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Haste makes waste (Haraka haraka haina baraka)

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Iliharirishwa miezi 4 iliyopita
by
Brighid McCarthy
View this proverb in Swahili
Haraka haraka haina baraka
Today's proverb "Haraka haraka haina baraka" literally translates to "Hurry hurry has no blessing"... but that doesn't rhyme, so we decided to go with "Haste makes waste." Which translation do you like better?  Have you ever rushed through something and regretted it later? Comment below... 

I see two possible interpretations of this proverb (in Swahili):
  1. Patience: Hurry causes us to make mistakes, and those mistakes cause us to miss out on potential blessings.
  2. Mindfulness: When we're in a hurry, we don't have time to notice or enjoy the blessings we have.  
What do you think? What's your interpretation?

Similar saying are common around the world:
Spanish: 
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano
(Waking up early doesn't make the sun rise any sooner)
Chinese: 
欲速则不达
(Haste makes waste)
From the Sayings of Confucius (Analects, 13:17, page 92)
When Tsz-hiá became governor of Kü-fu, and consulted him about government, he answered, "Do not wish for speedy results. Do not look at trivial advantages. If you wish for speedy results, they will not be far-reaching; and if you regard trivial advantages you will not successfully deal with important affairs."
French: 
Tout vient a point a qui sait attendre
(Everything comes to those who wait)
Kiswahili: 
Pole pole ndio mwendo
(Slow slow is the way to go)

In the book "More Swahili Proverbs from East Africa" Kalugila and Lodhi use this proverb as a good example of traditional Swahili poetic meter and rhyme scheme. (See sources)
Haraka haraka haina baraka
aaba, 3+3/3+3 
 Say it out loud a couple times... it's pretty fun to say. (Note: it's pronounced "hah-ee-na" like the animal.) 

I asked AI how I could apply Haraka haraka haina baraka in my daily life. Here's some of the advice I got: (edited)
  1. Planning: Before you undertake any task, take the time to plan. Break down large tasks into smaller manageable steps, and give yourself enough time to complete each step well.
  2. Decision Making: Avoid making quick, impulsive decisions, especially on important matters. List all of your options, weigh the pros and cons, seek advice, and then make an informed choice.
  3. Learning: Instead of trying to rush through a book, class or homework exercise, go slowly, ask questions, and reread until you fully understand the material. This way you will truly learn and remember the information, rather than forgetting it quickly. You'll also enjoy learning a lot more!
  4. Relationships: Building strong relationships takes time. Whether it's with friends, family, or romantic partners, don't rush. Invest time in getting to know the person, understanding them, and building a strong foundation.
  5. Work: Try to prioritize quality over speed, and take breaks to avoid burnout. Avoid rushing through your tasks just to get them over with. This not only results in higher quality work but also helps you learn and grow in your role.
  6. Health: Don't look for quick fixes or shortcuts when it comes to your health. Regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep are all essential, and they require time and commitment.
  7. Self-Improvement: Personal growth and development is a gradual process. Don’t rush it. Set achievable goals, work towards them step by step, and appreciate the small victories along the way.
  8. Mindfulness: Pay attention to where you are and what you are doing. When eating, savor each bite.  When walking, notice the sensation of each step. When speaking with someone, give them your full attention. "Haraka haraka haina baraka," teaches us to value the journey, not just the destination. 

Pretty solid advice, I'd say... Look forward to reading your comments :)

Related books on Maktaba:
Interpersonal Communication - A Mindful Approach to Relationships
Analects of Confucius (English Translation)
Methali za Kiswahili - Swahili Proverbs ukurasa wa 202
More Swahili Proverbs from East Africa: Methali zaidi za kiswahili toka Afrika Mashariki by Leonidas Kalugila and Abdulaziz Y. Lodhi, Page 85: 
Marejeleo
Haraka haraka haina baraka
Swahili proverb on Wiktionary - "Haraka haraka haina baraka"
Swahili Proverbs about Hurry and Patience collected by Albert Scheven, Center for African Studies, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Google translate shows "Haste makes waste" translates to "Haraka haraka haina baraka" and this translation was "reviewed by contributors." However, notice if you reverse them (back translate to English) on Google translate, it changes to "Haste has no blessing." Hm...

More Swahili Proverbs from East Africa: Methali zaidi za kiswahili toka Afrika Mashariki by Leonidas Kalugila and Abdulaziz Y. Lodhi, Page 85:
Historically, proverbs seem to have preceded poetry, and Swahili poets have had access to the abundance of proverbs treasured by the bearers of the oral tradition. Early proverbs were most certainly formed in a poetic fashion that gradually became more refined and established generally accepted prosodic forms. The most common Swahili proverbs, and which are rather short, have 6, 8, 12 or 16 syllables (mizani), and many of them appear in poems and songs as lines (mistari), hemistichs or half-lines (vipande), or as refrains (mikarara). There are many examples of a p0em which starts with a proverb and is in fact an elaboration of it. In the following examples from different poems, we find the 3+3 rhyOhm i.e. 6 syllables with a medial caesurae (kituo) having a penultimate stress: 
Akili ni mali. -  Intelligence is an asset.
Mahaba ni haba. - Love is worth little.
Mapenzi majonzi. - Love brings melancholy.
The caesurae in a proverb causing the 2, 3 or 4 hemistichs is a rhythmic break equivalent to a caesurae in a well-balanced poem, and the various resulting rhymes can be described as follows:
Haraka haraka, haina baraka. (aaba, 3+3/3+3) Hurry, hurry, has no blessings / Haste makes waste.
(Kwa) haba na haba, hujaza kibaba. (aaba, 3+3/3+3) Little by little fills up the measure.


