Mwoyochena ndowei bere kugarira munhu akafa?; Mwoyo washe here gudo kuchengeta nyimo?

Munhu anokwanisa kuitira umwe munhu zvakanaka kana kuratidza tsitsi, iye achiziva zvake kuti anozowana zvido zvake iye kana kuzotora zvinhu kubva kune uya waabatsira.

What sort of kindness is it for a hyena to keep watch over a dead body? ; Is it the Chief ’s heart for the baboon to look after bambara groundnuts?

Certain acts of kindness are questionable because of the interest and hypocrisy of the helper. One may appear to be kind in order to take advantage of the situation or in order to deceive someone.

Certain acts of kindness may actually be selfish acts of deceit in order for one to attain something they truly desire. In this way these two proverbs use the examples of the hyena or the baboon that patiently hovers over a dead body or bambara groundnuts respectively. Both do this in a manner seemingly with good intentions but it is clear this is only to escape one's guard and eventually consume the body or the bambara groundnuts. Our elders observed this behavior within us and used the proverb to highlight that kindness based on getting access to what one already desires is highly questionable. It is always important to analyze and identify the subjective interest of the helper.

The proverb is used to question acts of kindness that are laced with ulterior motives that are related to the act of kindness. It can also be used as a teaching to gullible or unsuspecting persons on the dangers of accepting acts of kindness that are linked to the desires of the helper.