Tsumo

Uchenjeri.

Wisdom and good judgement

Uchenjeri

Wisdom and good judgement

Kupedza nyota kuenda padziva.Settle a dispute or question by consulting someone who truly knows the matter.Charovedzera-charovedzera gudo rakakwira mawere kwasviba.Someone used to doing a thing can manage it even when there are obstacles in the way.Kuziva mbuya huudzwa.To gain knowledge of something you must be told by those who already know it; all wisdom comes from being taught by others.Dzvinyu kuzambe zuva huona bako.Someone who does something they know could get them into trouble has already prepared a way out, knowing the tricks needed to escape it.Nzou haikarari ina makaka.Someone who has something they know they could lose does not talk about it much; a mother with a newborn avoids arguing or quarrelling with a suspected witch, choosing to stay quiet so her child is not bewitched.Tsvaga zano iwe une rakowo.Help yourself first before asking others for assistance, so that you can carry on.Kuchenjera kuruka nhava.A clever person is one who plans ahead where to keep what they are looking for.Ziriwo rechembere ziramba waravira.Do not refuse something outright before you have seen or tried it, because you might end up wanting it, and it might have been useful to you.Kuramba nyama yechidembo hunger nine yetsuro.Refusing something you were given, saying it is bad or unsuitable, means you must have something else in mind that you think is better than what you refused.Kureva ndokunei kutarisa kurevawo.A look can say as much as words; people often understand a glance better than anything that could be said aloud.Kurova mbira kurova bako.Know the ways to get what benefits you; you find what you want by consulting with others who can help.Matukirwo ababa kunema mwana.When someone wants to say something to an elder but fears it will anger them, they often speak as if addressing a child, so the elder hears it indirectly.Zino irema rinosekerera anorivenga.Out of ignorance, a person might grow fond of someone who actually hates them enough to want them dead.Wazarira bako mvura ichada kunaya.Do not dismiss or reject something that could help you, thinking a hardship has already passed, when it may still be coming.Usapedza mapfumo mukubaya nhema idzo nzou dzichauya.People often waste their energy and time on small matters, then find themselves without the resources to deal with big problems when they arrive.Kushaya mano kwendiro kupakurirwa isingadyi.It shows foolishness when someone is given a blessing but fails to make use of it.Kushaya mano kwomusikana kukungira sadza chibhakira.A young person may boast about something helpful without realising they could lose it later in life.Mwana muduku kudziva musendo noruoko iwo uchazomudziva womene.Many people will not heed a warning about danger until they have seen the danger for themselves; only then do they learn caution.Kurava mbudzi nedzisipo kurava nedzava matoo.It is better to rely on what you can currently verify than on something you can no longer confirm, since the situation may have already changed.Maunga marema kudya muti waagere.It shows a lack of foresight to damage or destroy the very thing that would save or benefit you, like cutting down an entire fruit tree just to get its fruit.Kusaziva mumvuri worufu.Someone who does not know something is like someone who is dead; elders say this of people who show ignorance of things known and understood by others.Usatsvaga nhava muuswa iro sora ratsva.It rarely helps to search for something when you already know for certain that it is no longer there.(Deno) Ndakaziva haitungamiri.Listen to others' advice so you do not later regret saying 'if only I had known', because by then it will already have happened.Nherera inozviudza yoga.A person must learn to look out for themselves; especially if they are poor or an orphan with no family to rely on, they must be careful about their own life.Pamanyore hapasimudzwi hapwa dzinozosimudzwa chapo chamuka.To get what you want from a place or from other people, you must first hide your own faults until you have received everything you wanted.Kutanda imbwa ikandire hona.If you find that someone constantly asking you for things is wearing you down, give them a little of what they want so they stop coming back.Chisi chako kuita musoko-musoko unodya wakatarisa kumusuo.If you are using something that is not yours, or something borrowed, you should hurry, since the owner could take it back from you at any time while you are using it.Kutaura kwowadye ganda kunokunda wadya mushuna.Often, a person who knows little is the one who boasts loudly, claiming to know a great deal; those who truly know tend to stay quiet about it.Chidokodoko chirera muviri chikuru chinozouya wakora.For something to become great and significant, it must first have started out small. Everyone who succeeds at doing things starts by doing small things. No one is born already accomplished or skilled.Kupfuura nomuchinanga hugonda neshangu.If you see someone doing something they know is dangerous and difficult, they must already know what they are doing.Imbwa kuminya hona inodada