Jifunze Kiswahili
USILOLIJUA NI SAWA NA USIKU WA GIZA
“Example 5: In society and public affairs Imagine that people are discussing a government programme. Someone criticises the programme without knowing its objectives or how it operates. After learning the facts, the person realises that their initial understanding was incomplete. Someone might say: “Kabla ya kuikosoa programu hiyo, ni vizuri kuielewa. Usilolijua ni sawa na usiku wa giza.” English meaning: “Before criticising that programme, it is good to understand it. What you don’t know is like a dark night.” Lesson: Gather information before forming an opinion.”
- How can you use it naturally in English conversations?
If you are explaining this proverb to an English speaker, you can use the following expressions.
Swahili expression
English equivalent
Usilolijua ni sawa na usiku wa giza.
What you don’t know is like a dark night.
Nilikuwa sijui ukweli wa jambo hilo.
I didn’t know the truth about that matter.
Nilipata uelewa baada ya kujifunza.
I gained understanding after learning.
Nilimhukumu bila kujua hali yake.
I judged the person without knowing their circumstances.
Maarifa hutusaidia kuelewa mambo vizuri.
Knowledge helps us understand things better.
The closest natural English expressions include:
“Ignorance is like darkness.” This is close to the literal meaning.
“Knowledge is power.” This expresses the importance of knowing and understanding things.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” This is useful when the lesson concerns avoiding judgments based on appearances.
These English expressions are related in meaning, but they are not exact equivalents in every situation.
