Imbuki ya lusumo lunulo ingilile kukaswa na b’uki, ubho bhuli ng’widebe. A kaswa kenako kamanaga kinja b’uki bho gusombya ung’widebe linilo. Iki kasombyaga kasola b’uki bhugehu, bho ng’hangala ningi, nose kagalimala ilidebe linilo ilya b’uki. Hunagwene abhanhu bhagayombaga giki ‘kaswa kamo kagamala b’uki ng’widebe.’

Ulusumo lunulo lugalenganijiyagwa kuli munhu uyo alina sabho ningi, ijo agajimalaga bho gujitumila sagala, umuwikaji bhokwe. Umunhu ng’wunuyo, agamanaga usola bhulilushigu ngehu ujitumila, nose ujimala isabho jinijo. Ubhusoji bhunubho wikolile na kaswa, ako kagamala b’uki ng’widebe. Hunagwene abhanhu bhagang’wilaga umunhu ng’wunuyo giki, ‘kaswa kamo kagamala b’uki ng’widebe.’

Ulusumo lunulo lolanga bhanhu  gujitumila chiza isabho jabho, kugiki jidule gubhambilija ahashigu ijabhobhutongi.

KISWAHILI: UNYASI MMOJA ULIMALIZA ASALI KWENYE DEBE.

Chanzo cha methali hiyo chatokea kwenye jani na debe la asali. Jani hilo lilikuwa likipunguza asali hiyo kwa kuchovya kwenye debe hilo la asali. Kwa vile jani hilo lilikuwa likichukua asali kidogo kwa mara nyingi, mwishowe, liliimaliza asali yote iliyokuwemo ndani ya debe hilo zima la asali. Ndiyo maana watu husema kwamba, ‘jani moja lilimaliza asali kwenye debe.’

Methali hiyo hulinganishwa kwa mtu mwenye mali nyingi ambaye huimaliza mali hiyo kwenye matumizi yasiyo na maana. Mtu huyo huwa anashukua mali hiyo kidogo kidogo, kila siku na kuitumia vibaya, mwishowe ataimaliza. Uchukuaji huo wa mali hufanana na ule na jani lile lililomaliza asali kwenye debe. Ndiyo maana watu humwambia mtu huyo kwamba, ‘jani moja lilimaliza asali kwenye debe.’

Methali hiyo hufundisha watu  kuitumia vizuri mali waliyonayo, ili iweze kuwasaidia kwenye siku zijazo.

 

ENGLISH: A GRASS STALK FINISHED THE ENTIRE TIN CONTAINER OF HONEY.

The origin of this proverb is a grass stalk and a honey container. Someone used such a stalk to frequently dip into the honey container and was in the process reducing the amount of honey bits by bits. Although the stalk had been taking little honey, the entire container was finished in the end as the act was done many times. That is why people say, “A grass stalk finished the entire tin container of honey.”

The proverb is used comparatively to refer to any rich person who eventually finishes his or her riches for useless purposes by slowly taking and abusing bits of the properties day after day. The slow and bit by bit taking of the properties is considered to be the same as that of the grass stalk that finished up the honey in the entire tin container. That is why people remind the rich person, “A grass stalk finished the entire tin container of honey.”

The proverb teaches people about how to use the resources they have, so that they can help them in the future.