nechivhuno.Seeing someone confidently taking on something they know could put them in danger shows they have something they are relying on.Zimutsa bope kudyidzana nembwa.Keep company with someone who is unstable or reckless for long enough, and you will eventually get hurt by them.Chiripo chariuraya zizi harifi roga nemhepo.Everything that happens does so because someone caused it; nothing happens by magic without a reason.Kuroora mukadzi roora muroyi unofuma wowana chinokurwisira daka.Sometimes something that most people despise is actually the very thing that helps you; it is worth keeping even something considered bad, because it might one day come to your defence in times of trouble.Chikuriri chine chimwe.What is great now will be surpassed by another.Chitsva chiri murutsoka.You gain new experiences by moving to different places.Chiri mumusakasaka chinozvinzwira.People take from group advice only what applies to their own situation.Chitaurirwa hunyimwa mbare dzekumusana.You never get the full information and appreciation from being told, rather than seeing for yourself.Guyu kutsvuka kutsvuka zvaro asi mukati rine masvosve.Some things look attractive from outside but are not so good inside.Igaroziva kuti mhanza yembudzi iri mumabvi.Things are not what they seem.Imbwa nyoro ndidzo tsengi dzamatovo.The innocent-looking are often the guilty.Kamoto kamberevere kakapisa matanda mberi.Small issues can grow large enough to cause big problems.Kure kwegava ndiko kusina mutsubvu.A place is only too far when there is nothing you want there; people will go any distance for what they love, as a jackal travels far for the tsubvu fruit it loves.Kure kwemeso nzeve dzinodya.You don't have to be present somewhere to know what happened there.Kuziva ambuya huudzwa.Everything you know, you were taught by someone.Mviromviro yemhanza mapfeka.Big events are predicted by early signs.Mombe yekurunzirwa ndeyekukama wakarinde nzira.You can never use borrowed things as freely as if they were your own.Nzenza mumvuri, asvika anovanda zuva.A cautious person keeps out of sight and avoids drawing attention to themselves.Rinamanyanga hariputirwi mushushunje.Nothing can be hidden forever.Ramba kuudzwa akaonekwa nembonje pahuma.Those who forsake warnings and advice often fall into calamity.Rega zvipore akabva mukutsva.A burnt child dreads the fire.Regai dzive shiri, mazai haana muto.Wait for events to fully mature instead of harvesting or celebrating prematurely.Yadeuka yadeuka mvura yemuguchu haidyorerwi.What has happened cannot be undone.Zano ndega akasiya jira mumasese.Those who forsake warnings and advice often fall into calamity.Zizi harina nyanga.Things are not what they seem.Zviro zviyedzwa chembere yekwaChivi yakabika mabwe ikanwa muto.You never know what is rewarding unless you try.Zvikoni zvikoni mimba haibvi negosoro.Some things cannot be dealt with by simplistic solutions.Afamba apota.Someone who has travelled widely has gained broad experience and knowledge, more than someone who has never left home.Aiva madziva ave mazambuko.Things that were once great and mighty can, with time, dwindle into something small and insignificant.Akabata sando anongoona chese-chese sechipikiri.A person who only knows one way of doing things applies that same method to everything, even where it does not fit.Akoromoka awa.Misfortune or downfall can strike suddenly and without warning, just as a riverbank can suddenly give way and collapse.Akumhina afamba hazvienzani naTigere.Someone who limps along but keeps going is better off than one who never set out; Tigere is 'the one who stays seated'. Doing something, however poorly, beats doing nothing.Akwewa sanzu akwewa namashizha aro.When you take on something, you take all that comes with it, the good along with the bad.Ane bedzi ndeane rake kudzana anopururudza.Whoever has a fool in the family owns them: when that fool dances, it is their own people who ululate. People stand by their own, whatever others think.Ane mombe yake anoziva makumire ayo.An owner best understands the nature and habits of what belongs to them; you know your own affairs better than anyone else.Ashamba haanokorerwi.Someone who has washed their hands for the meal is not dished up for: a grown person who is ready takes their own share and does for themselves.Ateya mariva murutsva haachatyi kusviba magaro.Once you commit to doing something, you must be ready to accept whatever unpleasant side effects come with it.Atswinya arwa.Whoever gave even a pinch has taken part in the fight: small help still counts as help.Benzi bvunza rakanaka.No one should be dismissed entirely; even someone thought foolish may have something worthwhile to offer if you take the time to ask.Benzi raramba mbanda harirapiki.A person who refuses good counsel or help cannot be helped; rejecting correction only leaves the problem unresolved.Benzi rikasaimba manjemanje richamhanya bani.Someone who fails to keep up with the changing times gets left behind and isolated from everyone else.Bere zvarakatya mapapata aro mangani.Someone who has been hurt before learns to be wary of situations that could bring them harm