Kuraira benzi, hunyadza muromo wako

Munhu haafanire kupedza nguva nepfungwa dzake achiraira benzi kana munhu asina pfungwa.

Giving advice to a fool, can only embarrass one’s mouth.

One should not waste their energy and ideas imparting advice to a fool.

While in the Karanga culture it was always considered a virtue to provide advice to others and to seek advice, there were limitations that were observed. The futility of providing advice to one who was clearly incapable of receiving advice was noted as a case where one overtires one’s tongue for nothing. A fool is considered to have ears for everything - good or bad - hence such advice could fall on deaf ears or if acted upon may be acted on in such a bad manner that the advisor would look just as bad. Hence our elders insisted that such advice would only embarrass the advisor.

The proverb is used to discourage people from wasting energy in advising people who are incapable of receiving advice or acting accordingly to the advice give.