Ndomene haichemedze
What one seeks should not lead to tears.
Tsanagudzo
Chinhu chawazvitsvagira kana kuzvitangira hachifaniri kukutambudza kana chaipa.
What the Words Say
What one seeks should not lead to tears.
What It Means
Something that one has initiated or willfully sought should not depress or stress them when it goes sour.
Cultural Context
The proverb assumes something has gone wrong and led to one lamenting their own actions. It rebuts this lament and surmises that in a situation where the pain or problem has been caused by one’s actions, one must accept the consequences as a product of their actions rather than a wrongdoing from someone else. This proverb is used by our elders to instruct that we shouldn’t cry or stress over something we are responsible for causing. We should accept the result and take responsibility.
How It's Used
The proverb is used to warn someone who is about to engage in something likely to go bad that if they initiate or seek it then they should not lament on the consequences. It can also be used to advise someone who is distressed due to their own interventions that they should not stress but accept the consequences of their actions.