again.Chada mwoyo hachikoni, mwoyo chiremba.What you truly and wholeheartedly desire cannot be denied you; determination itself is what carries a person through to success.Chafamba chasvava.Something that has travelled a long way tends to lose its original strength or truth, much as a story changes and fades the further it spreads.Chafamba kamwe hachiteivi.What passes by only once is not trapped: a first offence is usually forgiven, in the expectation that it will not be repeated.Chakabaya chikachokera.Once something hurtful strikes, its impact goes deep; it is not something that simply passes over lightly.Chakadya chakaoneka, mutanda wakasiya mbare.A wrong leaves its mark: the burning log that passed has left scorch marks behind, and a hurt done to someone stays with them long after.Chakanaka chakanaka mukaka haurungwi (munyu).Something that is genuinely good needs no further enhancement; true quality speaks for itself.Chakatanga ndochakachenjedza.The first experience of something is what teaches caution for what follows.Chapinda munzeve chavaridza bonde.Something heard can be enough to keep a person awake at night turning it over in their mind.Chati homu chareva.A decisive act or blunt sound can settle a matter on its own; once it happens, nothing more needs to be said.Chauya masikati charamba ndima, chauya usiku charamba hope.A serious trouble disrupts everything, work by day and rest by night alike, leaving a person no peace at any hour.Chava chigondora chava chimombe kutadza kutunga hurema hwacho.Once a calf has grown into a full beast, failing to gore is its own weakness: a person who has grown up has no excuse left for failing to stand up for themselves or do their part.Chavavana batisisa, mudzimu haupi kaviri.Hold on firmly to what you have been given, because such an opportunity is not likely to come around a second time.Chawira pasi mudzimu wembwa.Once something is dropped or abandoned, it is fair game for whoever picks it up, however lowly.Chimene chezizi, parafamba hanzi muroyi.Even a small, ordinary sign from something already associated with misfortune, like an owl, is quickly read as proof of witchcraft.Chibage chinovandira kune vasina meno.A good thing is of no use to someone without the means or capacity to make use of it.Chibwe chiremera chavari kure, vari pedyo vanotamba nacho.A task looks difficult to those unfamiliar with it or watching from a distance, but those close to it and skilled in it handle it with ease.Chidokodoko chirere muviri, chikuru chinozouya wakora.A little food keeps the body going; the big meal will find you already well fed. Small gains sustain a person until greater things come.Chidyamatoo akadzipwa neganda remhuru.Unchecked greed, taking on anything without discernment, can end up harming the very person who indulges in it.Chidziva chakadzikama ndicho chinogara ngwena.Still waters run deep; a calm exterior can conceal something dangerous or significant.Chigere ibwe, muti unowa.What is steady and grounded, like a stone, endures, while what merely stands tall and proud, like a tree, eventually falls.Chikakarara nganda reshumba/nzou.Even something mighty, once it falls, still shows its former greatness in how it lies.Chimwe nachimwe chine nguva yacho.Everything has its proper time; nothing should be rushed or unduly delayed.Chinobhururuka chinomhara.Nothing stays elevated forever; everything that rises eventually comes back down, whether that is pride or hardship.Chinokura chinokotama, musoro wegudo chave chinokoro.Age and time reshape the body, just as an old baboon's head comes to curve like a spoon.Chinono chine'ngwe, bere rakadya richifamba.Slowness belongs to the leopard; the hyena eats while it walks. Do things promptly, since delay lets the chance slip away.Chinorwadza chinogutsa auya nacho.Worthwhile things often come at the cost of hardship, but once achieved they bring the greatest satisfaction.Chinotanga mberi mashura.Before anything significant happens, warning signs usually appear first, pay attention to them.Chinotaura ndechiri mumusungo, chiri muriva chinoti denga rava.Someone in trouble who can still cry out for help still has hope; someone in truly desperate straits, unable even to call out, has already given up.Chinotanga kukambaira, kufamba kunouya kwega.Everything begins with small first steps; greater achievement follows naturally with time and practice.Chinozipa chinoregwa.Sometimes a person must give up even something pleasant, if it is harmful or not right for them.Chinya chegurwe kudashura gumbo neshungu.Excessive, reckless eagerness can end up causing harm to yourself, like a locust breaking its own leg in its haste.Chipitipiti chakazvara chimwandamwanda.Haste gives birth to scattering: what is rushed, a friendship that starts too hot among them, ends in pieces.Chirega kutya kununa, iwe wakasasikwa.Stop being afraid of growing fat, you who were castrated: once you have taken on a situation, do not fear what naturally comes with it.Chiripo chariuraya zizi, harifi nemhepo.Things happen for real, identifiable reasons; nothing occurs entirely without cause.Chirungurira chirwere, ukanyara