Pakukutu hapaurayi

Nguva yakaoma haibvisi munhu chimiro kana hunhu.

A hard bed does not kill.

Discomfort need not rob a person of their dignity, status or humanity.

In traditional times there were different types of sleeping places including various mats (reed mats, animal skin mats, etc). The softer the bed, the more wealthy one was. However, sometimes due to poverty and sometimes due to hunting escapades or being away from home for one reason or another, one would end up having to sleep on a hard surface. This discomfort may discourage others and lead to mocking from others. However our elders used this example to elucidate that discomfort would not lead to loss of dignity, status or life and if one was doing it for a good cause then one must endure until their plans materialize.

The proverb is used to give strength and provide encouragement to someone facing challenges which lead to them leaving their comfort zone. It can also be used to advise those who are looking down at some facing discomfort as a reminder that they may look down on someone who is enduring difficulty in order to achieve greater things.