadithi hii ilitungwa takribani 600 KK, na kuna nakala iliyochapishwa mwaka wa 500 KK. 

Methali karibu na hii kutoka nchi mbalimbali:
French:

Japanese

Italian

Mnaonaje -- methali hii ni ushauri mzuri? Ni bora kuridhika na kitu kinachopatikana kwa hakika, ama kutafuta kitu bora zaidi kisicho na hakika?

"na Ibrahim Nyanda
🏆 Shindano la Insha ya Methali

“Ni kwa nini kijiji chetu hakina maendeleo ukilinganisha na vijiji vingine vinavyotuzunguka? Vijana wengi kutoka vijiji vingine wa umri wetu wamesoma na wengine wana kazi zao za maana huko mjini. Pamoja na kwamba kuna shule kijijini kwetu lakini vijana hatufanyi vizuri shuleni na hata walimu wanapoajiriwa hawakai muda mrefu wanahama. Kuna nini hapa Bombambili?" Haya ni maswali ambayo kijana Akilimali alimwuliza rafiki yake Manase wakiwa machungani wakilisha ng’ombe. 

Mara baada ya swali hili Manase alionekana amezama katika wimbi kubwa la mawazo na mara baada ya kufikiri kwa muda alimgeukia rafiki yake Akilimali na kumtazama kwa kina kiaha akamwuliza, “Unaamini kuhusu ushirikina” Akilimali alijibu kwa kutikisa kichwa kuashiria kukubaliana na swali aliloulizwa na kisha akasema “Naamini kwani mara kadhaa nimekua nikiona watu wakienda kwa waganga na wengine wanapopitia magumu huamini wamerogwa, si unakumbuka juzi bibi Andunje tulivyoambiwa kuwa amekutwa juu ya paa la mzee Masanja uchi wa mnyama akiwanga, sasa mpaka hapo naachaje kuamini mshikaji wangu” 

Manase alimwangalia Akilimali kwa makini kisha akamwambia, "Nataka nikueleze siri moja ambayo huwezi amini……. hivi unajua kama mama yako na dada yako ni wachawi?” Akilimali alibaki ameduwaa mithili ya mjusi aloyebanwa na mlango halafu akiwa amefura kwa hasira akamwambia Manase “Aisee mwanangu usianze kuniletea habari zako za udwanzi hapa, tena koma kabisa kumwambia mama yangu mchawi vinginevyo ntakuja kukufanyia kitu mbaya hutokuja kuamini macho yako, ohoooo!!” 

Manase alimtuliza rafiki ake Akilimali halafu akamwambia, “Ngoja niwarudishe ng’ombe jirani afu nikupe mchapo mzima ulivyo, najua utanielewa we punguza jaziba kwanza” 

Mara baada ya kurudisha mifugo jirani Manase akaanza kumweleza Akilimali, “Rafiki angu nataka nikupe siri hii ambayo nimekaa nayo kwa muda mrefu, chochote unachokiona hapa hata kutokuwepo kwa naendeleo kijijini ni kwa sababu ya ushirikina, kila siku mama yako na dada yako huwa ninawaona wakija nyumbani wamepanda fisi wakimpitia mama kwenda kuwanga…..” Manase alitulia kidogo halafu akaendelea 

“Huwezi kuamini kwani hata mimj nilikua siamini mpaka nilipopakwa dawa na kuwaona, nitakupa hiyo dawa utapaka machoni na utakuja kunipa majibu kesho.” 

Mara baada ya mlo wa usiku Akilimali alikua ameketi akiota moto nje ya nyumba yao ya udongo iliyoezekwa kwa nyasi wakati huo mama yake na dada yake wakiwa ndani na yeye akiwa na baba yake pale nje. Alipaka ile dawa kama alivyoelekezwa na baada ya dakika kumi alimwona dada yake na mama yake wamepanda juu ya fisi mithili ya pikipiki tayari kwa safari ya kwenda kuwanga. 

