Muto wetsenza ndiwo mumwe

Munhu ngaagutsikane nezvaanazvo nokuti zvimwe zvinhu zvakangofanana. Unaku hwehusiyanwa hausi hwechokwadi nguva dzose.

Soup made from yams or tuber roots is one and the same.

One must be satisfied with what they have. The attraction of variety is an illusion.

Tsenza is a type of yam found mostly in southern Africa. It is sometimes referred to as the “livingstone potato” because of the edible tuber roots that grow underground. Tsenza is high in nutritional value, carbohydrates, vitamin A and minerals. The roots can be boiled to also provide a tasty soup although the leaves are minty. While the plant itself may appear in various shapes and sizes, the soup from the roots tastes the same. With this example our elders were commenting on the fact that regardless of certain attractiveness, deep down some things are exactly the same. Hence one must stick to what they have because the belief that something else is better or different is an illusion.

The proverb is used to discourage people who are easily attracted by new things and never settle on one thing, even if these are similar in nature or habits, from jumping from one thing to another. The proverb is particularly useful in relationships when one is easily attracted to other people or is quick to seek divorce.