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HASSANI DIGO
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Brighid McCarthy
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He who is not taught by his mother is taught by the world

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Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
View this proverb in Swahili
Asiyefunzwa na mamaye hufunzwa na ulimwengu

Question: Have you learned more from you parents or from your experiences in the world? 


Today's proverb is often used in Swahili to describe a person who makes a mistake that could have been foreseen and suffers negative consequences... like the truck driver in this picture from Oxfordshire, UK. Regardless of what your parents taught you (or failed to teach you), you will eventually have to confront the harsh realities of life and learn from experience.
See also: If a child cries for a razor, give it to him (Mtoto akilia wembe, mpe)

He who is not taught by his parents is taught by the world. (Asofunzwa na wazazi, hufunzwa na ulimwengu)
Here's a poem by the poet Akilimali Snow-White about this proverb. (My translation from the original Swahili)

In the age they fooled me, my old folks in raising me,
I failed to learn the new movements of the world.
Today I please myself, to the people of the world, listen:
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world.

I couldn’t have done any work without humbling myself before them,
Obeying to flatter them, then to serve them,
Even when I pleased them, they taught me with intention,
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world.

Now I can speak European languages without difficulty,
like English and others too,
With effort I learn, and even they have raised me.
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world.

I can converse without blemish,
And lead amidst evil, removing the blemish,
In the end the place pleases, one step towards harmony,
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world.

There is nowhere I have overlooked, without investigation,
All sides examined, knowledge I have taken,
I even know how to sell products and buy,
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world.

The amount which I have learned, not a little by fumbling,
I am pleasing where I come from, I employ good work
It’s hard to scorn, how it raises me,
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world.

It’s not right to ignore what you don’t know
Try to investigate, and then analyze,
When your intention is tightened, you can’t fail to know a thing,
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world.

The tasks I taught myself, my father didn’t know
He didn’t know English, or selling and buying,
but only praising oneself, that was when I, the child, knew,
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the world. 

I give more for you, you all who helped me,
All of you who’ve taught me, Lord give you health
God fill you all with happiness, and return goodness to you,
He who is not taught by his parents, is taught by the people of the world.
- Diwani ya Akilimali

What do you think about this poem? What does it mean? Can you improve the translation?

Fikeni E. M. K. Senkoro (1988) wrote of this poem (my translation):
[A] person can't experience everything in life from their parents: they must be ready to be taught by the world-- that is to learn from others beyond their father and mother.

Sources
The illustration shows a real accident in Oxfordshire, England - BBC article (image from social media)

Poem from Diwani ya Akilimali

Quote at the end from "Ushairi - Nadharia na Tahakiki" by F.E.M.K. Senkoro, Chapter 7 (Dar Es Salaam University Press, 1988, ISBN 9976 60 0224)
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Other proverbs
Njaa ni mchuzi bora
Kadiri hamu ya kula inavyoongezeka, chakula kina ladha bora.

Methali hiyo ilionekana kwa mara ya kwanza katika kitabu cha Miguel de Cervantes Don Quixote, kilichochapishwa mwaka wa 1615 (katika Sehemu ya II, Sura ya V)

Mara nyingi wazazi husema hivi kwa watoto wao wanapokuwa walaji kwa fujo.
...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Scott M
Little by little fills up the jar
Large tasks in life need to tackled in small steps, day by day. This proverb comes from Swahili:
Haba na haba hujaza kibaba
Little by little fills up the jar

Can you think of other similar proverbs that encourage the same way of thinking? 

This saying reminds be of a poem called "Little Things" by Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney:
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.
     
Thus the little minutes,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity. 
Julia Carney composed this poem in 1845 as a student in class -- and she was given only 10 minutes to write it!
...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Kila king’aacho si dhahabu
Hapo zamani za kale, palikuwa na binti mrembo, mkarimu, mwenye akili aliyeitwa Poshia. Wanaume wengi walitaka kumuoa na walikuja ili kuomba uchumba. Baba Poshia alikuwa amefariki dunia. Alikuwa tajiri na aliacha wosia ulioelekeza kamba yeyote aliyetaka kumuoa Poshia, lazima achague kati ya masanduku tatu: sanduku la dhahabu, sanduku la fedha na sanduku la risasi. Atakayechagua sahihi ndiye atakayeruhusiwa kumuoa Poshiia na kurithi mali zote za Baba Poshia. Siku moja, Mfalme wa Moroko alikuja ili kuomba uchumba.

Mabepari wa Venisi

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POSHIA: Kayavute mapazia masanduku yaonekane kwake mtukufu huyu mtoto wa mfalme. Haya sasa kachague.

