అత్త అడవికి వెళ్తూ, కోడలికి బుద్ధి చెప్పినట్లు

atta adaviki veltu, kodaliki buddhi cheppinatlu

Translation

Like a mother-in-law giving advice to her daughter-in-law while she herself is heading to the forest.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a hypocritical situation where a person gives advice or moral lectures to others while they themselves are doing something wrong or behaving irresponsibly. It highlights the irony of someone lacking self-discipline trying to discipline others.

Related Phrases

The more you tell, the more deaf they become.

This expression is used to describe someone who becomes increasingly stubborn, unresponsive, or indifferent as they are repeatedly advised or corrected. It implies that constant nagging or instruction is being ignored as if the listener has lost their hearing.

The mother-in-law gave good counsel to her daughter-in-law and went astray herself.

This proverb is used to describe hypocritical behavior where a person advises others on morality and ethics but fails to follow those same principles themselves. It highlights the irony of someone acting as a teacher or moral compass while secretly engaging in the very activities they condemn.

Advice given [ will be forgotten ]; and stale food tied up [ in a bundle ] will not keep. Advice whispered in the ear is worth a jeer.

This proverb suggests that wisdom or advice provided by others is often temporary and easily forgotten, much like packed food that eventually runs out or spoils. It emphasizes that true realization and lasting change must come from within oneself rather than relying on external instructions.

Will the mother-in-law's mindset and the daughter-in-law's mindset ever be the same?

This proverb highlights the inherent differences in perspectives, upbringing, and priorities between two people of different roles or generations. It is typically used to explain why conflicts or misunderstandings arise between people in a relationship, suggesting that their ways of thinking are naturally distinct and unlikely to perfectly align.

No matter how many wise words are said, a stubborn mind will not change.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is incorrigibly stubborn or set in their ways. Despite receiving sound advice, moral instruction, or logical reasoning from others, such individuals refuse to abandon their foolish or obstinate behavior. It highlights that character traits are often deeply ingrained and difficult to alter through external influence.

An impatient person's intellect is limited.

This proverb is used to describe how haste or excessive eagerness can cloud one's judgment. When a person is in a hurry or overly anxious to achieve something, they lose their ability to think rationally and make poor decisions. It is similar to the English proverb 'Haste makes waste'.

Like trying to advise or teach a wooden log.

This expression is used to describe a situation where one tries to give advice or instructions to an extremely stubborn, thick-headed, or unresponsive person. It implies that any effort to change their mind or educate them is a complete waste of time, as they are as lifeless and unyielding as a piece of wood.

However much advice you give her, she will not mend her stubbornness.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is incorrigibly stubborn or set in their ways. It implies that even if you give great advice or try to reform someone, their inherent nature or stubbornness (manku buddhi) prevents them from changing their behavior.

One should buy land that is exactly as described.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of verifying facts and ensuring transparency in transactions. It suggests that if someone describes a piece of land to be a certain way, it must be acquired only if it matches that description exactly, warning against deceptive marketing or hidden flaws in deals.

Like the fortress's beauty being described by the gatekeeper.

This expression refers to a situation where someone with limited or peripheral knowledge attempts to explain the greatness or complexity of something vast. Just as a guard at the gate only sees the entrance and not the entire inner magnificence of the palace, it describes an incomplete or superficial perspective given by an unqualified person.