Collected by: Don Sybertz, Scanned by: Cephas Yao Agbemenu Edited by: Fr. Zakaria Kashinje OSA
With special thanks to Rev Joe Healey (African proverbs,Sayings and stories)
Waliho bhabha umo otegaga noni ulina na ng’wana okwe, ilina lwakwe witanagwa, Masemba. Otegaga Malwabhu, ung’wila giki ung’wana okwe, “Jugaloleje inoni jise.” Ugasanga lyapujiwagwa inoni Lidundo.
Lyung’wila giki, “Nkoyi nilekelage nagugupija nane.” Ushoka kaya ugabhujiwa nu Ise uhaya giki, “Dudapujije.” Uja hangi unamhala ugatega, bhagaja gujulindila hangi ntondo, uwilwa hangi ntondo ugujuloleja, aha ukaloleja usanga lyapujiwagwa inoni itale lina lyalyo Nkaganga.
Aho ulidima lyung’wila giki, “nilekelage nkoyi nunene nalagupija.” Na ulilekela ng’hana ushoka kaya. Ugabhujiwa hangi nu Ise, ginehe nkoyi uko dugutegelaga, uhaya “Nugumo.”
Unamhala wiza ubhuka uja koyi uko bhagutegelaga. Aho oshika koyi ugasanga jifuluguto na jitobhango, wibhuja unamhala, aliyo ginehe icheniki. Wandya gugisilija lulu unamhala. Uwilwa na bhanhu, “Iki umasemba agumanagu ujilekela ulu opuja.”
Namhala ukolwa gete niyo, ushoka kaya. Giko lulu ung’wila giki, “Dujage dugatule mandu ilibhuluma lyakulile no.” ung’wila giki, “dupunzage mambo.”
Bhupunza ng’hana, intondo bhubhuka lulu bhajile gujukoma imambo. Bhulinha lulu unamhala utongela ugulinha ukwigulya. Na ung’wila lulu masemba, “Linhaga nang’ho dutone amandu. Ng’hana ulinha nawe unabhandya lulu ugutula amandu, aha bhakwija uhaya giki, “Dikage duje kaya.”
Utongela hangi unamhala ugwika, omana ulu agwikaga, unamhala ulinalipuo omana ujitula imambo janegela ojidubula, nose ung’wana ubhuja giki, “Bhabha ugujikomolaga bhuli imambo?”
Nang’hwe unamhala uhaya giki, “Ambu janegelaga ize najikome bhupya jidame.” Namhala lulu wandya gusolela na mandu duhu, adajikomile. Aho wamala ugusolela ung’wila lulu ung’wana okwe giki, “Ubhebhe lulu omanaga ujilekela inoni jane ohayaga ugubhejaga, unene naje kaya, chaga naha linti linili.”
Uja ng’hana kaya unamhala, uyukumya duhu ung’wana, alibhuja, “nakwita ki lulu iki inoni jang’wa bhabha najilekelaga?” Uyugwisha agulyaga mandu nose ugamala.
Naulizuka ilinoni ilitale ilo oliolilekela ili Kaganga wandya gulitana lulu bholyimbo akwimbaga giki;
“Nkaganga noni nkulu nzugu umbone nene,” Lyuditima lulu ijilaka jalyo lilikule. Ulala lulu, ntondo hangi dilu ulitana,
“Nkaganga noni nkulu nzugu umbone nene.” Lyuditima hangi lyegela. Ulala hangi, iza ulitana hangi ahawela umuakwitanilaga.
“Nkaganga noni nkulu nzugu umbone nene.” Lyegela lulu aliyo uliotubha gete ni nota yankola no. uyulitana lulu agulilaga umana giki akucha. Lyuditimila lulu haha bihi. Ntondo dilu lulu lyushika, aha lyashika aha ng’wandu lyung’wila, “Masemba ginehe?” Nang’hwe uhaya, “Nene bhabha naluha, nijagulya nagayiwa kunguno ya giki nakulekela, ubhabha okolwa no igiki nakulekela.
Lyuyomba giki, “faga mate,” amate genayo lulu iza lyugaguba, lyung’wila hangi giki, “subhalaga.” Usubhala amine nagene lyugaguba. Lyung’wila logadatu, giki, “Nyaga” Aho onya mashi lyugaguba. Na lyung’wila lulu giki, “fungumukaga, aha ofungumuka iza lyunguba nu weyi nalyumpeja lulu kunchala kaya, lyang’wibhalaga kungongo.
Aha lyang’wegeleja umchalo lyung’wila giki, “Jaga lulu kaya, ugabheja ugunipija. Masemba ugashinga hakaya, ugabhina ntungilija gukila abhana abhangi.