unofa nacho.Speak up about what troubles you so that you can get help; staying silent out of shame can be fatal.Chisi chako hachibatsiri, unodya wakaringa kumusuwo.What is not yours is of little use to you: you eat it watching the door, in case the owner comes for it.Chisi chako, masimba mashoma.What is not yours, your power over it is small: you have little say over something that belongs to someone else.Chisi chako, rembedza maoko, rega kukungira hata.What is not yours, let your hands hang and do not make a head-pad to carry it: leave other people's things and business alone.Chura kugara mumvura handi kunwa.Being close to something is not the same as benefiting from it; a person can be surrounded by wealth or opportunity without actually partaking of it.Dai ndakaziva haitungamire.Regretful hindsight always comes after the fact; no one has the foresight to know beforehand.Dindingwe rinonaka richakweva rimwe, kana iro rokwehwa roti mavara angu azare'vhu.Being beautiful or standing out draws attention and envy, so much that a person may sometimes wish to hide or dull their own distinction to avoid it.Dzakatamba nepwete dzikareswa kudzorerwa.Careless meddling can leave you with hard work trying to set things right afterward.Dzvinyu kuzamba zuva huona bako.Be cautious in whatever you do, always keeping an escape route within reach in case things go wrong.Fodya haina manenji semhamba.Snuff causes no scenes the way beer does: drink brings trouble and strange behaviour that tobacco does not.Fodya haina shura sedoro.Beer tends to bring trouble and conflict in a way that snuff does not, a caution about the dangers of drink.Fungira mumoyo rwedo rwembwa.A nagging suspicion in the heart is often an early warning sign, like a dog's quiet growl before it barks in earnest.Gangaidzwa mukwenyi mhezi yawavira mumoyo.Stirring up a matter that already stings deep in the heart only adds to the pain, like reopening a wound before it has healed.Gona ana gona vakewo.No one is the ultimate expert; even a highly skilled person has others who surpass them in turn.Gondo kuengerera raona zumbu.A person's interest becomes visible once they have spotted an opportunity worth pursuing, just as an eagle begins circling once it has sighted its prey.Gonzo mhini gara mumwena chakaipa chikuwaniremo.Even someone hiding away out of caution can still be found by misfortune; nowhere is entirely safe.Gore jena chiregopenya ungazotorerwa ushe nedema.During times of success, do not become boastful or complacent, since fortune can turn and take your position away.Gore haribvi pakabva rimwe.Each period of time is different from the last; do not assume things will unfold the same way twice.Gunguo rakaramba kumirira museve rikapona nehwakumukwaku.Acting quickly at the first sign of danger, rather than waiting to see what happens, is often what saves you.Gunguo rinodya mbamba, rino muchero waro.Every creature has its provision: the crow that lives on groundnuts has its food provided, and so every person, however poor, finds a way to live.Hakuna bura rinoswatanukira panze rabva muvhu rakakombama.Something that begins on a crooked path rarely comes out straight in the end; a good outcome needs a proper beginning.Hakuna dziva risina chura.Every place or group has its share of trouble or its own difficult characters; nothing is entirely free of them.Hanya nani chidoma chekwaChivi.A dismissive expression for something trivial, not worth worrying over.Hapana angagone chisingagoneke naGona.If even the most skilled person cannot accomplish something, then nobody can.Hapana mukuyu unovinga shiri.A person of real worth does not need to chase after others; people come to them, the way birds come to a fruit-bearing tree.Hauzivi tsanga inokodza tsambakodzi.You never know in advance which small effort or opportunity will be the one that brings success, so do not dismiss small chances.Hope hadzina ndima.Sleep can overtake a person anywhere, without regard for time or place.Hove dzinokwira dzine muronga.Even a difficult undertaking still needs to follow a proper method or path; nothing hard is achieved by accident.Hove huru dzinodyira kwodoka.Great rewards often come only in their own proper time, after patient waiting.Idambudziko rehope kurota kwawakarambwa.Painful past experiences can resurface even in dreams, beyond a person's control.Ikamwe pagore hembe yenherera.Something that happens only rarely, like the one new piece of clothing an orphan might receive in a whole year.Imbwa yakwavarara yatya.A dog that lies down has given in: someone who humbles themselves and asks for pardon should be spared.Kamoto kamberewere kanopisa matanda mberi.A small problem left unaddressed can grow to consume something much bigger down the line.Kamupungurunje kahove kanyama kasina muto.Something meager and insubstantial leaves you unsatisfied, like meat served without its gravy.Kana shumba ikashaya nyama inodya uswa.In times of real need, even the proud and mighty must accept lesser means to survive.Kana wadya imbwa idya iri hono.If you are going to commit to something, commit fully rather than doing it by halves.Kangoma kana