Chidembo hachivhiirwi pane vazhinji ; Dembo harivhiyiwi pane vazhinji

Hurukuro dzemumusha kana kuti dzakadzama hadzitaurwi pose-pose nokuti vamwe vakanzwa vanotsvaga mazano okudzingaidza njere dzavatuari kana kuti pazoitwa makuhwa.

A polecat (skunk) is not skinned in public.

Secrets or internal challenges should not be revealed to many people. In other words do not wash your dirty linen in public.

The polecat or skunk releases a very powerful stench to send away predators when it is frightened. If one was to catch the pole cat then such a stench would surely be released before it is killed. Hence one would not be able to skin it in the public because the smell would be unbearable for others and it would give them all something to say. Our ancestors observed this and saw the lesson that some issues cannot be shared in public such as family/village disputes. The challenge is that once in the open such challenges can be manipulated by others for their benefit or pleasure and it becomes more difficult to deal with the issue.

The proverb is used to advise those about to, or already sharing their disputes or internal challenges in the open. It is also used to encourage discretion when sharing secrets or externalizing an issue that is under dispute within an institution.