Proverbs in other languages:
Chinese proverb (Wiktionary)
Spanish proverb (Wiktionary)
French proverb (le dictionnaire Orthodidacte)
"The French Seen through Their Proverbs and Proverbial Expressions" by Henri F. Muller (1943) (JSTOR - paywall)
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Ingia akaunti yako ili kuona na kutoa maoni
Methali zaidi
Fua chuma wakati kingali moto
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:
Majambo ya binadamu yana kujaa na kupwa, Yakidakwa yamejaa huongoza ushindini; yakipuuzwa, safari yote ya maisha yao haiachi maji mafu, na hujaa madhilifu.
- BURUTO katika Juliasi Kaizari, na William Shakespeare (ilitafsiriwa na Mwalimu Nyerere)
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. 

KiChina: 趁熱打鐵
KiThai: ตีเหล็กเมื่อแดง
KiHindi: लोहा गरम हैं. मार दो हथौड़ा.
KiGaelic (Ireland): buail an t-iarann te
Kiingereza: Strike while the iron is hot.

...

Picha: Walimu wa Elimu Yetu wakijifunza ufundi wa kioo wakitemeblea Shanga, Arusha, Tanzania

Iliharirishwa miezi 4 iliyopita
by
Brighid McCarthy
Haba na haba hujaza kibaba
Kila kazi kubwa katika maisha huhitaji kufanyika kwa hatua ndogo, siku baada ya siku. 

Je, unajua methali zingine zinazofanana na hii au zinazotoa dhana hiyohiyo? 

Msemo huu unakumbusha shairi liitwalo "Vitu Vidogo" na Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney: 
Matone madogo ya maji,
Chembe kidogo za mchanga, 
hutengeneza bahari kubwa
Na ardhi ya kupendeza

Vivyo hivyo zile dakika ndogo,
ingawa ni ndogo,
hutengeneza enzi za milele. 
Julia Carney alitunga shairi hili mwaka wa 1845 darasani akiwa mwanafunzi darasani -- na alipewa dakika 10 tu kuliandika!
...
Iliharirishwa miezi 4 iliyopita
by
Brighid McCarthy
Maji yaliyotulia ndiyo yenye kina kirefu
 
na Nankya Sauda 🇺🇬
Shindano la Insha ya Methali 🏆
Mshindi wa Kwanza 🥇

Maji yaliyotulia ndiyo yenye kina kirefu

Umewahi kuchukua muda na kujiuliza kwa nini wazee huwa wana busara zaidi kuliko vijana? Je, umewahi kuchukua muda wa kutafakari asili yako ulipochipuka? Ikiwa sivyo, [sasa] ni wakati mzuri wa kuanza kutafuta asili yako kwa sababu ni muhimu mtu ajue mizizi yake.
   Baada ya muda, unachukua mzigo wa kufunua asili ya watu mashuhuri wenye akili na haiba zao, utakuja kutambua kwamba wao ni introverts (yaani wakimya, wanaopenda kukaa peke yao/kujitenga) lakini ni mashuhuri. Ni muhimu uchukue muda wako, hata ukiwa bize, ujifunze kuhusu wasomi mashuhuri kama Albert Einstein, mwanasayansi mashuhuri ambaye alisema nukuu inayotuelimisha:
"Maisha tulivu ya upweke yasiobadilikaa huchochea akili na fikra bunifu."