koririsa kawa pedyo nekuda kubvaruka.Something at its loudest, most intense peak is often closest to breaking down or coming to an end.Kuchenjedza nyamukuta kuzvara uchada.Taking guidance from those with real experience makes even a hard undertaking go well and with confidence.Kudyirwa munda nembwa sendakarima nyama.Entrust your work to the wrong keeper and they will ruin it, because destroying it simply comes naturally to them.Kuera dziva igumbo ribodzi, makumbo ese unoerera.Test the depth of a pool with one foot; step in with both and you are swept away. Try a new thing carefully before committing yourself to it wholly.Kufira mafufu segonzo.To die chasing something of little worth, the way a mouse perishes in the ashes hunting mere scraps.Kugocha kunoda kwaamai kwemwana kunodzima moto.Some tasks require real skill and experience; someone without it will only spoil the job in trying.Kugona mbavha kuironzera.Catching a thief takes careful watching and vigilance, not simply waiting for them to show themselves.Kungotya nyanga dzezizi nyamba manhenga.Fearing only the small, visible danger while overlooking the greater one hidden alongside it.Kunzi pakata handi kunzi ridza.Holding something is not the same as knowing how to use it; you can be entrusted with a thing without truly mastering it.Kuramba dzvuku kuona jena.Once you have known something of real quality, you stop settling for what is inferior.Kuravidza chembere muto wegwaya mangwana inofira mudziva.Giving someone a small taste of something good can stir up a craving strong enough to lead them into danger.Kure kwegava ndokusina mutsubvu.A long journey feels short when there is something worthwhile drawing you along the way.Kurembera kwedamba handiko kuwa.Showing signs of weakness or decline does not mean something is finished for good.Kurera imbwa rera inoruma igokudzivirira mupfumvu.Someone or something with an irritating flaw may still be worth keeping, if it protects you from a far greater danger.Kuriona guyu kutsvukira, mukati rizere masvosve.Something that looks appealing on the outside is not always as good on the inside.Kurova imbwa wakaviga mupini.To beat a dog while hiding the stick is to go about a thing indirectly: talking around a matter instead of coming straight to the point.Kurova tsuro negwenzi rayo.Defeating someone by turning their own ground or their own methods against them.Kurumwa netsikidzi rambira mumba, kubuda panze unorumwa mhuno nebere.When forced to choose between two evils, put up with the smaller one rather than risk the greater one.Kusaziva kufa.A person without knowledge is nearly as helpless as one who is dead, unable to protect or help themselves.Kuyewedza semhiripiri mukati izere uturu.Something can look tempting on the surface while carrying real danger underneath.Makata anoshura materu.A great commotion often burns itself out quickly, leaving quiet in its place.Makunguo zvaakatya akafa mangani.Being cautious does not fully protect anyone from harm; even the wary still fall victim in the end.Manakira kure mvura yemubvumbi.Something can look pleasant from a distance, the way a light drizzle does, only to disappoint once you are close enough to feel it properly.Manatsa mukanwa ndonda kurota ichiyamwa.Fine talk alone accomplishes nothing without real action behind it, like a paralysed person merely dreaming of nursing.Manenji kuona kamba ichitamba nembudzi.When something highly unusual happens, people take notice and start to wonder what is really going on.Manomano emuroyi kunyepera kutya dzvinyu akasungirira nyoka muchiuno.Someone may put on a show of fearing something small and harmless while secretly holding something far more dangerous.Manyengedza pfungwa efodya kuzadza dama nehutsi husingasviki kuguru.Something can offer a fleeting sense of satisfaction that never actually delivers the real fulfilment you were after.Mapudzi anovira kusina hari.Things can still get done even without the resources or setup people would normally expect to be needed.Matende mashava anovazva doro.Good results come from having the right tools or the right preparation in the first place.Mucheri wegurwe mutevedzeri, mudimbidziri anorasa mwena.Following the proper, established way through a task leads to success; trying to take a shortcut often ruins it.Mudzimu waro bonga kuwana huku dzichirwa.Some people have a knack for benefiting whenever others around them are already caught up in conflict.Muramba kukombwa muramba hweni.Avoiding being cornered by a problem means keeping away from it from the very start.Muromo hauzarirwi nerwizi.Speech cannot truly be held back; words find their way out no matter what stands in their path.Muromo kapako kekuhwanda nako.A person can use words as a place to hide their true feelings or real intentions.Muroyi ndishe.Someone wielding hidden, feared power can command obedience just as a legitimate ruler would.Musanyengerera makudo neanokamhina.Do not take on a sharp opponent with a weak plan; they will see through it and get the better of you.Mushonga haubati pasina ronda.A remedy only makes sense where there is an actual problem for it to address.Muswe