Chakafukidza dzimba matenga.

Pamusha kana pane vanhu panogona kuita sepane runyararo asi paine bishi nokusawirirana pakati pevanhu. Kusawirirana kunoitika pamusha kunovanzwa kune vaenzi nevanopfuura. Hapana munhu anogona kuziva zvirikuitika kunze kokunge audzwa neari mazviri.

That which covers the hut/house is the roof.

The outward appearance of a home may give an impression that all is well and peaceful, yet there is always some internal strife. There are private issues that take place inside the homestead. Simply put, a peaceful exterior may hide a troubled interior.

This is another proverb that stems from years of relationship observation and uses the very structure of houses or homes to share a leeson. While hut/home here is often understood to refer to a marriage, it must be noted that the challenges referred to relate to the family generally hence even challenges relating to children are “covered by the roof”. Those who are not within the homestead should not know of the challenges being faced within.

The proverb is instructive in two ways. The first is the outsider to not always believe that all is well within a particular homestead but to be content with the feeling that what they perceive of that homestead is what they need to know. The second is to the insider to not divulge the challenges faced in the homestead as this would be similar to uncovering the roof of the house. In this vein people must be content with their challenges at their homes and not imagine that other homes are better because they appear serene.