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Proverbs

If you don't know how to tie a rope, tie a lot

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Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
View this proverb in Swahili
Kama hujui kufunga kamba, funga vingi
Once upon a time, there was a young man in search of his talent. One day, he was advised by his grandfather, "Everyone has a talent, seek yours." Therefore, he began his journey to find it.

On the road, he met his peers playing football. They welcomed him and he started playing with them. "Perhaps this is my talent!" he thought to himself hopefully. However, when the ball came near him, the young man was afraid and said, "I don't know how to kick the ball!" The others chased him away, laughing at him.

In the streets, he encountered a street vendor. "Maybe this is my talent." he thought. The vendor welcomed him and instructed, "Greet this customer." But when the customer approached him, the young man was afraid, "I don't know how to greet a customer!" he said. The vendor became angry, and the young man was chased away again.

As he continued to walk, he thought, "I regret leaving home today, I don't have any talent." When he reached the shore, he met a fisherman. The fisherman welcomed him and he boarded the boat. The fisherman gave him a rope and said, "Tie this." "I don't know how to tie a knot!" the young man said quickly. The fisherman answered, "If you don't know how to tie a knot, tie a lot."

After that day, the young man learned a lot from the fisherman, and he tied thousands of knots. Eventually, he became a skilled fisherman respected by the community.

Your talent is not only in your nature, but is formed by the effort you put forth. Accept to be taught by others, and do not fear trying new things. The first knot you tie might not be perfect. But the more ropes you tie, the more you will learn better techniques and strategies.

Those who say "I can't" deny themselves the opportunity to learn. If you don't know how to do something, learn by doing and practicing. If you don't know how to kick a ball, kick many balls. If you don't know how to greet customers, greet many. If you don't know how to tie a knot, tie a lot.
Sources
Thank you to Jan M in Connecticut, USA for suggesting this proverb to us!
Story: CC BY (Originally written in Swahili)
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Other proverbs
Kalamu hushinda jambia

Ufafanuzi


Methali hii ya Kiingereza inatafsirika pia kama "Kalamu ina nguvu kuliko upanga au jambia" au " Kalamu ni kali kuliko upanga." Katika methali hii, jambia au upanga unaashiria nguvu na ukatili, na maana ya kalamu ni maneno. Ingawa upanga unaweza kushinda kwa nguvu, kalamu inaweza kuwashawishi, kuwahamasisha, na kuwaelimisha watu. Sio kila mtu ana silaha za kuwalazimisha watu wengine kufanya kile anachotaka, lakini kila mtu ana uwezo wa kubadilisha ulimwengu kupitia kile anachofikiria, kusema na kuandika kwa maneno. 

Silaha za siku hizi ni kalamu na karatasi.
 - Methali ya Kiswahili

Methali hii ni kweli kwa sababu mara nyingi maneno huchochea na kudhibiti jinsi watu wanavyotumia nguvu na silaha zao. Kwa mfano, kupitia sheria, maneno ya viongozi, mahakimu na majaji yana uwezo wa kuwafunga watu gerezani au hata kuwaua. Kutoa hotuba ya moto kwa umati wa watu wenye hasira kunaweza kuleta ghasia kali na madhara mengine (ona Juliasi Kaizari).

"Ukinipa picha, nitakupa vita."
- William Randolph Hearst
(Mwandishi wa habari na mchapishaji wa magazeti, Marekani)

Lakini pia, methali hiyo inatukumbusha nguvu ya upinzani usio na vurugu kwenye kuleta mabadiliko ya kudumu, kanuni iliyotetewa na kuonyeshwa na watu kama Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, na Nelson Mandela.  Angalia pia: Insha ya "Civil Disobedience"  na Henry David Thoreau, pamoja na Tamthilia mashuhuri ya "Antigone" na Sophocles.

Chimbuko


Nukuu hii ya "kalamu ina nguvu kuliko upanga" ilipata umaarufu kupitia tamthilia ya "Richelieu: au The Conspiracy"  na Edward Bulwer-Lytton (mwaka wa 1839, ukurasa wa 47). Lakini hakika wazo lilikuwepo kabla.

