ĩria ingĩ. No andũ aingĩ no maigue kieha mũno na mone indo ĩcio
ciothe ta ĩtari bata. Tondũ ũcio tũkona atĩ kĩndũ kigiaga bata tondũ
wa andũ aria angĩ.
Hĩndi ĩria ũkwendia kindũ na goro ũcio ũtarĩ mũthia nĩ kuga atĩ
ndũri na meciria ma andũ aria angĩ. Tondũ rĩrĩ, mwendia o wothe
angĩendia kĩndũ kĩrĩa enakio goro o ũrĩa ahota, no kinya andũ aingĩ
mathine matigare o acio ene indo, nao mathĩna moragwo nĩ ũthĩni
ũcio, magĩtigwo oiki na indo ciao ciage wa kũgũra, githĩ ndũgũkĩona
atĩ ti andũ arĩa angĩ ũgũteithia hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkwendia kĩndũ gĩaku goro
mũno? Mwĩrĩrĩri ndegunaga.
Tondũ wa ũguo-rĩ, ũrĩa mwendia o wothe agĩrĩirũo nĩ kũmenya nĩ atĩ
ahana ta mũtungatĩri wa andũ arĩa angĩ, kana mũmateithia. Na gũteithia
mũndũ tikũmũikia mwaki-inĩ kana ũru-inĩ o wothe, kũmwenderĩa kĩndũ
goro nĩ kũmũikia ũru-inĩ.
Tondũ ũcio harĩamwendia o wothe ũrĩa agĩrĩirũo nĩ kũrora nĩ atĩ
ndagathiĩ hasara. Tondũ nĩngĩ agĩthĩĩ hasara ndecoka kũhota gũteithia
andũ acio angĩ kwoguo endie indo ciake atekwenda baita nene mũũno
harĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩa ekwendia o giothe.
Tondũ rĩrĩ, ũngĩgũra indo nduka-inĩ, tuge mathabuni iganana rĩmwe
(100) gwa Shillingi mĩrongo ĩtano 50/– ũguo nĩ kuga no thabunĩ thu-
muni 50: 100 ũkũithie na Shilling igĩrĩ 2/–, ũguo nĩ kuga ati thogora
wamo magĩkinya ndũka-inĩ yaku nĩ Shillingi 52/– mĩrongo ĩtano na
ĩgiri kana o thabuni thendi mĩrongo itano na ĩgĩri /–52.
what should we do, our people?
199
Such issues now fi ll our country and you will hear many traders boast
of how they have earned big profi ts108 by selling at exorbitant prices
items they bought cheaply.
When people are told of these abnormal profi ts they welcome the
news, since they too wish to buy the same goods and sell them at the
same excessive prices.
We see therefore that once people get used to bad behaviour that
goes unquestioned, the behaviour lives on, and keeps them behind other
communities. Only then will they ask why they never have a good life
by comparison with others.
If you think seriously, you will fi nd that wealth alone is not justifi able
or useful if others cannot enjoy it. If all people perish and you are left
with all the wealth in the world, would you be happy? If you were happy,
you would be the greatest fool. Most people would be saddened and
fi nd no use in all that wealth. We therefore fi nd that a thing becomes
valuable in relation to other people.
When you sell something exorbitantly, it shows you do not care for
other people. If every trader sells whatever he has for as much as he
can, many people will become poor and die of poverty, leaving no one
to buy their goods. Can you see that you are not helping other people
when you sell goods at extravagant prices? Mwĩrĩrĩri ndegunaga ( One who pleads in his own case does not gain).
What every trader should know is that he is like a servant of others,
or a helper.109 Helping someone is not to throw him into the fi re or
into any kind of trouble. Selling him goods at exorbitant prices is to
throw him into trouble.
Every trader should make sure he does not sell at a loss. If he does,
he will not be able to help others, and cannot sell [more] goods without
going for abnormal profi ts.
