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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
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.

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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]
...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Maji yakijaa huinua boti zote (A rising tide lifts all boats)
Ustawi wa kiuchumi huenea na huwafikia raia wote wa nchi au eneo. Nchi haiwezi kufaidika bila raia wake wote kufaidika kwa namna moja au nyingine, kama vile baharini, maji yakijaa boti zote zitapanda, wimbi linalokuja litainua boti zote ziwe mitumbwi, jahazi, meli au mashua.

Msemo huo hutumiwa kumaanisha makundi yote yalinufaika kutokana na mabadiliko ya hali, hasa utitiri wa rasilimali, hata kama inaonekana kama zinawafikia matajiri wachache pekee. Nimesikia wafanyakazi wakiona wenzao wamepokea bonasi au kamisheni kubwa wanasema, "A rising tide lists all boats," ikimaanisha mauzo yakipanda, mapato ya kampuni yataongezeka na fursa kwa kampuni, na kwa hivyo, kwa wafanyikazi wote pia. Katika kesi hii, ni wazi wimbi halizinui boti zote kwa usawa au kiasi kilekile.

Wakosoaji wa methali hii wanaweza kulalamika kwamba methali hii inatumika pia ili kuhalalisha mpango au makubaliano yoyote hata kama yatawanufaisha wachache tu. Lakini kwa kawaida msemo huo husemwa  na viongozi kwa matumaini au kama pongezi.

Methali hiyo mara nyingi huhusishwa na John F. Kennedy rais wa Marekani, ambaye aliiitumia katika hotuba yake, mwaka wa 1963 akijitetea baada ya baada ya kukosolewa juu ya ujenzi wa bwawa ulitumia pesa nyingi sana (matumizi ya fujo). Mwandishi wa hotuba za Kennedy (aliyeitwa Ted Sorensen) alifichua kwamba Rais Kennedy alitumia methali hii baada ya kuisoma katika jarida la "New England Council."

Msemo karibu na huu ni "to grow the pie" yaani "kukuza keki" ambayo inamaanisha, kama keki ni kubwa zaidi, washiriki wote watapata keki zaidi hata kama uwiano/asilimia haibadiliki.

Je, unakubali kwamba ustawi mpana wa kiuchumi huwafikia wote?
...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Scott M
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
A promise is a debt
It’s a simple and profound truth about human relationships: Making a promise means creating an expectation in others. When we fail to keep our promises, we damage our relationships and our reputation. Next time you make a promise, ask yourself, "Would I sign a contract that said this?"

French
Chose promise, chose due 
A thing promised is a thing owed. 
Russian:
Долг платежом красен, а займы отдачею. 
The beauty of a debt is its payment 
Alternative translation: A debt is beautiful when it is paid off, and loans when repaid.
Latin:
Pacta sunt servanda
Agreements must be kept (an important principle of international law)
Chinese
口說無憑
Spoken words are no guarantee.
English
Your word is your bond

What do you think? Is a promise as strong as a contract?
...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
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