Ishungu dzomutana waswera padare kuramba nemhandire seane meno
It's the ill-nature of an old man at the meeting place to deny others mealie grains as if he had the teeth to munch them.
Tsanagudzo
Vanhu vane hutsinye vanoramba kubatsira vamwe nezvimwe zvinhu kunyangwe ivo vasingakwanise kushandisa zvinhu zvacho.
What the Words Say
It's the ill-nature of an old man at the meeting place to deny others mealie grains as if he had the teeth to munch them.
What It Means
Mean people will even refuse with things they cannot exploit or are not using
Cultural Context
The proverb uses the image of the old man who does not have teeth but refuses to share mealie grain when in reality he cannot munch. Clearly only a mean person would deny others something that he/she is unable to exploit. In this way our elders were pointing us to the habits of mean people and teaching us to share or give others who can better use things that we ourselves are not using or not capable of using.
How It's Used
The proverb is a comment on mean people who may refuse to share or give away things that they are not using hence the proverb is meant to question and shame them. In another way the proverb can also be used indirectly to encourage people to share or give others the things they are not using effectively.