If you buy goods [wholesale], say a hundred (100) bars of soap at
fi ft y shillings, each bar is worth fi ft y cents (–/50). If you [then] pay
two shillings to get the one hundred bars to your shop, the total cost
of the soap will be fi ft y-two shillings (52/–), and every bar will cost
fi ft y-two cents (–/52).
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Kwoguo-rĩ, ũngĩenda magũrũo narua-rĩ, wendie o thabuni thendi
mĩrongo ĩtano na ithano-rĩ 100×55, makũrehe Shilling ithatu 3/–
igũrũ wa ciaku. Na hihi mathĩre ona rua ũgĩre mangĩ wendie o ũguo
narua.
No mũndũ ũrĩa ũgĩthiĩ ekinye na thabuni ũmwe Shillingi ĩmwe rĩ,
nĩgetha one baita Shillingi nyĩngĩ-rĩ, mathabuni make nĩ mekũregũo,
kana hihi magũragũo hĩndĩ ĩrĩa mũndũ athirĩrũo akaga handũ hangi
harĩ. Kwoguo maikare hau nduka-inĩ ihinda inene.
Nawe-rĩ, ũkorũo hihi nĩ wendetie macio maku magĩthiraga thabarĩ
ithano. Githĩ ndũgũkiona atĩ wĩna baita Shillingi ikũmi na ithano 15/–
hĩndĩ iria mũrataguo ena ĩmwe kana igĩrĩ?
Tũgakĩona atĩ, kwendia kĩndũ raithi, ũkĩmenyaga ndũrĩ hasara
ũkuona nikĩo gĩtũmaga bĩashara o yothe ithĩi na mbere Na atĩ kwendia
indo goro o ũrĩa wahota nikuo gĩtũmaga yage kũneneha.
Tũgũkĩrĩkia ũhoro ũcio na ciugo ici: menya atĩ nĩ andũ arĩa angĩ
ũgũteithia hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkwendia indo ciaku. Tiga kwenda baita nene o
harĩ kĩndũ kĩrĩa ũkwedia, menyerera ndũgathiĩ hasara. Kenera andũ
hĩndĩ ĩria ũkũmederia na ndũkoria agũri mekumakũ.
Tanya wendie indo cĩaku nyingĩ kahinda gatarĩ kanene, na weka
ũguo hatirĩ kĩgiria kĩa biashara yaku inenehe.
29. Kũgũra na agũri
Indo iria ciothe ciendagio nduka-inĩ cia andũ airũ, ikoragwo igũrĩtwo o
gũkũ gũkuhĩ. Naguo ũguo nĩ kuga acio mendagĩria andũ airũ, makor-
agwo magĩrithĩtie kũraya kũrĩa ithondekagĩrũo.
Na thogora ũrĩa makoragwo magũrĩte naguo kũu tiguo matwendagĩria
naguo, tondũ no kinya makorũo magũrĩte na thogora ũtarĩ mũnene.
Rĩũ-rĩ, twatua kũnenehia manduka maitũ-rĩ tũrĩgũraga indo o gũkũ
gũkuhĩ kana hihi nĩ twagĩrirũo nĩ kũgĩrithia kũu ithondekagĩrũo, ta
England, America, India na mabũrũri marĩa mangĩ tũiguaga moimaga
indo icio?
Mwandĩki ekuona atĩ nĩ wega kũgĩrĩthia indo kũndũ kũu ithon-
dekagĩrũo, nĩgetha ona ithuĩ tũkendanagĩria na thogora ũtarĩ mũnene.
Ti atĩ tũgirithie tũrĩ ithuothe, aca no nĩ twĩyamũre gĩkundi kĩmwe
kĩnene, kĩheane na wĩra ũcio wa kũgĩrithia indo.
Uguo nĩ kuga kĩhothe mbeca, ici nyingĩ cia kũhota gũthinga kĩng’ethũ
harĩ ũhoro wa kũrehithia indo, hatari thirĩ. Tũngirikia kũiguana na
twendane, na tũhĩge, no kinya hatirĩ ũndũ ona ũmwe tũngĩenda gwĩka
what should we do, our people?
