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Still waters run deep
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View this proverb in Swahili
Maji yaliyotulia ndiyo yenye kina kirefu
by Nankya Sauda 🇺🇬
🏆 Proverb Essay Contest 
🥇 First Place Winner

Still waters run deep

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;
“The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”

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;
“Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep”

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.
Sources

About this Essay

This essay won first place 🥇 in Maktaba.org's Proverb Essay Contest 🏆 July 2023
NANKYA SAUDA is from Uganda 🇺🇬 age 21 

Copyright 

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0)
Essay by Nankya Sauda
Published by Maktaba.org
Image: CC BY Maktaba.org
Image created from "Weeping Willows by Akerselven" by Thorolf Holmboe, Public Domain 1907 

Related Books available free on Maktaba.org 

Henry VI: Part II na William Shakespeare
Relativity: The Special and General Theory na Albert Einstein 
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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
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Image credit: Screenshot from 3D virtual tour of Kilwa Kisiwani created by Zamani Project

Updated 4mo ago
by
Methali hii inatoka Kiingereza "A penny saved is a penny earned." Maana yake, mia inayobaki mfukoni inaweza kutumiwa kwajali ya madhumuni mengine. Mifano: Inaweza kutumika kwaajili ya kununua kitu kingine, unaweza kukopesha au kuwekeza ili kuingiza riba au pesa zaidi katika siku zijazo. Katika uchumi, kanuni hii inaitwa Opportunity Costs (gharama za kukosa fursa). Tunapotumia pesa au muda kwa jambo limoja, tunapoteza pia fursa ya kuzitumia kwajili ya jambo lingine.

Methali hii huhusishwa na Benjamin Franklin, lakini si chimbuko halisi, wala hakuandika msemo huu kamili. Misemo karibu na huu ilichapishwa kabla yake. Kwa mfano: 

A penny spar'd is twice got.
Senti iliyookolewa hupatikana mara mbili.
- Outlandish Proverbs by George Herbert (1640)  
 
Katika Poor Richard's Almanac (1736), Benjamin Franklin alinukuu methali hii na alifafanua vizuri kanuni ya Opportuinty Cost hivi:

Vidokezo kwa Wale Wanaotaka kuwa Matajiri

Matumizi ya pesa ndiyo faida zote zinayopatikana ukiwa na pesa.
Kwa pound [£] sita kwa mwaka [yaani riba] unaweza kutumia  £ mia [yaani kupitia mkopo], kama unajulikana kama mwaminifu na mwenye busara.
Anayetumia groat [senti 4] kwa siku bure, hutumia pound ÂŁ zaidi ya sita kwa mwaka, ambazo ni bei ya kujipatia matumizi ya pound ÂŁ mia moja.
[Kwa hivyo] Anayepoteza muda wake wa thamani ya groat [senti 4] kwa siku, siku moja na nyingine, anapoteza fursa ya kutumia pound mia moja kila siku.
Anayepoteza muda wa shilingi tano kwa uvivu hupoteza shilingi tano, ni kama amezitupa tu baharini.
Anayepoteza shilingi tano sio tu kwamba anapoteza kiasi hicho, bali anapoteza pia faida yote ambayo ingeweza kupatikana kwa kuzitumia katika shughuli zake, ambayo, akiwa kijana, wakati wa uzee ingefikia kiasi kikubwa cha fedha.
Tena: anayeuza kwa mkopo huongeza bei ya kile anachokiuza kwa kiasi sawa riba angaliingiza na pesa hizo kwa kipindi ambacho atazikosa. Kwa hivyo, anayenunua kwa mkopo hulipa riba kwa kile anachonunua, na anayelipa pesa mara moja kwa kila anachonunua hukoa fursa ya kuzikopesha kwa wengine, kwa hivyo aliye na kitu alichonunua ameshalipa riba kwa matumizi yake.
Hata hivyo nasema kulipa mara moja unaponunua ni bora, kwa sababu anayeuza kwa mkopo anatarajia kupoteza asilimia tano ya mikopo; kwa hivyo anaongeza bei ya kile anachokiuza kwa asilimia ileile ili kuzuia hasara. Wanaolipa kwa mikopo hulipa kodi mara moja. Anayelipa kwa pesa mara moja anaweza kuzuia kodi hii
"Senti iliyohifadhiwa ni senti mbili hakika;
[haba] kwa siku ni [nne] kwa mwaka."
 
Basi, unapofikiria kutumia muda au pesa zako katika jamblo fulani, jiulize, ningekosa, ningepata fursa zipi? Pesa hizi zingeweza kutumikia vipi? Mifano: kumkopesha mwingine, kurudisha madeni uliyonayo, kubuni kitu kipya au kuwekeza katika kitu ambacho kinaweza kuleta faida kubwa mbeleni.
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Updated 4mo ago
by
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!
...
Updated 4mo ago
by
Methali yetu ya leo inasemwa pia kama:
Mtaka cha mvunguni sharti ainame
Methali hii hutumika kuwahimiza watu kufanya kazi kwa bidii na kujitahidi. Hatupaswi kutarajia kupata vitu tunavyotafuta isipokuwa tumekubali kuvitafuta katika mahali ambapo ni vigumu kupafikia.

Hapa kuna hadithi fupi inayoeleza methali hii, juu ya Mulla Nasreddin, mhusika mcheshi katika ngano za Kisufi.
Mulla [Nasreddin] alikuwa amepoteza pete yake sebuleni. Aliitafuta kwa muda, lakini kwa kuwa hakuipata, alitoka nje hadi uani na kuanza kuchungulia pale. Mkewe, ambaye aliona alichokifanya, akamwuliza: “Mulla, umepoteza pete yako sebuleni , kwa nini unaitafuta uani?” Mulla alishika ndevu zake akisema: “Chumbani kuna giza na sioni vizuri. Nilitoka nje kwenda uani ili kutafuta pete yangu kwa sababu kuna mwanga mwingi zaidi hapa.
- Usimulizi wa Houman Farzad. Imetafsiriwa kwa Kiingereza kutoka lugha ya Kiajemi na Diane L. Wilcox (1989), halafu nimeitafsiri kwa Kiswahili.

Kwa Kiingereza, kuna hadithi inayosimuliwa juu ya mlevi anayetafuta pesa (au funguo) karibu na taa. Hili ni toleo liliochapishwa katika gazeti ya Boston Herald (mwaka wa 1924): 
[Afisa wa polisi alikutana na mwanamume akipapasa-papasa akipiga magoti] “Nilipoteza noti ya $2 kwenye barabara ya Atlantic,” kasema mwanamume huyo. "Nini kile?" aliuliza afisa aliyeshangaa. "Umepoteza notiya $2 kwenye barabara ya Atlantic? Kwa nini basi unaitafuta hapa Copley Square?" “Kwa sababu,” akasema akiendelea na utafutaji wake, “mwanga ni bora hapa."

Hadithi hii imekuja kujulikana kama "Streetlight effect" katika sayansi.

Asante kwa mshiriki mwenzetu kwa kupendekeza methali hii! Je, una methali ya kupendekeza? Shiriki hapa!
...

Mchoro huu umetengenezwa kwa kutumia Akili Bandia (AI). Unafikiriaje?

Updated 4mo ago
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