MOROKO: La kwanza, ni la dhahabu, lenye maandiko haya:
‘Anichaguaye mimi atakuwa amepata kile wanaume wengi wakitamanicho sana.’
Na la pili, ni la fedha, linaloahidi hivi: 
‘Anichaguaye mimi apate astahilicho.’
La, tatu, risasi butu, na onyo lake ni butu:
‘Anichaguaye mimi itambidi atoe, na pia ahatarishe chochote alicho nacho.’
Nitajuaje yakuwa nimechagua vizuri?

POSHIA: Moja lina picha yangu, mzawa wa mfalme: Ukilichagua hilo basi na mimi ni wako.

MOROKO: Muungu Fulani uniongoze. Hebu nione; nitayachagua tena maandiko toka mwisho. Nitaanzia la tatu: lasemaje, la risasi?
‘Anichaguaye mimi itambidid atoe na pia ahatarishe cho chote alicho nacho.’
Itambidi atoe - atoleeni? Risasi? Na pia ahatarishe - kwa ajili ya risasi? Sanduku hili latisha: wahatarishao vyote hutumaini kupata faida iliyo nzuri: Wenye moyo wa dhahabu hawajali takataka; Kwa hiyo basi sitoi na wala sihatarishi chochote nilicho nacho kwa sababu ya risasi. La fedha lasema nini, lenye rangi ya baridi?
‘Anichaguaye mimi apate astahilicho’.
Apate astahilicho! Subiri hapa, Moroko. Upime thamani yako kwa mkono wa mwadilifu: Kama ukithaminiwa vile ujifanidivyo wastahili kutosha; walakini ya kutosha inaweza isitoshe kumpata siti huyu. Bali nikitia shaka kuwa simstahili,Basi hapo nitakuwa najiumbua mwenyewe. Stahili yangu ni nini? Bila shaka ni bibie. Namstahili, hakika, kwa nasaba na kwa mali, kwa madaha na kwa sifa zote za malezi mema na kuzidi yote hayo namstahili kwa pendo. Vipi, nisiendelee, nichague papa hapa?
Hebu tuyaone tena ya sanduku la dhahabu:
‘Anichaguaye mimi atakuwa amepata kile wanaume wengi wakitamanicho sana!’
Naam, ni siti huyu; anotamaniwa kote. Toka pande zote nne za dunia wanakuja kubusu sanamu hii takatifu ilo hai: Majangwa ya Hirikani na nyika pana ajabu, za Uarabuni kote, sasa zimekuwa njia ziletazo watawala kumwona Poshia bora. Nayo dola ya bahari ambayo inapofura hutemea hata mbingu, haiwezi kuzuia nia ya wageni hao; ila wanazidi kuja, kama wavuka kijito, kumwona Poshia bora. Moja la matatu haya lina picha yake nzuri. Itawezekana kweli liwe lile la risasi? Wazo chafu kama hilo lingekuwa ni laana. Halifai japo kuwa sanda yake ya kaburini.
Au niwaze ya kuwa kawekwa ndani ya fedha? Moja ya kumi na moja ya thamani ya dhahabu? Hilo ni wazo la dhambi! Kito cha thamani hivi hakiwekeki po pote ila ndani ya dhahabu. Uingereza wanayo sarafu tu ya dhahabu, ambayo kwa juu yake imechapwa malaika. Bali hapa malaika mwenyewe hasa yu ndani ya sanduku hili hapa, na bahati nijaliwe!

POSHIA: Ni huu hapa, chukua, mzawa wa mfalme; kama sura yangu imo nimekuwa mali yako.

[Anafungua sanduku la dhahabu]
MOROKO: Mama yang! Nini hii? Ni fuu tupu la kichwa, ambalo katika jicho lina hati ma’ndiko. Nitasoma maandiko.
Kila kitu king’aacho usidhani ni dhahabu,
umekisikia hicho ni kiambo cha mababu.
Kuniona kwa nje tu, wengi wameuza utu;
Makaburi ya dhahabu yana mafunza ajabu.
Ungekuwa na werevu ulivyo na ushupavu,
kijana kiwiliwili na mzee kwa akili,
usingelistahili kulipewa jibu hili:
Basi buriani dawa; pposa umefarikiwa.
Nimefarikiwa kweli. Bure nimejitanibu. Basi buriani, joto; nawe, makiwa, karibu. Basi kwa heri Poshia. Ninayo
huzuni sana siwezi kwa heri ndefu: Ndivyo wanavyoagana watu waliopoteza.
[Aondoka na Wafuasi wake. Tarumbeta]
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Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Akiba Haiozi
 
na Rose Mwanri 🇹🇿 
🏆 Shindano la Insha ya Methali 
🥈 Mshindi wa Pili

Akiba Haiozi

Methali ni usemi wa kimafumbo unaotumika katika jamii. Maneno katika methali huwa na maana ya ziada na methali huwa na pande mbili. Upande wa kwanza hutoa wazo na upande wa pili humalizia wazo. Akiba haiozi ni miongoni mwa methali za kiswahili inayotumika sana katika jamii za kiafrika na kwa watumiaji wa lugha ya kiswahili duniani, ikiwa na lengo la kuwaasa watu juu ya umuhimu wa kujiwekea akiba.

