Shona Definition
Kazhinji vanhu vanonzwira tsitsi uya ane nhamo diki kupinda uya ane nhamo huru. Zvinoitika kuti munhu wekumba huru anzwirwe urombo nokubatsirwa asi murombo chaiye anokodzerwa nebatsiro achiishaya. Sokutaura kwetsumo yechipiri, vanhu havana hanya nenherera nokudaro havangaiitiri sezvavanoitira mwana washe.
English Translation
Pity usually goes to whoever has the smaller trouble instead of whoever has the greater one. A man from a big household can be felt sorry for and given help, while the one who is genuinely destitute, and who has the claim on that help, goes without. The second of the two proverbs puts it that an orphan counts for nothing with people, so they will never do for an orphan what they do for a chief's child.
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This is a variant of
Musachema muzvere afirwa nomwana / muchisiya uyo afa nomwana wakeDo not pour out your grief over a mother who has lost her newborn while passing over the woman who died along with her child. Mourning should go where the loss is greatest.