wekutumira haurebi.Someone sent to carry out a task should get on with it, not drag it out longer than needed.Muto wetsenza ndiwo mumwe.Some things stay exactly the same no matter where you encounter them.Muzivi wenzira yeparuware ndiye mufambi wayo.True knowledge of something comes from having actually done it, not merely hearing about it.Mviromviro yemhanza inotanga shosha.A big problem often starts out small and unnoticed before it grows into something visible to everyone.Mvura haitori warema.Someone with real substance and standing is not easily swept away by hardship, unlike those without it.Mvura inonaya yatanga hore.Nothing significant happens without warning signs showing up first.Mvura yembambara tiza ichabva kure.Some dangers need to be guarded against well ahead of time, even while they still seem far off.Mwana wenyoka inyoka haina muduku.Something dangerous by nature stays dangerous, however small or young it may still appear.N’anga haizvirapi.Someone skilled at helping others with a certain problem often cannot resolve that very same problem for themselves.Ndambakuudzwa akaonekwa nembonje pahuma.Someone who refuses good advice usually ends up learning the hard way, with the scars to show for it.Ndezvemeso muromo zvinyarare.Some things are meant to be quietly observed, not spoken about; discretion matters.Ndisvike-ndisvike inoradza vazhinji panzira.Putting things off with the thought that you'll get there eventually often means you never actually do.Nerimwe zuva gava richadimbura musungo.Given enough persistence, even someone caught in a difficult situation will eventually break free.Ngoma tamba vamwe vachatamba.Take the first step yourself, and others will often follow your lead.Ngwena haidyi chabamba charo chinoza neronga.A person of standing and good character does not grab or eat greedily; like the crocodile, whose food comes to it down the channel, they wait for what they are served or invited to.Nhasi chineni mangwana chinewe.Whatever misfortune strikes someone today could just as easily strike you tomorrow, so do not mock them for it.Nhumbu ibakwa rehuni inochengeta nyoka nemakonzo.A person's inner self can conceal all sorts of hidden things that never show on the outside.Nhunzi haimhari pasina ronda.Trouble and gossip rarely gather around something unless there is a real issue behind it.Nyakuravira ndiye anoziva kuti nyama yaibva.Real, firsthand knowledge comes only from having experienced something yourself.Nyoka huru haizvirumi.A big snake does not bite itself: the head of a family does not turn against their own people.Nzanga inokura yerema, yomuchenjeri inoparara.Life does not always reward wisdom the way it should; sometimes the foolish prosper while the wise falter.Nzira ine minzwa ndiyo ine ushe.Real greatness is usually reached by way of a hard road, not an easy one.Nzira masanga.There is more than one way to reach the same goal in life.Pabva zino rave vende.Once something is lost or taken away, its absence tends to stay visible for a long time afterward.Pachapwa madziva miramba tichanyurura.People tend to eat their fill at the funeral of a wealthy person: when the pools dry up, the barbel are there for the taking.Pane machikichori miromo inovanda.Boastful talk tends to fall silent the moment real danger actually shows up.Pasina nyimo makunguo aizodyei.If there were no kind-hearted people, who would help those in need? The crows live on the groundnuts that others grow.Pfimbi yegudo, gare-gare yapfukunurwa.No secret stays hidden forever; sooner or later it comes to light.Pfini yenyoka kuruma chaisingadyi.Harm can strike indiscriminately, even reaching those who pose no threat or benefit to whoever is causing it.Pfupa jena rakabva munyama.Something good and pure can still emerge out of circumstances that were far from clean.Rega kutsindira mwena unobuda ishwa.Do not stop up the hole the flying termites come out of: do not shut off a source of good that still benefits you.Rima rinoshura chiedza.Hard times are often a sign that brighter days are still to come.Rina manyanga hariputirwi mumushunje.Something truly significant cannot be concealed for long; its presence shows through regardless.Rwomuranda rwakoneswa norwashe, rwashe rwakoneswa nemvura kunaya.There is always something greater that can override even the most powerful person's plans.Soko harivhikwi.An important matter cannot be hidden away forever; the truth tends to surface eventually.Tambe tambe vanoda varivo.No one should be forced into something they do not want; real participation has to come from choice.Tichaona kunowira tswimbo nedohwe.How things will really turn out is something only time will show, not something we can decide by guessing now.Tsuro haipunyuki rutsva kaviri.You cannot count on the same stroke of luck saving you every single time.Tswanda inorema yasvika.A load feels heaviest as you near the end of the journey: a task is most tiring just before it is finished.Ubatebate hunourayisa.Handling something dangerous too casually, without proper care, can end up seriously harming you.Uchenjere kudya nzungu zvese nemhutwa.Care and attention are needed even