“Nisamehe sana rafiki angu, ilikua ni hasira tu” aliongea maneno haya Akilimali huku akilengwa na machozi, 

“Mimi nilijua, sasa unavyoona kijijj chetu hakiendelei hata mama yako pia na dada yako wanahusika, inaumiza sana kila mwanakijiji anayetaka kuleta maendeleo anaishia kufa, lazima kuna siku watakuja kuumbuka kama ilivyokua kwa bibi Andunje” 

“Nina uhakika hata baba yako hajui kama mama yako na dada yako ni wachawi na kila siku huwa wanaenda kuwanga na ninyi kuwaachia mauzauza mkijua wapo, nenda kampake baba yako hiyo dawa alafu utanipa majibu” alieleza Manase 

Jioni kwa siri Akilimali alimweleza baba yake kuwa dada yake na mama yake ni wachawi kitu ambacho alipinga vikali. 

“Mama leo baba anatuona, angalia anvyotutumbulia macho” dada yake na Akilimali alimwabia mama yake wakiwa juu ya fisi kama ilivyo ada wakati baba yake na kaka yake wakiwa nje wanaota moto kama ilivyo kawaida yao. 

“Sidhani kama anatuona, hebu geuza fisi tuwe kama tunawaelekea wao” ailisema mana yake na Akilimali.

Akilimali anasema hiyo ndiyo ilikua siku ya mwisho kumwona baba yake kwani baada ya kuona fisi aliyewabeba mke wake na binti yake alitimua mbio kama anashundana mashindano ya mbio za mita mia. Ama kweli usilolijua ni kama usiku wa giza, Akilimali alibaki haamini kama kwa muda wote huo ameishi na mama yake na dada yake bila kujua kuwa ni wachawi. 

Once upon a time long ago, there was a beautiful, intelligent and kind young woman named Portia. Many men wanted to marry her and came to woo her. Portia’s father had died and left behind a will instructing that any suitor of Portia would have to choose among three caskets, one of gold, one of silver and one of lead. Only the suitor who chose correctly would be allowed to marry Portia and inherit all her father’s wealth. One day, the Prince of Morocco came to woo Portia.

by William Shakespeare
Act II, Scene 7

Portia: Go draw aside the curtains and discover
The several caskets to this noble prince.
Now make your choice.

Prince of Morocco: The first, of gold, who this inscription bears,

 The second, silver, which this promise carries,

 This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt,

How shall I know if I do choose the right?

Portia: The one of them contains my picture, prince:
 If you choose that, then I am yours withal.

Prince of Morocco: Some god direct my judgment! Let me see;
 I will survey the inscriptions back again.
 What says this leaden casket?

 Must give: for what? for lead? hazard for lead?
 This casket threatens. Men that hazard all
 Do it in hope of fair advantages:
 A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross;
 I'll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead.
 What says the silver with her virgin hue?

 As much as he deserves! Pause there, Morocco,
 And weigh thy value with an even hand:
 If thou be'st rated by thy estimation,
 Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enough
 May not extend so far as to the lady:
 And yet to be afeard of my deserving
 Were but a weak disabling of myself.
 As much as I deserve! Why, that's the lady:
 I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes,
 In graces and in qualities of breeding;
 But more than these, in love I do deserve.
 What if I stray'd no further, but chose here?
 Let's see once more this saying graved in gold

 Why, that's the lady; all the world desires her;
 From the four corners of the earth they come,
 To kiss this shrine, this mortal-breathing saint:
 The Hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wilds
 Of wide Arabia are as thoroughfares now
 For princes to come view fair Portia:
 The watery kingdom, whose ambitious head
 Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar
 To stop the foreign spirits, but they come,
 As o'er a brook, to see fair Portia.
 One of these three contains her heavenly picture.
 Is't like that lead contains her? 'Twere damnation
 To think so base a thought: it were too gross
 To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave.
 Or shall I think in silver she's immured,
 Being ten times undervalued to tried gold?
 O sinful thought! Never so rich a gem
 Was set in worse than gold. They have in England
 A coin that bears the figure of an angel
 Stamped in gold, but that's insculp'd upon;
 But here an angel in a golden bed
 Lies all within. Deliver me the key:
 Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!

Portia: There, take it, prince; and if my form lie there,
 Then I am yours.

[He unlocks the golden casket]

Prince of Morocco: O hell! what have we here?
 A carrion Death, within whose empty eye
 There is a written scroll! I'll read the writing.
 [Reads]

 Cold, indeed; and labour lost:
 Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost!
 Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart
 To take a tedious leave: thus losers part.

 [Exit with his train.

- From The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Act II Scene 7