Tag Archives: life

Kebede Michael formulated a story about three individuals with extraordinary knowledge. They set out to demonstrate their abilities to the king of the land. Along the way, they were joined by a commoner. During their journey, they encountered the scattered skeleton of a long-dead lion in a jungle. One of the knowledgeable individuals claimed he could reassemble the bones and, with a few muttered words, he did just that, fitting the skeleton pieces together perfectly. The second person asserted he could restore the body, and he succeeded, making the lion look like a fresh corpse. The third individual boasted he could bring the lion back to life.

The commoner, seeing where this was headed, protested. He said, “You three are very smart, but I am not. I am afraid the lion you are about to wake up will eat us all. I beg you not to proceed.” Despite his fears, the third man insisted, belittling the commoner. They mocked him, saying, “You think the lion we brought to life would harm us, you fool.” Realizing they would not be deterred, the commoner asked for one last favor: time to find a safe place. They agreed, and he climbed a nearby tree.

The third man muttered a few words and brought the lion back to life. Fully awake, hungry, and angry, the lion immediately leaped upon the person who revived him and devoured him. Terrified, the other two were frozen with fear. The lion then attacked the second man who had restored its body, killing and eating him as well. Satiated, the lion sought to secure more food for later. He killed the third man who had reassembled his skeleton and took him to his lair.

Watching from the tree, the commoner muttered, “A knife that is ultra sharp cuts through the sheath; ultra smartness can lead to death.”

You see…

Wise (ጠቢብ) and smart (ብልኅ) are entirely different. Wise sees wholly; smart divides, fragments and manipulates. The foundation of wisdom is love (ፍቅር); the foundation of smartness is the intellect. Smart continues to dissect even where the dissection can have dangerous consequences. Wisdom can use the intellect but can abandon it when it sees it as destructive. Wisdom sees a greater good; intellect sees a greater use. Smartness (ብልኅነት) can be ego-driven (ጠባያዊ); wisdom (ጥበብ) cannot. Wisdom is at ease; smartness requires effort. In these days, smartness is acclaimed, wisdom is not. Wise can see and understand smart, smart cannot fully grasp wisdom.