చేటు కాలానికి చెడ్డ బుద్దులు

chetu kalaniki chedda buddulu

Translation

Bad thoughts come during bad times.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person starts making poor decisions or loses their sense of judgment when they are facing a period of misfortune or ruin. It suggests that one's intellect or character often declines when their downfall is near.

Related Phrases

A basketful of wisdom while listening to the Puranas, but wild/uncivilized behavior once stepped away.

This proverb describes a person's hypocrisy or fickle nature. It refers to someone who appears very pious and moral while listening to religious discourses or moral advice, but immediately reverts to their old, bad habits once they leave the environment. It is used to criticize those who do not practice what they hear or preach.

A short person has a basketful of brains.

This proverb is used to suggest that what a person lacks in physical stature or height, they often make up for with extreme cleverness, wit, or cunningness. It implies that short people are exceptionally sharp-minded.

The shepherd's nap and a child's kisses.

This proverb refers to things that are brief and short-lived. A shepherd's sleep is interrupted by the flock, just as a child's kiss is fleeting. It is used to describe tasks or moments that do not last long.

Mangoes bloom during good times, tamarinds bloom during bad times.

This proverb suggests that positive and sweet experiences (symbolized by mangoes) arrive during prosperous or favorable periods, whereas sour struggles and worries (symbolized by tamarinds/worries, as 'chinta' means both tamarind and worry in Telugu) are prevalent during difficult times. It is used to describe the cyclic nature of fortune and misfortune.

A short person has a basketful of brains/wisdom.

This is a popular Telugu saying used to suggest that what a person lacks in physical stature, they make up for with extreme cleverness, wit, or cunning. It is often used playfully or as a cautionary remark about not underestimating someone based on their small height.

Is this miserable wretched woman to wear a veil?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone has already lost their reputation or is in a completely compromised position, and then tries to hide or be modest about minor things. It suggests that when the worst has already happened or been exposed, trivial attempts to maintain dignity or secrecy are hypocritical or pointless.

Bad thoughts/ideas for bad times

This expression is used to describe a situation where a person starts making poor decisions or thinking negatively when they are going through a bad phase or facing a downfall. It suggests that one's intellect often fails or misleads them when their fortune is at its lowest.

Will a field of withered corn require three watcher's sheds? To drive off the birds.

This proverb is used to criticize excessive or unnecessary expenditure and effort on something that is already worthless or beyond repair. It highlights the irony of providing high security or maintenance to a failed venture.

* Wer da fallt, über ihm laufen alle Welt, ! Ao cas morido, todos o mordem, ‡ Cognatio movet invidiam.

Tall is vulnerable to wind, short is vulnerable to water

This proverb highlights that every physical trait has its own disadvantage depending on the situation. Just as a tall tree or person is more likely to be affected by strong winds (or storms), a short person or object is more likely to be submerged or affected by rising waters (or floods). It is used to suggest that no one is perfectly safe or superior in all circumstances.

Mangoes bloom in good times, tamarinds bloom in bad times.

This proverb highlights how nature and life reflect one's fortune. It suggests that during prosperous times (good seasons), one enjoys sweet results like mangoes, whereas during difficult periods (famine or bad seasons), only sour or hardy results like tamarind are found. It is used to describe the cyclic nature of prosperity and hardship.