Hii inamaanisha kwamba wakati ukiwa peke yako ni nafasi ya kujitafakari, lakini pia ni nafasi ya kutumia akili yako bunifu. Wanasema wazungumzaji wakubwa ni wanasheria wazuri, na tumeona hayo katika maisha yetu ya kila siku ambapo watu hutoa ahadi tupu, hutoa matamko ya uwongo ili kuwapendeza waliomzunguka bila kuchukua muda wa kufanya kitu kwa nia ya kutekeleza maneno yao. Kwa sababu hiyo, wengi wamepoteza imani na hawa wanaoitwa “wazungumzaji wakubwa.”
   Kwa upande mwingine, wakimya hutushangaza kwa matendo yao. Hatua zao hupangiliwa kila mara, matamanio yao ni wazi na vitendo vyao hufanyika kwa kusudi. Wapenzi wakimya hukuza mahusiano yao ya kimapenzi kwa ubunifu mpya ili kudumisha mahusiano. Waliowaajiri [wakimya] na waliokaa karibu na introverts husema kuwafahamu ni moja ya mafanikio makubwa katika maisha yao, ndo maana hawa wamefanya kazi nadhifu zaidi, wakawa na vipindi vyao vya kutafakari peke yao, na hatimaye walitoa kazi bora na kupata cheo kikubwa.
   Tunaweza kufafanua methali kama misemo inatumika katika nchi au utamaduni fulani. Ni maneno mafupi yenye busara na hutoa ushauri na vile vile kuongeza wazo kuhusiana na maisha ya kila siku. Kwa kweli, ili kufahamu kwa kina mila na desturi za kitamaduni, ni vizuri warejelee methali kwani zinaweza kuwa na maana pana ndani. 
Kihistoria, methali "Still waters run deep" (Maji yalotulia ndo yenye kina kirefu/Usicheze maji yanayosimama) inatoka Kilatini cha kale. Ilipata umaarufu baada ya Shakespeare kuitumia katika tamthilia yake ya Henry VI mwaka 1590. Alisema:
"Maji hutulia pale ambapo mto una kina kirefu."

Tunatambua kwamba, mara nyingi watu hatari zaidi walio na roho mbaya hupanga hatua zao na kuchukua hatua kwa wakati ambao wengine hatarajii. Ndio maana usaliti hutoka kwa watu ambao hatutarajii [kitu kama hicho] kutoka kwao. Kwa hiyo ni muhimu kwa mtu kuchukua si tu yale yanayokutana na macho bali pia kuchukua tahadhari hasa kutoka kwa watu ambao hawalipizi kisasi mara tu baada ya kukasirishwa au kukabiliwa.
   Albert Einstein licha ya tabia yake ya kujittenga, yeye anajulikana sana kwa kubuni nadharia yake ya relativity ambayo ilileta mapinduzi katika uelewa wetu wa nafasi ya nje, wakati, na kanimvutano (gravity).
   Kwa kumalizia, ni muhimu sana kutofikia hitimisho [haraka] kwa sababu sura hudanganya na kuna mengi ya kujua na kugundua kuliko macho yanavyoweza kuona.
...
Iliharirishwa miezi 4 iliyopita
by
Brighid McCarthy
Better late than never
One day a renown businessman wanted to hire an assistant. He received many resumes, but only two candidates met his high standards: Alice and Bob. To help him decide, he called both, and they each agreed to come in for an interview the following morning. "9 AM. Look sharp and don't be late." The manager warned.

The next morning Alice woke up early, donned her best suit and got to the village bus station at 8:00am. "Better safe than sorry," she thought.  On the way to town, the front of the minibus began to smoke. The driver pulled over in the bush and told all the passengers to get out. Just then it started to rain. Alice tried to wave down each bus that passed, but they were all full, so she had to walk on foot. 9am came and went, but Alice was still miles from town and the rain was getting harder. "I must keep going." she thought, "Better late than never."

Meanwhile in town, Bob woke up in his apartment, and saw the sun was high in the sky. He sat up suddenly. "Oh no! Why did my alarm fail?" He looked at the clock on his wall: 9:00 am. "Forget it. Even if I leave right now, I'll still be late, and they'll never hire someone who is late." So Bob, feeling depressed, went back to sleep.

At 10:30, Alice finally made it to the office and knocked on the door, her neatly pressed suit now dripping and muddy. The businessman answered.
"I warned you to be on time, yet you are over an hour late, how can you expect me to give you this job?"
Then Alice explained all that had happened.
"I have learned a lot about you from this story, Alice. When you have a purpose in mind, you persist despite and obstacles and don't give up, even when it seems too late. In fact, you are the first to arrive today. The other candidate did not show up at all. The job is yours."

Great achievements and inventions often begin with a lot of failures, but in the long run, persistence and learning are rewarded.  People make a lot of mistakes (to err is human), but life is very patient with us, giving us lots of chances to learn from them and try again, as long as we don't give up.

Some say the proverb "Better late than never" comes from The Canterbury Tales, written by Chaucer around the 1390s.
Better than never is late -  The Canon's Yeoman's Tale  
Others trace the proverb to an even earlier origin, in Livy's History of Rome, written around 20 BC:
There was no end to it; tribunes of the commons and patricians could not subsist in the same state; either the one order or the other office must be abolished; and that a stop should be put to presumption and temerity rather late than never. - Livy, History of Rome, Book 4

A similar saying in English is "It's never too late." 
Here's a proverb that relates to the same principle in Hindi:
जब जाति तब सवेरे
Whenever you wake up, that’s your morning

And here's an English proverb that often means the opposite of this one:
Don't close the stable door after the horse has bolted

...

Imagine you woke up late for a job interview. What would you do? Would you scramble to get dressed and make it to the meeting as quickly as possible? Or would you think "Forget it, it's not worth going at all now"? Next time you think "It's too late" try telling yourself "Better late than never." For example, this Proverb of the Day was posted late, but at least you're reading it now - Thanks!

Iliharirishwa miezi 4 iliyopita
by
Brighid McCarthy