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Usilolijua ni kama usiku wa giza
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What you don't know is like the darkness of night 
"na Ibrahim Nyanda
🏆 Shindano la Insha ya Methali
“Ni kwa nini kijiji chetu hakina maendeleo ukilinganisha na vijiji vingine vinavyotuzunguka? Vijana wengi kutoka vijiji vingine wa umri wetu wamesoma na wengine wana kazi zao za maana huko mjini. Pamoja na kwamba kuna shule kijijini kwetu lakini vijana hatufanyi vizuri shuleni na hata walimu wanapoajiriwa hawakai muda mrefu wanahama. Kuna nini hapa Bombambili?" Haya ni maswali ambayo kijana Akilimali alimwuliza rafiki yake Manase wakiwa machungani wakilisha ng’ombe. 

Mara baada ya swali hili Manase alionekana amezama katika wimbi kubwa la mawazo na mara baada ya kufikiri kwa muda alimgeukia rafiki yake Akilimali na kumtazama kwa kina kiaha akamwuliza, “Unaamini kuhusu ushirikina” Akilimali alijibu kwa kutikisa kichwa kuashiria kukubaliana na swali aliloulizwa na kisha akasema “Naamini kwani mara kadhaa nimekua nikiona watu wakienda kwa waganga na wengine wanapopitia magumu huamini wamerogwa, si unakumbuka juzi bibi Andunje tulivyoambiwa kuwa amekutwa juu ya paa la mzee Masanja uchi wa mnyama akiwanga, sasa mpaka hapo naachaje kuamini mshikaji wangu” 

Manase alimwangalia Akilimali kwa makini kisha akamwambia, "Nataka nikueleze siri moja ambayo huwezi amini

. hivi unajua kama mama yako na dada yako ni wachawi?” Akilimali alibaki ameduwaa mithili ya mjusi aloyebanwa na mlango halafu akiwa amefura kwa hasira akamwambia Manase “Aisee mwanangu usianze kuniletea habari zako za udwanzi hapa, tena koma kabisa kumwambia mama yangu mchawi vinginevyo ntakuja kukufanyia kitu mbaya hutokuja kuamini macho yako, ohoooo!!” 

Manase alimtuliza rafiki ake Akilimali halafu akamwambia, “Ngoja niwarudishe ng’ombe jirani afu nikupe mchapo mzima ulivyo, najua utanielewa we punguza jaziba kwanza” 

Mara baada ya kurudisha mifugo jirani Manase akaanza kumweleza Akilimali, “Rafiki angu nataka nikupe siri hii ambayo nimekaa nayo kwa muda mrefu, chochote unachokiona hapa hata kutokuwepo kwa naendeleo kijijini ni kwa sababu ya ushirikina, kila siku mama yako na dada yako huwa ninawaona wakija nyumbani wamepanda fisi wakimpitia mama kwenda kuwanga
..” Manase alitulia kidogo halafu akaendelea 

“Huwezi kuamini kwani hata mimj nilikua siamini mpaka nilipopakwa dawa na kuwaona, nitakupa hiyo dawa utapaka machoni na utakuja kunipa majibu kesho.” 

Mara baada ya mlo wa usiku Akilimali alikua ameketi akiota moto nje ya nyumba yao ya udongo iliyoezekwa kwa nyasi wakati huo mama yake na dada yake wakiwa ndani na yeye akiwa na baba yake pale nje. Alipaka ile dawa kama alivyoelekezwa na baada ya dakika kumi alimwona dada yake na mama yake wamepanda juu ya fisi mithili ya pikipiki tayari kwa safari ya kwenda kuwanga. 

“Nisamehe sana rafiki angu, ilikua ni hasira tu” aliongea maneno haya Akilimali huku akilengwa na machozi, 

“Mimi nilijua, sasa unavyoona kijijj chetu hakiendelei hata mama yako pia na dada yako wanahusika, inaumiza sana kila mwanakijiji anayetaka kuleta maendeleo anaishia kufa, lazima kuna siku watakuja kuumbuka kama ilivyokua kwa bibi Andunje” 

“Nina uhakika hata baba yako hajui kama mama yako na dada yako ni wachawi na kila siku huwa wanaenda kuwanga na ninyi kuwaachia mauzauza mkijua wapo, nenda kampake baba yako hiyo dawa alafu utanipa majibu” alieleza Manase 

Jioni kwa siri Akilimali alimweleza baba yake kuwa dada yake na mama yake ni wachawi kitu ambacho alipinga vikali. 

“Mama leo baba anatuona, angalia anvyotutumbulia macho” dada yake na Akilimali alimwabia mama yake wakiwa juu ya fisi kama ilivyo ada wakati baba yake na kaka yake wakiwa nje wanaota moto kama ilivyo kawaida yao. 

“Sidhani kama anatuona, hebu geuza fisi tuwe kama tunawaelekea wao” ailisema mana yake na Akilimali.

Akilimali anasema hiyo ndiyo ilikua siku ya mwisho kumwona baba yake kwani baada ya kuona fisi aliyewabeba mke wake na binti yake alitimua mbio kama anashundana mashindano ya mbio za mita mia. Ama kweli usilolijua ni kama usiku wa giza, Akilimali alibaki haamini kama kwa muda wote huo ameishi na mama yake na dada yake bila kujua kuwa ni wachawi. 
Sources

Chimbuko:

Methali ya kiswahili kutoka kitabu cha “METHALI ZETU” cha Oxford inayosema “USILOLIJUA NI KAMA USIKU WA GIZA.”  

Juu ya Insha hii

Insha hii ilishika nafasi ya nne katika Shindano la Methali ya Insha la Maktaba.org 🏆 7/7/2023
Ibrahim Methusela Nyanda ni Mtanzania đŸ‡č🇿 

Hakimiliki

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0)
na Ibrahim Nyanda
Ilichapishwa na Maktaba.org
Mchoro/Image: CC BY Maktaba.org
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Other proverbs
Ukitaka cha uvunguni sharti uiname
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!
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Mchoro huu umetengenezwa kwa kutumia Akili Bandia (AI). Unafikiriaje?

Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Work in the sun, eat in the shade
 
by Magreth Lazaro Mafie đŸ‡č🇿
🏆 Proverb Essay Contest 
đŸ„‰ 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.
I fear neither sun nor rain, making my tomorrow
I fear neither injuries nor pain, because all are temporary
Scorching sun and work are my custom, so that happiness comes in life
The street vendor, the farmer, the [port boys] and their fisherman and the sun, in search of tomorrow
One who works in the sun, eats in the shade, I am still searching for shade.

It's noon, the sun overhead, in my head I have the harvest, sweat is dripping,
The sun has set now, the oar on the beach, exhausted in bed, nets in the sea,
At home on fourth street, captain of the family, may I pull happiness from hard labor
Now the sun is rising, walking the path to look for a bite,
One who works in the sun, eats in the shade, I am still searching for shade.

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.

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Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
4
Kuokoa mia ni kuingiza mia
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 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Akiba Haiozi
 
na Rose Mwanri đŸ‡č🇿 
🏆 Shindano la Insha ya Methali 
đŸ„ˆ Mshindi wa Pili

Akiba Haiozi

Methali ni usemi wa kimafumbo unaotumika katika jamii. Maneno katika methali huwa na maana ya ziada na methali huwa na pande mbili. Upande wa kwanza hutoa wazo na upande wa pili humalizia wazo. Akiba haiozi ni miongoni mwa methali za kiswahili inayotumika sana katika jamii za kiafrika na kwa watumiaji wa lugha ya kiswahili duniani, ikiwa na lengo la kuwaasa watu juu ya umuhimu wa kujiwekea akiba.

 Dhima ya methali hii ni kutusisitiza sisi wanajamii kujianda vema na maisha ya leo pamoja na kesho huku tukiwa tayari kuzikabili changamoto mbalimbali za maisha.

 Methali hii hutuonyesha ni kawaida mwanadamu kupatwa na dharura mbalimbali katika maisha ya kila siku. Mfano kupatwa na maradhi, ajali, au hata kifo. Pale unapokuwa na akiba uliyojiwekea itakusaidia wakati umepatwa na changamoto ya ghafla ambayo hukuitarajia.

 Faida nyingine ya kuweka akiba ni kuboresha maisha. Cha kwanza nashauri tuwe na utaratibu wa kuweka akiba mara kwa mara ili kuweza kuboresha maisha yetu kwa ujumla. Tunavyozidi kuweka akiba ndivyo ambavyo akiba hiyo inaweza kutusaidia kuboresha makazi yetu na miundombinu kwa ujumla ndani ya jamii zetu. Mfano mzuri ni wazazi ambao akiba wanazoziweka huwasaidia kulipa karo za shule pamoja na kununua vifa mbalimbali vya shulena hata gharama zingine zinazojitokeza kwa wakati huo.

 Methali hii pia inatukumbusha kuwa kadri tunavyozidi kuweka akiba ndivyo tunavyokuza hazina yetu. Swa na ile methali inayosema “ Haba na haba hujaza kibaba” ukichambua methali hizi zinaendana maana na utagundua ni ukumbusho mkubwa kwetu kuhusu ujenzi wa hatma njema ya jamii yetu ya sasa na baadae. Kwa kuwa zinatuhimiza kuwekeza kwa kila chumo tulipatalo. Tunakuza hazina kwa kuwa kile tunachoweka akiba kipo kwaajili yetu.

 Chukua nafasi kujiuliza, ni mara ngapi umepatwa na changamoto na akiba ndiyo ikaokoa jahazi, ni mambo mangapi yametokea bila taarifa na akiba ndiyo imetumika kuweka mambo sawa. Naamini sote tunapaswa kuweka akiba bila kujali kipato ni kikubwa au kidogo. Mfano unaweza kuanza kuweka akiba kidogo kidogo kutokana na kile unachokipata na kufikia muda Fulani utakuwa na akiba kubwa.

 Vilevile methali hii inasaidia kukuza maarifa kwa mtu mmoja mmoja na jamii hasa pale ambapo pamekuwepo na tofauti ya uhifadhi wa akiba kutoka kizazi kimoja kwenda kingine. Hapo zamani tunaambiwa watu walikuwa wanahifadhi akiba zao kwa kuchimba chini ya ardhi, kuweka chini ya kitanda au hata sehemu zingine ambazo wao waliamini ni salama. Leo hii watu hawatumii sana njia za kienyeji kuweka akiba zao. Ukija kwenye fedha zipo benki zenye mifumo thabiti na salama katika kuhifadhi fedha. Kwa upande wa akiba ya mazao pia zipo njia salama za kuhifadhi tena hata kwa muda mrefu bila kuharibika. Kwa hakika akiba haiozi.

 Waswahili tunasema “akiba haiozi”, “haba na haba hujaza kibaba” ikimaanisha kwamba akiba yaweza kuonekana ndogo ila kadri inavyoongezeka ndivyo inavyokuwa kubwa. Kinyume chake tunaambiwa “Chovya chovya humaliza buyu la asali”, “Bandu bandu humaliza gogo”. Tukikumbushwa kuwa vile tunavyochukua akiba zetu kidogo kidogo bila sababu ya msingi ndivyo ambavyo iko siku tutahamaki na kuona akiba imeisha bila kuona kitu cha maana kilichofanyika. Tukumbuke “mali bila daftari huisha bila habari”, tuangalie mfano wa shairi hili linalotusisitiza kuhusu kuweka akiba.

Akiba kweli hazina, haijawahi saliti,
Kwetu ni muhimu sana, hutubeba kwa nyakati,
Kipindi kweli hatuna, inasimama kwa dhati,
Sote tuweke akiba, akiba ni mkombozi.

 Kwa hakika ni dhahiri yatupasa kutunza vitu vyetu vizuri na rasilimali tulizonazo kwa kuweka akiba ili tuweze kujinusuru pale ambapo tunapokumbwa na changamoto za kushtukiza kwa ajili ya maisha yetu ya sasa na ya baadae.

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