in the simplest, most routine things.Ugaro mwena kutevedza hunoguma.Relying on shelter or support that belongs to someone else does not last forever.Ukadzinga tsuro mbiri imwe inopunyuka.Chasing two goals at the same time usually means losing at least one of them.Ukangosekerera hwiza mangwana dzinokudyira muriwo.Being too lenient with a small problem now lets it grow into something far more damaging later.Ukuru hurema hahuvanzwi.True greatness or importance makes itself known; it cannot stay concealed for long.Upenyu imhindupindu.Life is never a straight line; it constantly shifts between good times and bad.Ura mapako hunozvara mbava nemuroyi.The womb is a cave with many chambers: the same mother may bear a thief and a witch. Children of one family can turn out quite unlike one another and unlike their parents.Urombo hwematede kunaiwa nemvura makurwe ari mumhatso.Foolishness can lead to needless suffering, even when help is close at hand and ready to use.Usachenjedza n’anga kurapwa uchada.Do not try to be cleverer than the very expert whose help you actually need; you only undermine yourself.Usadzinganisa tsuro nemunyu muchanza.Do not presume success before you have actually achieved the thing you are after.Usakangira nyimo vane meno avo havo.Do not do for someone what they are perfectly capable of doing for themselves.Usakurumidza kumedza kutsenga uchada.Do not rush a process that still needs careful, unhurried attention before it is properly done.Usakusha mbeu mvura yaenda.Certain things need to be done at the right time, not after the opportunity has already passed.Usaona imbwa kunyenama ukati unokusekerera.Do not mistake a clear warning sign for friendliness; recognise real danger when you see it.Usapinza munwe mumwena unobuda wareba.Think through the consequences before getting involved in something that could seriously affect you.Usaruka nhava sora ratsva.Prepare while the means to do so are still available, not after they have already been lost.Usashore nyemba nedzinozvimbira.Do not criticise something for going through a process it naturally needs to reach its proper end.Usatamba nematope pasina mvura.Do not attempt something without having the proper means available to actually do it.Usavaka danga pasina mombe.Do not put in elaborate preparation for something that does not actually exist or is not going to happen.Usaverenga mbeva nemudune.When it is time to work, do not count on people who cannot do the job; they only swell the numbers without adding anything, as shrews do when counted with mice.Usiku humwe hauodzi nyemba.Significant things take real time to come together properly; they cannot be rushed to completion.Usiku igore.A single night of danger or waiting can feel as long as an entire year.Utsi hwenyama hautosvori.A person does not mind being troubled while going after something they truly want; despite discomfort, they persevere until they succeed.Uzivi wenzira huri mugumbo.Real knowledge of a path comes from having actually walked it yourself, not from merely hearing about it.Vakachenjera havatsvairani mbeva.Sensible people do not waste effort doing pointless favours for each other.Vakakavira mhepo vachacheka chamupupuri.Someone who recklessly courts trouble often ends up facing consequences far bigger than they bargained for.Waniwa haichatyi kufamba mudova.Someone already soaked by the rain no longer fears walking through the dew: once you have faced the worst, lesser troubles do not frighten you.Wenhamo haachatyi kufamba murima.Someone who has already suffered greatly is no longer frightened by lesser dangers that follow.Wenhamo haaneti.Necessity keeps someone in hardship pushing on without giving up, since stopping is not an option for them.Yadeuka yadeuka, mvura yemuguchu haiorerwi.There is no use lamenting something already lost; better to move on.Zano marairanwa.Good counsel usually comes through consulting one another, not from a single person alone.Zano pangwa, une rako.Listen to the advice others give you, but do not forget to also weigh it against your own judgment.Zano vaviri.A decision made with more than one mind behind it tends to be a better one.Zino irema rinosekerera varisingadi.Out of ignorance, a person may be friendly with someone who secretly hates them: the foolish tooth smiles even at those who wish it harm.Zvakona n’anga murapwa achida.Sometimes even expert help fails, no matter how much the sufferer still longs to be healed.Zizi kurungwa munyu roti ndava hukuwo.Dressing something up on the surface does not actually change what it fundamentally is underneath.Zuva igore, rinodoka rava namarevo mavi namavuya.A single day can hold as much happening, both good and bad, as an entire year.Zvaitika zvaitika, bhurugwa rebenzi risingazivi mberi kana shure.There is little point dwelling on something already done that cannot be undone.Zvinhu zviedzwa, chembere yekwaChivi yakabika mabwe ikanwa muto.Under real pressure, people will attempt even the most unlikely things in their determination to survive.Zviroto zviroto.Dreams should not be taken as certainty; they are not the same as what actually happens in real life.

