Gunguwo kuseka zizi iwo muromo waro uchinge dende
The crow laughs at the owl's beak, yet its own is like a calabash
Tsanagudzo
Munhu anoita zvakaipa anomhanyira kunongedza kune zvinokanganiswa nevamwe achisiya zvakaipa zvake.
What the Words Say
The crow laughs at the owl's beak, yet its own is like a calabash
What It Means
Usually people turn a blind eye to their own blunders but they publicly criticize the faults done by others. The proverb is similar to seeing a speck in your brother’s eye while there is a log in your own eyes.
Cultural Context
This proverb is based on two fowls that are generally derided in the karanga culture. One for being a scavenger - the crow, and the other for being a mysterious bird of the night - the owl. It would seem the crow has the upper hand since it is not associated with witchcraft and bad omens like the owl. The owl also has a tiny beak and perhaps these factors may have left the confident enough to mock the owl for a funny beak. However the crow still has one of the worst beaks which is compared to a calabash. This taught our ancestors that there are those those that will mock other people vices and fail to recognize their own vice which may be worse.
How It's Used
The proverb is used to censure people for noticing faults in others while ignoring there (mostly greater) faults. It can also be used to advise people to highlight the type of hypocrisy shown by one who finds fault in others and is obviously blind to their own faults.