Chafamba kamwe hachiteyiwi

Chafamba kamwe hachiteyiwi

English Direct Translation 

What has passed (happened) once cannot be trapped.

Variants 

Chapinda kamwe hachiteverwi. (-tevera: follow)

Shona Explanation 

Kana munhu akapara mhosva kekutanga anoregererwa pachitarisirwa kuti haachazoparizve mhosva yakadai.

English Explanation 

What happened only once cannot be relied upon. A first offender will normally find a lenient judge. Such a judge might well quote this proverb dismissing the case.