201
So if you want them sold quickly, sell each bar at fi ft y-fi ve cents
(–/55), 100 × –/55. Th
e buyers will have paid you three shillings (3/–)
on top of what you bought. Your stock of soap will soon run out and
you can go for another.
But suppose someone [else] sells a bar for one shilling to make more
profi t, will his soap be bought? It is bought [only] when somebody has
fi nished up what he had and has nowhere else to buy. Th
at soap will
remain in the shops for a long time.
You, perhaps, will have sold your soap fi ve times over. Don’t you
see that you will have a profi t of fi ft een shillings, when your friend has one or two?
Selling goods fairly, knowing that you are not selling at a loss, makes
a business
prosper. Selling goods at exorbitant prices can make a busi-
ness fail.
We conclude this matter in these words: Know that you are helping
other people when you sell your goods. Do not sell them at exorbitant
prices. Take care you do not sell at a loss. Be good to people when you
are selling to them and you will never [need to] ask where customers
will come from.
Aim to sell your goods within a short time, and if you do this there
is no reason why your business will not grow.
29. Buying and buyers
Goods sold in black people’s shops are oft en bought locally. Th
ose who
sell to black people have bought them in far away places where they
are manufactured.
Th
ey do not sell to us at the same price that they bought from the
factory, for they must have bought their goods more cheaply.
Now, when we start expanding our shops, shall we buy our goods
locally or will we get them from manufacturers in England, America,
India, and other countries that we hear produce these goods?
Th
e writer thinks that it is better to import the goods [wholesale]
from where they are made, so that we will [retail] to our people at fair
prices. Not everybody should get involved in importing, but one big
[wholesaler] group should do this.
Th
e group should contribute enough money to fi nance the importa-
tion of goods without incurring debts. Once we agree, love each other,
and become knowledgeable, there is nothing we cannot succeed in. To
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tũremwo. No rĩrĩ, kũiguana gũtirĩ mbeca kwendagio, ona kwendana ti
kũgũrũo kũgũragwo, no maciaro ma maũndũ macio merĩ nĩ manene
gũkĩra indo cia mbeca nyingĩ mũno.
Ririkana thũ itũ ĩrĩa tũrarũa nayo ibuku-inĩ rĩrĩ, nĩ thĩna, na ũrimũ,
ũrĩa ũtũmaga maũndũ moru moneke, ta ũiru na kũmenana hatarĩ
gĩtũmi, kũrĩa ningĩ gũtũmaga mũndũ agĩe na ngoro ya kwanda gũtonga
o we wiki.
Tũgakorũo tũkĩenda mandũ marĩa mega ta: ũiguano, wendani,
kwĩhokeka, maiyũre harĩ andũ aitũ othe, nĩ getha bũrũri witũ ũgĩe na
gĩkeno, okinya wone atĩ andũ othe, nĩ magĩire na mĩhang’o, na mathera
mĩrĩ na ngoro, kworia mũrimũ ũcio mũru wa ũiru na rũthũro ũrĩkĩtie
kũhonwo, ũgathira ngoro-inĩ cia andũ othe.
Githĩ hihi rĩu ndũgũkĩona gĩtũmi kĩa Ũkristiano o makĩria, Ngai
witũ-rĩ ti Ngai wa maũndũ marĩa, moru no nĩ Ngai wa maũndũ marĩa
mega, ũthĩni na ũrimũ na ũiru, na ũgũta, na gĩko, nĩ maũndũ moru,
na timake. No nĩ Ngai wa maũndũ mega, na mũheani wamo, namo
maũndũ macio mega nĩ wendani, ũiguano, gĩkeno, ũtheru, wa mwĩrĩ
ona wa Ngoro, na maũndũ marĩa mothe mega twĩriragĩria.
Ihĩtia rĩa andũ aingĩ nĩ gwĩtĩkia ngerekano ithenya rĩa ũhoro ũrĩa
ũkwenda kũheyanwo na ngerekano. Tondũ rĩrĩ, ngerekano iteithagia
andũ kũigua ũhoro wa kĩndũ kĩngĩ kĩ mbere ya ngerekano ĩo, tondũ
nĩ harĩ andũ aingĩ metikĩtie atĩ ũthĩni na Ũkiristiano itwaranaga njira
ĩmwe, na atĩ nĩ wega gũthĩna nĩgetha mũndũ athiĩ matui-inĩ.
