Imbuki ya lusumo lunulo ilolile ndili iyo igatumilagwa ahikanza lya gunjika munhu. Umimba go ng’wa munhu ng’wunuyo gugab’ungagwa mundili iyo agajikigwa nayo unjimiji ng’wunuyo. Gashinaga lulu indili yiniyo idiyagulalila bhanhu bhangi hangi. Hunagwene abhanhu bhagayombaga giki, ‘Ndili yamunga ng’wiyo nang’ho ushoke uilalile!’

Ulusumo lunulo lugayombagwa kuli munhu ngosha uyo ong’wingila nkima o nduguye. Abhamuludugu lo njimiji bhagikalaga bhamanile igiki umkima ng’wunuyo asadile isada iyo yamulaga ungoshi okwe. Gashinaga lulu ungosha ng’wunuyo ulu ung’wingila unke o njimiji, agucha nang’hwe, kunguno agulekejiwa ubhusadu bhunubho. Hunagwene, abhanhu bhagang’wilaga ungosha ng’wunuyo uyo ung’wingila unkima o njimiji giki, ‘‘Ndili ya munga ng’wiyo nhang’ho ushoke uilalile!’

Ulusumo lunulo lolanga bhanhu  kuleka kajile kagubhingila abhanhu abho bhachilwa na bhagoshi bhabho. Ubhuleki bho kajile kenako bhugubhambilija abhanhu bhenabho ijinagwikala mhola na bhichab’o umuwikaji bhobho.

KISWAHILI: NGOZI ILIYOMFUNIKA MWENZAKO NAWE WARUDIJE KUILALIA!

Chanzo cha methali hii chaangalia ngozi ambayo hutumika katika kumfunika marehemu wakati wa kumzika. Mwili wa marehemu huwa unafunikwa kwa ngozi hiyo ambayo marehemu huzikwa nayo. Kumbe basi, ngozi hiyo siyo ya kutumika kwa mtu mwingine tena. Ndiyo maana watu husema kwamba, ‘Ngozi iliyoomfunika mwenzako na wewe urudi kuilalia!’

Methali hiyo huzungumzwa kwa mtu mwanaume aliyemrithi mjane ambaye ni mke wa marehemu ndugu yake. Wanandugu wa marehemu huyo, huwa wanafahamu kwamba mjane huyo anaugonjwa ambao ndio uliomuua marehemu mume wake mwanamke huyo.  Marehemu aliambukizwa ugonjwa huo na mke wake huyo. Ndiyo maana watu wakiwemo wanandugu wa mwanaume huyo humuonya mtu yule, kwa kumwambia kwamba, ‘Ngozi iliyoomfunika mwenzako na wewe urudi kuilalia!’

Methali hiyo hufundisha watu  kuacha mila za kurithi wajane ili waweze kutunza afya na maisha yao. Uachaji wa mila kama hizo potovu, kutawasaidia watu hao katika kubaki salama maishani mwao.

(Yeremia. 5:45)

 

ENGLISH: HOW DARE YOU SLEEP ON A HIDE THAT ONCE ENGULFED YOUR FELLOW HUMAN!

The origin of this saying is skin used to cover the deceased during burial. The body of the deceased is usually covered with a skin that is buried with the body. Therefore, the skin cannot be used by anyone else for whatever purposes. That is why people say, ‘How dare you sleep on a hide that once engulfed your fellow human!’

This saying is usually addressed as a warning to men who inherit widows who were wives to their late brothers. The deceased’s relatives who use the saying would be aware that the widow is suffering from an illness that killed their sister-in-law’s late husband and that the deceased contracted the disease from his wife. This would mean that anyone else who sleeps with the widow may contract the disease and may probably die. That is why the relatives of any man who thinks of inheriting a widow warn the man by saying, ‘How dare you sleep on a hide that once engulfed your fellow human!’

The proverb teaches people about giving up widowhood traditions so that they can take care of their health and life. Abandoning such degraded traditions will help people to stay safe in life.

(Jer. 5:45).