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

Myaka minghi yabhitaga ihaha. Olihoi namhala umo uyo olingugu noi. Akanamhala akagugu kenoko kagazumalika umusi. Agachalwa kumoto kulwa nguno ya bhugugu bhokwe.

Ahenaho UMulungu na bhamalaika abhalindi bha namhala ng’wunuyo bhagachola ulu lilihoi lyito limo ilyawiiza ilo akanamhala akagugu kagapandika gulyita umubhulamu bhokene.

Bhagabhulucha giki lushigu lumo umu wikaji bhokwe agang’winha munhu nhabhi nti go jitungulu jimo jaguhamba bho nduhu gulomba ja gulipwa. Mulungu agantuma malaika asole nti gojitungulu kugiki gung’hilija unamhala ungugu ukumoto kugiki adimile na gwipija gwinga mumoto.

Umalaika agatimija giko, nu namhala ungugu ng’wunuyo agipija umumoto. Gashinaga abhangi ukumoto kunuko aho bhabhona wasa bhunubho bhogwipija, bhagidamilija kukanamhala.

Ahenaho ubhugugu bhokene bhugang’wiziila hangi. Witingisha na gubhapanda bho magulu abhangi mpaga bhakije ugubhupandika uwasa bhunubho ubho gugudima unti ugojitungulu na bhakije ugwiningeleja ukuliwei.

Kulwa nguno ya witingisha bho namhala ungugu, unti gugatinika na bhose bhagagwa hangi mumoto. Ubhukamu bho ng’wa malaika bhugabhiza bhule gete. Unamhala ungugu adadulile ugupila.

UYesu agaduhugula dubhize na nholo ya gwilekeja. “Mudizulamula, naying’we mudulamulwa, mudizusaila, naying’we mudusailwa, lekelaji, naying’we mugukelwa, bhinhagi abhanhu ghinhu, naying’we mugwinhiwa…kulwa nguno, ingele iyo mulibhagelekela hiiyo mlagelekelelwa.”

Dimana aise ulu dugekelelwa ingele iise iya wimi nholo, na whiilu na bhukolwa! Dudadulile ugupila. Kuyiniyo, makanza gose dizuke, uMulungu adaladulekeja aise uludukije ugubhalekeja abhadugu bhise bho nholo.

KISWAHILI: KIZEE BAHILI

Miaka mingi imepita sasa kulikuwa na mzee mmoja aliyekuwa bahili sana. Kizee huyo Bahili alifariki dunia, akapelekwa motoni  kwa sababu ya ubahili wake.

Hapo Mungu na  malaika mlinzi wa mzee huyo walitafuta kama kuna tendo moja jema ambalo mzee bahili alipata kulitenda wakati wa uhai wake. Waligundua kwamba siku moja katika maisha yake alimpa maskini mche wa kitunguu bila ya kudai malipo.

Mungu akamtuma malaika achukue mche wa kitunguu ili kumnyoshea mzee bahili kule motoni ili akishike na kujiokoa kutoka motoni. Malaika akatekelaza hivyo, na yule mzee bahili akajiokoa katika moto.

Kumbe wengine huko motoni walipoiona nafasi hii ya kuokoka, wakajibandika kwa mzee. Hapo ubahili wake ukamjia tena. Akajitikisa na kuwakanyaga kwa miguu hata wengine wasipate nafasi ya kushika ule mche wa kitunguu wala kujishikiza kwake.

Kwa sababu ya  mtikisiko wa mzee bahili, ule mche ulikatika na wote wakaanguka tena motoni. Bidii ya malaika ilikuwa ni bure kabisa. Mzee bahili hakuweza kuokoka.

Yesu anatuonya kuwa na moyo wa kusameheana: Msihukumu, nanyi hamtahukumiwa, msilaumu, nanyi hamtalaumiwa, acheni, nanyi mtaachiliwa, wapeni watu vitu, nanyi mtapewa….. kwa kuwa  kipimo kile kile mpimacho ndicho mtakachopimiwa.

Ole wetu tukipimiwa kipimo chetu cha uchoyo, na wivu na chuki! Hatuwezi kuokoka. Kwa hiyo daima tukumbuke, Mungu hatatusamehe sisi tusipowasamehe ndugu zetu  kwa moyo.

 ENGLISH: THE STINGY OLD MAN

Many years have passed since there was an old man who was very stingy. One day, such a stingy old man died. He was taken to hell for his stinginess.

Then God and the guardian angel of the old man sought if there was one good act that the old man had done in his lifetime. They found that one day in his life he gave a small piece of onion to the poor without demanding a payback.

God sent the guardian angel to take a piece onion seedling to the old man in the fire. Should he catch it, he could save himself from the fire. The angel did so, and the stingy old man saved himself from the fire.

While some other people in the fire saw this opportunity to be saved, they attached themselves to the old man. Then his stinginess came to him again. He shook and kicked them with his feet until others did not have a chance to touch the onion.

As a result of shaking, the stingy old man fell and all other people fell back into the fire. The angel’s commitment was completely useless. The stingy old man could not be saved.

Jesus warns us to have a forgiving heart: Judge ye not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn ye not, and ye shall not be condemned; the measure you use to others is the same one which will be applied to you.

Woe to us when we have greed, envy and hatred! We cannot be saved. So let us always remember, God will not forgive us unless we forgive our brothers by heart.