Jesu aragia ũhoro na ngerekano, na ũguo nĩ kuga atĩ aragia ũhoro
wĩ mbere ya ngerekano ĩo kũrĩngana na ũguo tuona ona angĩkorũo nĩ
agwetire ũtonga-rĩ, tĩ ũtonga arumire no nĩ ngoro ya mũndũ mũkĩgu
ũrĩa ũigaga ngoro yake harĩ ũtonga ũcio wake.
Tiwega gũthaya wĩgwatagie atĩ nĩ Ngai wĩtĩkĩtie, ũguo nĩ kuruma
Ngai na niguo mehia.
30. Gũthũrana na irimũ
Mũndũ amenagĩrũo ciĩko ciake thũku, kana mĩario yake mĩũru. Mũndũ
ekaga na aragia ũrĩa ecirĩtie, ũguo nĩ kuga mĩario yaku na ciĩko ciaku
ingĩkorũo irĩ thũku, nĩ meciria maku mathũku. Na nĩ wĩra wa mũndũ
kwĩyũria harĩa athũkĩire nĩ getha ethondeke.
Ũngĩkorũo wĩ mũici, na andũ makũmene na magwĩte mũici, ũguo
ti gũkũmena, no nĩma mekuga na matirĩ na ihĩtia gũgwĩta ũguo, ona
angĩkorũo nĩ ũkũrakara tondũ wa gwĩtwo mũici, na wĩ mũici, marakara
what should we do, our people?
203
agree together does not require money and to love one another costs
nothing, but their fruits are more than very valuable goods.
Remember that the enemies we are fi ghting in this book are poverty
and ignorance, which cause bad things like jealousy, unreasonable
hatred, and the desire to become wealthy for one’s own sake.
We should be looking for the good things: unity, love, and honesty to
be possessed by everybody, so that our country will be happy, its people
busy, and their bodies and hearts clean. Th
e bad diseases of jealousy
and hatred will be completely healed110 from all hearts.
Can you see the value of Christianity now? Our God is not a God of
the bad things but a God of good things. Poverty, ignorance, jealousy,
laziness, and uncleanness are all bad things and are not from God. He
is the provider of good things like love, unity, happiness, cleanliness of
the body and heart and all the good things we hope for.
Th
e problem with many people is that they believe in parables rather
than in the meanings that underlie them. A parable helps people learn
about something beyond the parable. Some people believe that poverty
and Christianity follow the same path, that it is good to be poor so that
you can go to heaven.
When Jesus spoke in parables, he was speaking of matters beyond
them. Even when he mentioned wealth, he did not criticise it. He criti-
cized the desires of the foolish man who rests his hopes in his wealth.111
It is not good to become a fool, presuming that you believe in God.
Th
is is to abuse God and is sinful.112
30. Hating fools
A person is hated because of his bad deeds and words. We act and
speak as we have thought. If your actions and talk are bad, then your
mind is wicked. It is a person’s responsibility to ask himself where he
has gone wrong, so that he can correct his mistake.
If you are a thief and people despise you and call you a thief, they
don’t hate you. Th
ey are not wrong to call you that, and if you get
angry on being called a thief, your anger will not be genuine. What
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maku ti ma ma, tondũ ũrĩa ũgũkorũo ũkĩenda nĩ atĩ andũ metĩkie atĩ
ndũrĩ mũici. Ũgakĩenda maheni maku metĩkio thenya rĩa ma ĩrĩa andũ
meyoneire.
