Those who bath in the same pound cannot hide the secrets of their bodies

‘Those who bath in the same pound cannot hide the secrets of their bodies’

Let us consider the proverb which says in the Kizinza language (North-West Tanzania): ‘abooga echambo chimo, tibeseleka nzuula,’ and which could be translated into the English: ‘those who bath in the same pound cannot hide the secrets of their bodies’.

Children and youth enjoy swimming together in rivers, pounds of water and lakes. As they do so, they usually have to remove their clothes and eventually any defect on their body (which is otherwise covered) becomes visible.

This simple proverb explains the fact that when people live together or share within the same work or events, they ultimately unveil the entirety of their characters. For instance, it is possible and perhaps easy to hide anger to somebody we happen to meet for a brief period of time, but it is no longer possible to hide it from somebody we are living with permanently. The best unveiling of oneself is done through sharing in life events, with their shares of joy and sadness.

One of the aims of any Christian living is to come to the knowledge of Jesus as saviour and Messiah. But how is it that a Christian person may ‘know’ him? Through which means? For sure, through a careful listening to his words and teaching. And in this regard, a patient reading of the Gospels should open for us an understanding of Jesus’ spirituality and philosophy.  

But nobody should fool himself here, as it is clear that listening to a teacher can never be sufficient in order to know who the teacher ultimately is, as a man. And that is precisely what Jesus expects from his disciples who accompanied him on his apostolate: that they would come to understand and know who he is by living with him and sharing with him in the ordinary events of life. Here is a complaint that Jesus addresses to Philip as a response to one of his questions: ‘have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14: 9). It is expected that sharing the life of Jesus, and not simply following some intellectual doctrine, would lead to full knowledge of his identity. To have lived a long time with Jesus should have opened Philip to the knowledge of his special relationship with the Father. 

As it sometimes happens with the Gospels, our proverb is now seen and considered in its positive light. It is true that sharing life events with a companion can lead us to know his or her defects but, it is equally true that it can lead us to understand, know and appreciate his or her most beautiful qualities. And is it not much more constructive to be attentive to the positive qualities of the person we are living with?

The same line of idea is found in the parable of the good shepherd, in the Gospel of John in the chapter 10. For instance, in the verses 14 to 15 we read these following words from Jesus: ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep’. The sheep know who Jesus is and they know his quality of being ready to sacrifice himself for them, not so much because of his teaching but because of having lived with him. And in the same way, Jesus knows who his Father is because of long periods of time in prayer, together with him.

This proverb together with its more positive understanding can become a precious tool to enable us to live together in peace. People who live together are challenged in their pre-conceived ideas and also challenged in their temptations to fast judgments. For instance, sharing without fear the life of a poor person may enable us to become patient with his or her defects. And for a person coming from an affluent nation, coming to live the life of a person from a Southern country (especially from the countryside where simple services such as water and electricity are simply not available) may be quite challenging and perhaps almost impossible. Legitimacy to talk about people one is not ready to share life with is reduced considerably.

Finally, let us stress that secrets of life are not to be found with sole knowledge, but perhaps with a knowledge which is experimented and acted out.

To anyone who really desires to understand the life of a saintly person, we dare say that there might be only one way: let him or her try it out!

If you like this African proverb and its explanation, please consult other examples within the category ‘African Proverbs’ on this website.

You may also consult for a very wide range of African proverbs now available on the following website www.afriprov.org