ఆశకు అంతులేదు, నిద్రకు సుఖంలేదు

ashaku antuledu, nidraku sukhamledu

Translation

Greed has no end, sleep has no comfort.

Meaning

This proverb highlights the restless nature of excessive desire. It means that there is no limit to human ambition or greed, and a person consumed by constant cravings can never find peace of mind or restful sleep. It is used to describe someone who is never satisfied with what they have.

Related Phrases

Hunger knows no taste, sleep knows no comfort.

When someone is truly hungry, they don't care about the taste or quality of the food; they just want to eat. Similarly, when someone is exhausted and needs sleep, they don't care about the comfort or luxury of the bed; they can sleep anywhere. This expression is used to highlight that basic survival needs override preferences or luxuries.

There is no limit to desire. Much would have more. No one is content with his lot. (Portuguese.)* The more one has the more one wants. (Spanish.)?

This expression is used to describe the insatiable nature of human greed or ambition. It implies that once one desire is fulfilled, another takes its place, suggesting that contentment is difficult to achieve if one keeps chasing endless wants.

Desire has no old age, a beggar has no comfort.

This proverb highlights two human conditions: first, that human desires and greed never age or diminish even as the body gets old; second, that someone constantly seeking or begging for favors from others can never truly enjoy peace of mind or comfort, as they are always dependent on others' whims.

If one has the means for livelihood, there is no comfort like having a fever.

This proverb highlights that for a person who is financially well-off or has enough resources to take a break, being sick (like having a fever) provides a legitimate excuse to rest and be pampered without worrying about work. It is used to describe a situation where someone can afford the luxury of leisure during minor ailments.

Silk cloth and a fallen woman have no pollution.

This is a traditional saying used to point out contradictions in rules of ritual purity. It suggests that silk is considered perpetually 'pure' regardless of what touches it, often used as a metaphor to describe people who think they are above the rules or situations where status outweighs social stigma.

Avarice knows not shame; sleep knows not comfort.

This proverb highlights the nature of human basic instincts. It means that when a person is consumed by greed or deep desire, they lose their sense of shame or self-respect to achieve it. Similarly, when a person is truly exhausted and needs sleep, they do not care about the quality of the bed or the comfort of the surroundings; they can sleep anywhere.

When sleep overpowers, comfort is not thought of.

No happiness in the face, no strength in the knees

This expression describes a state of total exhaustion, aging, or complete lack of vitality. It is used when a person is both mentally dejected (no glow/happiness on the face) and physically weak (knees failing), indicating they are no longer fit for strenuous work or are feeling the heavy toll of hardship.

There is no end to greed, and there is no poverty greater than a loincloth.

This proverb highlights the irony of human nature. It means that human desires and greed are limitless and never-ending, yet at the same time, one's actual physical needs are minimal, or one can be reduced to the absolute lowest state of poverty where a loincloth is the only possession. It is used to advise someone to be content with what they have because greed has no boundaries.

Hope has no end, and hopelessness has no worry.

This proverb suggests that human desire or greed is limitless and can never be fully satisfied. On the contrary, once a person gives up all expectations (hopelessness), they attain a state of peace because there is no longer any anxiety or worry about the outcome.

Greed has no end, and a loincloth has no poverty.

This proverb contrasts the boundlessness of human desires with the simplicity of minimalism. It implies that while human greed knows no bounds, one who is content with the bare minimum (symbolized by the 'gochi' or loincloth) can never truly be poor or suffer from the lack of luxuries.