Siku moja, mfanyabiashara mashuhuri alitafuta msaidizi. Alipokea maombi na CV za watu wengi sana, lakini wawili tu walikidhi vigezo: Amina na Baraka. Ili kuamua kati yao, aliwaita wote wawili, na akawaalika waje kwaajili ya mahojiano ya ajira, kesho yake asubuhi. "Saa tatu kamili -- vaa mavazi ya kazi, na usichelewe!" Akawaonya.

Kesho yake Ali aliwahi kuamka, akavaa suti yake nzuri, na alipanda basi kijijini kwake saa 2. "Bora kinga kuliko tiba" alifikiria. Njiani kuelekea mjini, basi ilianza kutoa moshi. Abira wote walishuka na waliachwa porini. Hapo hapo mvua ilianza kunyesha. Kila basi lililompita, Ali akaomba nafasi, lakini, kutokana na hali ya hewa, mabasi yote yalikuwa yameshajaa. Kwa hivyo ikabidi atembee kwa miguu. Ilipotimia saa tatu, bado Ali alikuwa mbali na mji, na mvua ikawa kali zaidi na zaidi. "Lazima niendelee" akajiambia, "Bora kuchelewa kuliko kukosa kabisa."

Wakati huohuo mjini, Baraka aliamka ghorofani kwake, na akashtuka ghafla akiona jua lilikuwa limeshafika mbali angani. "Aisee! Niliweka alarm! Simu yangu ina shida gani sasa?" Alitazama saa ukutani: Saa tatu kamili. "Bora niache tu. Hata nikiondoka saivi, bado nitachelewa kufika. Si alisema usichelewe? Hatamwajiri aliyechelewa." Kwa hivyo Baraka, akiwa na huzuni, akalala tena.

Saa nne na nusu, hatimaye, Ali alifika ofisini kwa mfanyabiashara na kugonga mlango, suti yake ikichuruzika maji na matope sakafuni. Mfanyabiashara akajibu. "Si nilikwambia vaa mavazi yanayofaa na usichelewe? Sasa umechelewa zaidi ya saa limoja na mavazi yako yamechafuka. Niambie nitawezaje kukuajiri baada ya hapo?" Kisha Ali akaeleza yote yaliyomtokea. Mfanyabishara akamjibu "Nimejifunza mengi kuhusu wewe kutoka kwa hadithi yako Ali. Ukiwa na kusudi kichwani, utafanya kazi kwa bidii, na pale unapokutana na vikwazo hukati tamaa, hata kama umechelewa. Nakwambia, wewe ndiye wa kwanza kufika leo. Mwingine alikosa kabisa. Nitakuajiri wewe."

Mafanikio makubwa huanza na makosa mengi, lakini baada ya muda, uvumilivu na ustahilimilu huleta matunda. Kukosa ni uanadamu, lakini Mungu ni mvumilivu sana kwetu. Anatupa nafasi nyingi za kujifunza na kujaribu tena, ilimradi tusikate tamaa.

Wengine wanasema methali ya "Better late than never never" inatoka kwa kitabu cha The Canterbury Tales, kilichoandikwa na Chaucer miaka ya 1390.

Wengine wanasema chimbuko la kweli ni kitabu cha Historia ya Roma, kilichoandikwa na Livy takriban mwaka wa 20 KK.

Methali ya Kiingereza inayoendana ni:

 Methali ya Kiingereza inayopinga:

Methali ya Kihindi: 

Compare this simple, humble basket of fruit with a bag of lollipops. The fruit is ripe, juicy, packed full of vitamins -- it just sells itself. The lollipops, on the other hand, scream for our attention with explosive slogans and neon colors. But underneath the shiny packaging, it's really just plain sugar with some food coloring and artificial flavors.

Like other primates, humans find fruit attractive because it gives us energy and nutrition. Candy gives us energy, but it doesn't give us real nutrition. It just does a very clever job pretending to be fruit. Don't fall for it!

A good thing doesn't need to advertise, because quality speaks for itself. As the economists would say, demand exceeds supply.  Many advertisements seems to promise us happiness, beauty, love, wealth or respect. But ask yourself, does the ad promise more than the product can really deliver? Coca-Cola isn't a love potion.

This proverb reminds us of the enduring value of true quality and competence over flashy appearances. It's often used to express skepticism about a person who brags or praises themselves excessively.

We should all strive to be more like the basket of fruit: simple, authentic and good. These qualities will draw other people to you — at least the kind of people who understand that “chema chajiuza, kibaya chajitembeza”

Related proverbs:

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. 

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).

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.

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) 

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:

Na vilevile katika Shakespeare: 

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

by Magreth Lazaro Mafie 🇹🇿
🏆 Proverb Essay Contest 
🥉 Third Place Winner
(English translation from Kiswahili)

How many times have you heard “Mchumia juani hulia kivulini” (One who works in the sun, eats in the shade). This is a Swahili (Bantu) proverb meant to encourage people in their everyday activities, to have faith that there will be a day when they will enjoy the fruits of their work.

This proverb gives people strength, diligence, heart, courage, hope and skill in working. The worker believes that hard work brings a good harvest that will allow him to relax in the shade as he eats the fruits of his labor. 

The following poem shows “One who works in the sun” in their daily responsibilities.

Once there was a farmer. He spent his whole life in agriculture. Thus his times for pleasure were few. People in his village called him a skilled farmer. He built a house by selling part of his crops, he educated his children through farming.

This farmer was a diligent man, he always learned the principles of being a good farmer, so as time went by, he harvested many crops from his fields. Many people were really amazed to see the big changes in his family. He made many investments in his village, the farms, houses, and shops, and many livestock came from his farm.

Many people came to take wisdom from the skilled farmer. He always told them "One who works in the sun, eats in the shade. The hoe has given me respect in the village, me and my family. My life now is going on a path of certainty, I am in the shade, enjoying the fruits of my labor in the sun. I, the son of that skilled farmer, am proud of my upbringing, and his responsibility, because work in the sun today has made us rest and eat in the shade. The true meaning of “he who works in the sun” can be seen in actions. Your diligence is your sun and the shade is the fruit of your diligence.

This story is complemented by the story of "Mabala the Farmer" by Richard S. Mabala (1989). Mabala was a port worker then he was demoted, so he chose to return to the village of Morogoro. Mabala was careless, drunk and obstinate. Mabala went to the farm with a gallon of booze, he drank it and went to sleep, when he woke up, he called out to his wife but there was no answer except the sound of the hoe tik-tok, tik-tok.

Mabala was obstinate, he watered the fields with sugar, thinking it was fertilizer, but in the end he changed to become a skilled farmer, becoming “one who works” in the sun so that his family could eat in the shade. Do you feel that Mabala is “one who works in the sun”? In the family or in the community, what’s your image of a skilled farmer?

In conclusion, this story on the proverb "Work in the sun, eat in the shade" shows us a good vision in everything we do in our daily lives. Also proverbs like "Subira yavuta kheri” (Patience brings blessings), "Mgaa na Upwa hali wali mkavu” (He who combs the beach at low tide doesn’t eat dry rice) all have similar themes; they exist to give the community strength and hope each task undertaken to pursue their goals.