Kwaunobva app

Everything here, offline, in your pocket.

The full dictionary, every proverb, every totem and the riddles. No data, no ads, no account.

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store

Apps from the team behind Kwaunobva

Made in Zimbabwe by Invalcre (Pvt) Limited. Free, and they work offline.

Provisional Test ZimbabweZimbabwe VID test and Highway Code

Pass your Zimbabwe provisional driving test.

Sit a full VID paper free, on the clock and marked like the real one. Practice questions with answers, every road sign and the complete Highway Code.

Every question of this year's papers, with the reason each answer is right
A readiness score that moves as you sit papers, so you know when to book
The Highway Code, the notes and every sign, holding your place in each

Provisional app: a timed test question asking which car at a junction goes last

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DanhoZIMSEC O and A Level past papers

Every ZIMSEC past paper, offline, on your phone.

Danho turns O Level and A Level past papers into a revision plan. Sit a paper, see exactly what to revise, and watch the pile shrink until it is empty.

Works fully offline once a subject is downloaded
Progress tracked paper by paper, not just a percentage
Real exam sittings, sorted by year and syllabus code

Danho app: today's revision plan, with the questions left to revise and a paper to start per subject

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BhaibheriThe Shona Bible and its hymnals

The Shona Bible. Every hymn your church sings. Free.

Every book of the Bible in Shona with King James English beside any verse, and the full words to every hymn in the hymnals Zimbabwean churches sing from.

Two versions side by side, verse for verse
AFM, Methodist, RCZ, UMC, Baptist and SDA hymnals
Bible names and what they mean

Bhaibheri app: choosing a church hymnal, from Apostolic Faith Mission to Seventh-day Adventist

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DenheZimbabwe's public record

The record of what Zimbabwe publishes.

Zimbabwe's laws, school results, budgets, bank codes, network data and public registers, kept as one record. One page per thing, every source named and dated.

Take-home pay, ZESA units and mobile money charges worked out
Every school, university and bank, a page each
Emergency numbers and dial codes, ready to call

Denhe: the PAYE calculator working out take-home pay from a monthly salary

Visit denhe.invalcre.co.zw