by Nankya Sauda 🇺🇬
🏆 Proverb Essay Contest 
🥇 First Place Winner

Ever taken time to wonder why the elderly will always live to be wiser than the young? Have you ever taken time to meditate on where your origin sprouts from? If not, it is high time you started looking for your origin because it is important for one to know their roots. 

 Over time, you take the burden to unveil the nature of famous geniuses and their personalities, you will come to realize that they are celebrated introverts.  It is important that one takes off some time their busy schedule and read about some of the top celebrated geniuses like Albert Einstein , the famous scientist from whom we derive one of the most educative quotes;

This highlights that time spent alone does not only provide one with space for self-reflection but also gives space to someone to use their mind creatively. Great talkers are great are great lawyers they say, and we have seen this happening during our daily routine where people make empty promises, make false declarations to please those around them but may never take time off to do something in a bid to realize their words. Because of that, many have ended up losing trust in these so called great talkers.

     On the other hand however, silent people have always blown our minds with their actions. Their moves are always calculated, their ambitions clear and their actions intentional. Romantic lovers in a relationship are always spicing up their relationships with new inventions to keep their love blooming. Those that have employed or stayed around introverts can justify that staying around these people has been one of the greatest achievements in their lives, for these have always worked  smarter, had critical thinking sessions in their alone time and eventually produced the best results and the biggest promotions.

     Literally, we can loosely define proverbs as traditional sayings that are particular to a particular country. They are short and wise sayings that usually offer advice as well as boost an idea in relation to the day to day life.  In fact, for one to have a clear and elaborate understanding of cultural norms and practices, it is wise that they always make a reference to proverbs since they can have an elaborate meaning beneath them.

     Historically, the proverb “STILL WATER RUNS DEEP” draws its origin from the ancient times in Latin. It became popular after Shakespeare used it in his play Henry vi in 1590. He said;

We realize that, in some instances the most dangerous people with the wickedest hearts have always calculated their moves and taken action at a time everyone least expects them to. That is why betrayals come from people we least expect them from. It is therefore crucial for someone to not only take what the eyes meet but also take caution especially from people who do not retaliate immediately after they have been provoked or confronted.
     Albert Einstein despite his introverted character, he his famously known for devising his theory of relativity which revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity and the universe.

     Conclusively, it is very important  not to draw conclusions just because looks are deceptive and there is always more to know and discover than the eyes can see.

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?

Widespread economic prosperity typically reaches all citizens of a country or region. A country cannot benefit without all of its citizens somehow benefitting, in the same way that an incoming tide will lift all boats including both the behemoth cruise ships and the tiny canoes.

Occasionally, the adage also may be used when referring to entire groups benefitting from a change in circumstances, particularly an influx of resources that seemingly might reach only individuals. I have heard co-workers respond to their co-workers receiving large sales commissions by saying, "a rising tide lifts all boats," implying that the increase in business for the company will expand the total opportunities for the company (and thus all employees). In this use case, clearly it is understood that the "rising tide" does not lift all boats equally.

Critics of this proverb may dispute its veracity claiming the phrase is erroneously used to justify any type of deal or arrangement that seems to benefit the few, but typically the expression is used with optimism or as a form of mild celebration by leaders, or members of the group themselves.

The proverb is often attributed to John F. Kennedy after he used it in a 1963 speech disputing the claim that a dam construction project had too much pork (wasteful spending). Kennedy's speechwriter (Ted Sorensen) revealed that the New England Council originally used the phrase, which Kennedy borrowed regularly.

A similar phrase is "to grow the pie," which means to make the entire set of opportunities greater, presumably so that everyone can appreciate a larger piece of pie, even if their percentage of the pie does not change.

Do you share the sentiment that broad economic prosperity reaches all?

Methali hii inahusiana na tabia ya kufikiria kwamba watu wengine wana vitu vizuri zaidi, hali nzuri zaidi nk... Kwa mfano kufikiri jirani yako ana majani mazuri kuliko wewe.

Chanzo cha methali hii ni "Sanaa ya Upendo" na Ovid, kitabu cha mashairi yaliyotungwa ili kutoa shauri kwa wanaume na wanawake kuhusu kutafuta na kudumisha mahusiano ya kimapenzi. Kitabu hiki kiliandikwa zaidi ya miaka 2000 iliyopita, takribani 2 KK:

 - Ovid Ars Amatoria (Sanaa ya Upendo), Ukurasa wa 24

Kwa upande mmoja, methali hii inamaanisha, bora kushika kile ulicho nacho, na kupuuza kile ambacho wengine wanacho, hata kama inaonekana ni bora zaidi. Lakini pia kwa mtazamo mwengine, inamaanisha bora kutumia akili yako katika kuboresha hali yako mwenyewe (kama kumwagilia shamba lako) badala ya kufikiria sana ukweli kwamba shamba lako, au hali kwa ujumla, ni duni. Methali nyingine ni "Majani huonekana ya kijani zaidi pale ambapo yalipomwagiliwa maji." 

Methali zinazofanana kikanuni:
Kihindi: 

Kichina: 

Kijapani:

Kurusi: