Umewahi kuona mhunzi akifanya kazi? Au labda ulimwoma fundi akitengeza glass (kioo)? Si ni ajabu sana? (Ukitaka kuona kwa macho yako, tembelea Shanga Foundation Arusha, au tazama videos kwenye links hapo chini - ona Rasilimali).

Katika uzoefu wetu, glasi ni ngumu, yaani haikunji kabisa. Ukitumia nguvu zako zote, kio kitavunjika mkononi mwako na kukuumiza. Lakini hakika kioo hutengenezwa kwa kuyeyusha mchanga, mabichi na laini kama udongo.

Maishani kuna mambo ambayo yanaonekana kuwa magumu, yaani hayabadiliki kabisa, hayapindi. Tukitumia nguvu zetu zote, yataharibika tu na kutuumiza. Lakini fundi mwenye ujuzi anaweza kuyafanya kuwa mepesi na laini, kwa kuyatayarisha ipasavyo, na kuchukua hatua sahihi kwa wakati ufaao.

Methali hii hutumika sana kwa maana "chukua hatua haraka fursa inapotokea, ili usiikose." Kama WaSwahili wanavyosema "Samaki mkunje angali mbichi." Ona pia There is a tide:

Hata hivyo, ikumbukwe kwenye tamthilia hii, ushauri huu ulikuwa na madhara mabaya kwake, maana Buruto hakushinda baada ya hotuba hii (soma zaidi...)

Lugha na tamaduni nyingi zina methali zinazofanana sana na hii. Labda methali hizo zina chimbuko nyingi tofauti zisizotegemeana. 

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:

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? 

Kwa kiingereza tunasema "One man's trash is another man's treasure," maana yake, kilichotupwa na mtu mmoja, kinaweza kutumikia mwingine na kuwa na thamani kwake.

Msemo huu hutumika ili kueleza jinsi mapendeleo ya watu hutofautiana, ama kuonyesha matumaini kwamba wanadamu ni wabunifu katika masuala ya kupanga upya au kuchakata vitu vilivyotupwa na wengine.

Kwa mfano, mjasiriamali Gibson Kiwago, mwanzilishi wa WAGA Tanzania, anachakata betri za laptop ili kuleta umeme kwa nyumba na maduka. Jifunze zaidi kuhusu E-Waste (Orodha ya Kusoma)!

Dhana kwamba thamani ya kitu hutegemea mtazamo wako ipo tangu zamani. Chimbuko cha msemo huu ni methali ya Kiingereza iliyotumika karne ya 17:

Je umewahi kuona thamani katika kitu kilichotupwa na mwengine?

Compare this simple, humble basket of fruit with a bag of lollipops. The fruit is ripe, juicy, packed full of vitamins -- it just sells itself. The lollipops, on the other hand, scream for our attention with explosive slogans and neon colors. But underneath the shiny packaging, it's really just plain sugar with some food coloring and artificial flavors.

Like other primates, humans find fruit attractive because it gives us energy and nutrition. Candy gives us energy, but it doesn't give us real nutrition. It just does a very clever job pretending to be fruit. Don't fall for it!

A good thing doesn't need to advertise, because quality speaks for itself. As the economists would say, demand exceeds supply.  Many advertisements seems to promise us happiness, beauty, love, wealth or respect. But ask yourself, does the ad promise more than the product can really deliver? Coca-Cola isn't a love potion.

This proverb reminds us of the enduring value of true quality and competence over flashy appearances. It's often used to express skepticism about a person who brags or praises themselves excessively.

We should all strive to be more like the basket of fruit: simple, authentic and good. These qualities will draw other people to you — at least the kind of people who understand that “chema chajiuza, kibaya chajitembeza”

Related proverbs: