Collected by: Don Sybertz, with special thanks to Rev Joe Healey  (African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories)

Olihoi munhu umo ilina lyakwe Matayo uyowikalaga Bhulaya. Olina miaka ikumi ni bhili. Agandya gutumama nimo ng’widuka go gujinja walwa. Ahenaho agilanga gung’wa walwa haho adinashisha imiaka ikumi ni tandatu.

Agabhiza ng’wi nkomezu o walwa. Makanza gose agaigela alinanota ya gung’wa walwa. Giko bhuli makanza agabhiza agucholaga gubhiza na hela. Agajijinja ijilatu jakwe kugiki apandike hela ja gung’wela walwa. Uwikaji bhokwe bhugabhiza walwa duhu.

Ginhu jimo jigilonga aho olinamiaka makumi abhili na nhinane. Agabhiza adina sentí nulu ndoo. Agayulindila hanze ya jilabhu agwilombelejaga hela kubhanwani bhakwe bhangulile walwa.

Aliyohei, bhagalema na gunsega. Agajinjimala. Ginhu jinijo jigaminya noi bhiganika umung’holo, “gashi unene nadinabhanwani. Unwani one ali Mulungu duhu, atiho ungi.”

Gwandija lushugu lunulo agiyangula kumshokela Mulungu na gulumbwa ishibhi yakwe aliyomba, “Mulungu one, Mulungu unene nina shibhi, uludanambilijije nadudula uguleka ugung’wa uwalwa, ehe b’ab’a unambilije umubhulebhu bhone unikulilwe.”

Kunguzu ja ng’wa Mulungu umatayo agadula ugubhuleka uwalwa gete. Aliyo umhayo gunuyo goligudigunogu ukuliwei. Bholi bhulugu bhokwe uwei nuuguileka inhumbu ya gung’wa walwa. Agatumila makanza agusalilaga habhutongi ya nsalabha bho nduhu ugulala.

UMatayo adishokelile ihali yakwe ya kale, nulu adabhukumije hangi uwalwa. Ahoozumalika umusi, olina miaka makumi atandatu na kenda. Bhanhu bhingi bhagajiyelela ijigila jakwe kunguno bhagamana igiki ali Ntagatifu.

KISWAHILI: HADITHI YA MATAYO MUUZA POMBE

Alikuwapo mtu mmoja jina lake Matayo ambaye aliishi Ulaya. Alipokuwa na umri wa miaka kumi na mbili alianza kufanya kazi katika duka la kuuza pombe.

Hapo alijifunza kunywa pombe hata kabla  hajafikisha umri wa miaka kumi na sita. Alikuwa hodari sana wa kunywa pombe. Daima alionekana kuwa na kiu ya kunywa pombe, hivyo kila wakati alihitaji kuwa na pesa. Aliuza viatu vyake ili apate pesa ya kununulia pombe. Kwa ujumla maisha yake yakawa ni pombe tu.

Jambo moja lilitokea alipokuwa na umri wa miaka ishirini na nane. Alikuwa hana senti hata kidogo. Alingoja nje ya kilabu akiwaomba marafiki  zake wamnunulie pombe.

Lakini wapi walikataa na kumcheka. Akapigwa  na butwaa. Jambo hilo lilimchoma sana akawaza moyoni, “kumbe mimi sina marafiki. Rafiki yangu ni Mungu tu hakuna mwingine.”

Tangu siku ile aliamua kumrudia Mungu kwa kukiri makosa yake akisema, “Mungu wangu, “Mungu mimi ni mwenye dhambi, bila msaada kutoka kwako siwezi kuacha kunywa pombe, Ee Baba unisaidie katika udhaifu wangu unihurumie.”

Kwa nguvu ya Mungu Matayo alifaulu kuacha kunywa pombe kabisa. Lakini jambo hilo halikuwa rahisi kwake. Ilikuwa ni vita kati yake na hamu ya kwenda kunywa pombe.  Alitumia muda  mwingi bila ya kulala akisali mbele ya msalaba.

Matayo kamwe hakurudia hali yake ya hapo awali, wala hakugusa pombe tena. Alipofariki dunia, akiwa na umri wa miaka sitini na tisa, watu wengi walilitembelea kaburi lake kwani walimtambua kuwa ni mtakatifu.

ENGLISH: THE STORY OF MATHEW, THE BEEN SELLER

There was a man named Matthew who lived in Europe. When he was twelve years old, he started working at a beer shop.

There, he learned to drink beer even before he was sixteen years old. He was a very addicted drinker. He always seemed to be thirsty and eager to drink. So every time, he was supposed to have money with which to drink. He sold his belongings to earn money for buying beer. All his life became the life of nothing else but beer.

One thing happened when he was twenty-eight years old. One day, he had no cents at all. He waited outside the club; asking his friends to buy him beer.

To his surprise, all of the friends refused to give him money. Instead, they laughed at him. Seeing that, he was shocked. He became very angry and in his mind, he thought, “I don’t have friends. My only friend is God and no one else.”

Since that day, he made a resolution to return to God by confessing his sins and saying, “My God, my God, I am a sinner, without your help I cannot stop drinking beer, my heavenly father, help me in my weakness.”

By God’s power and grace, Matthew was able to stop drinking alcohol altogether. But that was not easy for him. It was a war between him and his desire to drink. He spent a lot of time without sleeping praying to  God in front of the cross.

Matthew never returned to his previous state, nor did he touch the alcohol again. When he died, at the age of sixty-nine, many people could visit his tomb because they recognized him as a saint.