Wengine wanasema chimbuko halisi la methali hii ni Hadithi ya Ahikar. Kitabu hiki kiliandikwa takriban miaka 600 kabla ya kristu, na ni chimbuko la methali zingine kama "Ndege mkononi ana thamani ya wawili mtini"). Katika toleo letu, mfasiri hakuweza kusoma maandishi kutokana na hali ya karatasi, na maneno yalikatika. (Ukurasa 171/274) 
Dhibiti kinywa chako kwa uangalifu ...[ILIKATA]... na ufanye moyo wako kuwa mzito(?), kwa maana neno linalosemwa ni kama ndege, naye alitamkaye ni kama mtu asiye na  ...[ILIKATA]... ufundi wa maneno una nguvu zaidi kuliko ufundi wa  ...[ILIKATA]...
- Hadithi ya Ahikar, Ukurasa wa 171/274
Je, hili ndilo chimbuko halisi la methali hii, miaka zaidi ya 2,500 iliyopita? Muwe majaji...

Chanzo karibu na methali hii pia kinaonekana katika Agano la Kale:
Kwa maana neno la Mungu ni hai, tena lina nguvu, tena lina ukali kuliko upanga uwao wote ukatao kuwili.
Waebrania 4:12, Biblia

Na vilevile katika Shakespeare: 
Wengi wanaovaa panga huogopa kalamu.
-William Shakespeare
Tamthilia ya Hamlet, Sehemu ya 2, Onyesho la II (ukurasa wa 59)

 Je, unakubali kalamu hushinda jambia? Toa maoni yako hapo chini!
...

CC BY Unaruhusiwa kunakili & kusambaza mchoro huu na makala hii bila idhini, ukitaja tu chanzo (www.maktaba.org)

Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Rome wasn't built in a day

Do you have a big dream?

A dream too big for you to ever accomplish on your own? Maybe even too big to be accomplished in one generation?

Some gothic cathedrals in Europe took over 600 years -- more than 20 generations -- to complete! Although the Great Pyramid of Giza seems to have been built much faster (in a single generation), it also took tens of thousands of people.

In Tanzania, the Great Mosque of Kilwa was built in the 11th-14th centuries, rebuilt after earthquake damage, and continued to be remodeled up to the 18th century. It was described in the 1300s by Ibn Battuta. (You can take a 3D virtual tour of Kilwa! Check out the link in sources.)

The wonders of the world, modern and ancient, began as big dreams, dreams that took many generations to fulfill. Each generation continued the work of the past and also contributed to revising the blueprints for the future.

So if you are trying to do something great -- something that will really change the world -- don't expect to do it in one day. And don't try to do it alone. 

Related proverbs:


 Swahili:
Ukitaka kwenda haraka, nenda peke yako, ukitaka kwenda mbali, nenda na wenzako
If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together 

French:
Rome ne fu[t] pas faite toute en un jour
from Li Proverbe au Vilain, published around 1190
Modern French: Rome ne s'est pas faite en un jour
Rome wasn't built in a day

Chinese:
冰凍三尺，非一日之寒
Three feet of ice is not the result of one cold day

Scottish Gaelic
Chan ann leis a’ chiad bhuille a thuiteas a’ chraobh
It is not with the first strike that the tree will fall
...

Image credit: Screenshot from 3D virtual tour of Kilwa Kisiwani created by Zamani Project

Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
2
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?
...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
1
It takes two to tango
This proverb means that there are some things you can't do alone. The tango is dance for two people, so you can't dance the tango alone.

The proverb comes from a 1952 song It Takes Two to Tango:
You can sail in a ship by yourself,
Take a nap or a nip by yourself.
You can get into debt on your own.
There are lots of things that you can do alone.
But it takes two to tango, two to tango...
- It Takes Two to Tango (1952, Al Hoffman, Dick Manning and Pearl Bailey) - Check out the sources to listen to the original recording!

This proverb has many different meanings that you can apply in your daily life and relationships.  There are lots of things in life that require more than one person: It takes two people to cooperate, to make a bargain or to engage in a fight. You may really want to dance with someone, but if they don't want to dance with you, it's better to move on.  Similarly, if you're in a fight, consider how your own behavior might be contributing to continuing the fight. A dance isn't about being perfect, it's about being in time with your partner and enjoying the experience. 

Similar proverbs from Africa:
Egyptian (Arabic):
ايد لوحدها ماتسقفش‎
One hand can't clap

Swahili:
Bila mtu wa pili ugomvi hauanzi
Without a second person a quarrel cannot start

Kidole kimoja hakiuwi chawa
One finger doesn't kill a louse

...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy