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

Aho kale umongo ni mbula jigihalalika. Umongo gugigimba na gundalaha umuna Mbula, na gung’wila, “Lolaga umo nalinabhudula. Nokalaga minzi hangi nalizwilila na guhuuma bho nguzu mpaga abhanhu bhaliduuma ugunikila.”

Imbula igashosha, “Idishene, ubho nduhu nene ubhebhe udiginhu.”  Umongo gukashosha, “Yaya unene gwandija kale nabhiza giki, nokala minzi na nguzu hangi bhanhu bhalongeja gunikumilija noi gufumila miaka igana mpaka igana. Iki bhaliza kulinene bhuli lushiku gudaha minzi. Ehe, ubhebhe ulinabhudula ki?”

Giko lulu, imbula igakolwa na gwiyombela munholo yayo, “ung’wunuyu dubhone na nguzu jakwe!”

Imbula igoya ugutula umongo guuma gete. Umongo gugaiwa  ugogwita gupinihala na guhagigisha guliyomba, ugoyi ubhonduhu mbula gudi ginhu.

KISWAHILI: MTO NA MVUA

Hapo zamani siku moja mto na mvua walibishana. Mto ulijivuna na kumdharau mvua na kumwambia, “Tazama nilivyo na uwezo. Nimejaa maji tena ninabubujika na kuporomoka kwa nguvu hata watu wanashindwa kunivuka.”

Mvua akamjibu, “sivyo bila mimi wewe si kitu.” Mto ukajibu “hapa

na mimi tangu zamani nimekuwa hivihivi, nimejaa maji na nguvu tena watu wameendelea kunisifu sana kutoka karne hadi karne. Maana wanakuja kwangu kila siku kuteka maji. Wewe je, una uwezo gani?”

Basi mvua ikakasirika na kujisemea moyoni mwache, “huyu tuone na nguvu zake!” Mvua ikaacha kunyesha mto ukakauka kabisa. Mto ukakosa la kufanya ukasikitika na kuhakikisha ukisema, wenyewe bila mvua si kitu.

ENGLISH: THE STORY OF THE RIVER AND THE RAIN

In the past, one day, the river and the rain disputed. The river boasted and despised the rain and said to it, “Behold how powerful I am. I am full of water and I am flowing and I prevent people from crossing. ”

The rain answered, “Without me you are nothing.” The river replied, “I have always been there in the past. I have been full of water and power. People have continued to praise me from centuries to centuries. For they come to me every day to fetch water. What can you to do?”

Then the rain became angry and said in its heart, “Let us see who has power!” It stopped raining for years. The river had nothing to do. It dried up. It proved by itself the saying that the river without the rain is nothing.