 Dhima ya methali hii ni kutusisitiza sisi wanajamii kujianda vema na maisha ya leo pamoja na kesho huku tukiwa tayari kuzikabili changamoto mbalimbali za maisha.

 Methali hii hutuonyesha ni kawaida mwanadamu kupatwa na dharura mbalimbali katika maisha ya kila siku. Mfano kupatwa na maradhi, ajali, au hata kifo. Pale unapokuwa na akiba uliyojiwekea itakusaidia wakati umepatwa na changamoto ya ghafla ambayo hukuitarajia.

 Faida nyingine ya kuweka akiba ni kuboresha maisha. Cha kwanza nashauri tuwe na utaratibu wa kuweka akiba mara kwa mara ili kuweza kuboresha maisha yetu kwa ujumla. Tunavyozidi kuweka akiba ndivyo ambavyo akiba hiyo inaweza kutusaidia kuboresha makazi yetu na miundombinu kwa ujumla ndani ya jamii zetu. Mfano mzuri ni wazazi ambao akiba wanazoziweka huwasaidia kulipa karo za shule pamoja na kununua vifa mbalimbali vya shulena hata gharama zingine zinazojitokeza kwa wakati huo.

 Methali hii pia inatukumbusha kuwa kadri tunavyozidi kuweka akiba ndivyo tunavyokuza hazina yetu. Swa na ile methali inayosema “ Haba na haba hujaza kibaba” ukichambua methali hizi zinaendana maana na utagundua ni ukumbusho mkubwa kwetu kuhusu ujenzi wa hatma njema ya jamii yetu ya sasa na baadae. Kwa kuwa zinatuhimiza kuwekeza kwa kila chumo tulipatalo. Tunakuza hazina kwa kuwa kile tunachoweka akiba kipo kwaajili yetu.

 Chukua nafasi kujiuliza, ni mara ngapi umepatwa na changamoto na akiba ndiyo ikaokoa jahazi, ni mambo mangapi yametokea bila taarifa na akiba ndiyo imetumika kuweka mambo sawa. Naamini sote tunapaswa kuweka akiba bila kujali kipato ni kikubwa au kidogo. Mfano unaweza kuanza kuweka akiba kidogo kidogo kutokana na kile unachokipata na kufikia muda Fulani utakuwa na akiba kubwa.

 Vilevile methali hii inasaidia kukuza maarifa kwa mtu mmoja mmoja na jamii hasa pale ambapo pamekuwepo na tofauti ya uhifadhi wa akiba kutoka kizazi kimoja kwenda kingine. Hapo zamani tunaambiwa watu walikuwa wanahifadhi akiba zao kwa kuchimba chini ya ardhi, kuweka chini ya kitanda au hata sehemu zingine ambazo wao waliamini ni salama. Leo hii watu hawatumii sana njia za kienyeji kuweka akiba zao. Ukija kwenye fedha zipo benki zenye mifumo thabiti na salama katika kuhifadhi fedha. Kwa upande wa akiba ya mazao pia zipo njia salama za kuhifadhi tena hata kwa muda mrefu bila kuharibika. Kwa hakika akiba haiozi.

 Waswahili tunasema “akiba haiozi”, “haba na haba hujaza kibaba” ikimaanisha kwamba akiba yaweza kuonekana ndogo ila kadri inavyoongezeka ndivyo inavyokuwa kubwa. Kinyume chake tunaambiwa “Chovya chovya humaliza buyu la asali”, “Bandu bandu humaliza gogo”. Tukikumbushwa kuwa vile tunavyochukua akiba zetu kidogo kidogo bila sababu ya msingi ndivyo ambavyo iko siku tutahamaki na kuona akiba imeisha bila kuona kitu cha maana kilichofanyika. Tukumbuke “mali bila daftari huisha bila habari”, tuangalie mfano wa shairi hili linalotusisitiza kuhusu kuweka akiba.

Akiba kweli hazina, haijawahi saliti,
Kwetu ni muhimu sana, hutubeba kwa nyakati,
Kipindi kweli hatuna, inasimama kwa dhati,
Sote tuweke akiba, akiba ni mkombozi.

 Kwa hakika ni dhahiri yatupasa kutunza vitu vyetu vizuri na rasilimali tulizonazo kwa kuweka akiba ili tuweze kujinusuru pale ambapo tunapokumbwa na changamoto za kushtukiza kwa ajili ya maisha yetu ya sasa na ya baadae.

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