No ũngĩkorũo ndũrĩ mũici, na wĩtwo mũicĩ, marakara maku nĩ
ma ma. Na ũrĩa wagĩrĩire nĩ gwĩka nĩ kũgeria kuonia andũ acio ũrĩa
ũtari mũici, na thutha hihi nĩ megwĩtĩkia tondũ ma ĩrĩhinya gũkĩra
maheni
Gũthũka gwa kĩndũ o gĩothe nĩ rĩrĩa kĩagĩte kũhana ũrĩa kĩagĩrĩirũo
nĩ kũhana, kana gĩkaremwo nĩ kũruta wĩra ũrĩa gĩthondekeirũo
kĩrutage.
Nakuo kwagĩra gwa kĩndũ o gĩothe, nĩ rĩrĩa kĩhanĩte wega gũkĩra
ũrĩa kĩagĩrĩirũo nĩ kũhana, na gĩkaruta wĩra ũrĩa gĩthondekeirũo wega<
br />
makĩria gũkĩra indo iria ingĩ ihana takĩo.
Ningĩ he kĩndũ kĩngĩrũo ti kĩũru na tikĩega, no nĩkĩraruta wĩra ũrĩa
gĩthondekeirũo o ta mũtugo kwoguo andũ, makariganĩrũo nĩkĩo. Ta
rĩrĩ, guoko gwaku tikũrũaru, na nĩ ũraruta wĩra waku o wega nakuo.
Na tondũ ũcio-rĩ ndũraririkana atĩ wĩna guoko gwaku gũtarĩ kũrũaru,
ũguo noguo gũtariĩ thiinĩ wa maũndũ maingĩ.
Na tondũ ũcio-rĩ, kĩndũ kĩmenyagwo nĩ kĩega, gĩa kĩra handũ heho,
na kĩndũ kĩmenyagwo nĩ kiũru, gĩaikũrũka makĩria ya handũ heho, ota
ũguo mũndũ aririkanaga atĩ ena guoko kũrũaru hĩndĩ ĩrĩa kũrũarĩte.
Tondũ wa kũmenya ũguo-rĩ, tareke twĩcirie ũhoro wa mũndũ ũrĩa
agĩrĩirũo nĩ kũhana. Ngai ombĩte mũndũ atuĩke mũgima maũndũ-inĩ
mothe. Ũgima nĩ kwenda Ma, kĩyo, kwendana, kũhorera, kwĩhokeka
na ũtheru wa maũndũ mothe.
Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa mũndũ ena maũndũ macio mothe, no agatuĩka Mũgĩ na
andũ magakenio nĩwe. No andũ arĩa matangĩkenio nĩwe no arĩa athũku
makĩria yake. Tondũ mũici endaga mũciĩ ũrĩa ũngĩ.
Kwaga ũgima nakuo nĩ kũhenania, gũthaya, gũthũrana, kũgũrũka,
kwaga kwĩhokeka, ũiru, na gĩko kĩa mũthemba o wothe.
Tondũ ũcio-rĩ, ũngĩkorũo wĩna maũndũ macio mothe mega-rĩ, na
mũndũ akũrume kana agũthũre-rĩ, ndwagĩrĩirũo nĩ gwĩtanga tondũ
mũndũ ũcio nĩwe wĩ ihĩtia-inĩ. Na angĩkorũo wĩna maũndũ macio
mothe moru, na mũndũ agwĩtanie na ũmwe wamo, ũguo tigũkũruma
egũkũruma, no nĩ gũkwĩra ũrĩa ũtariĩ na nĩma ekwaria.
No rĩrĩ, nĩkwahoteka ũmenerũo tũhũ kana ũrumwo tũhũ oro ũguo,
tondũ wa gĩthithi gĩaku, kana werũ na ũirũ wa gikonde gĩaku. No ũcio
ti ũndũ wa gũtũma mũndũ wama etange tondũ nĩwe wiyũĩ makĩria ya
andũ aria angĩ othe.
what should we do, our people?
205
you would like are people who will make others believe you are not a
thief. You want your lies to be believed, rather than the truth which
people have seen for themselves.
But if you are not a thief and are called a thief, then your anger will
be genuine. What you should do is show people you are not a thief. In
the end, they will believe you for truth is stronger than lies.
Writing for Kenya Page 30