డబ్బుకు వచ్చిన చెయ్యే వరహాకు వస్తుంది.

dabbuku vachchina cheyye varahaku vastundi.

Translation

The hand that comes for a small coin (dabbu) will also come for a gold coin (varaha).

Meaning

This proverb is used to warn that a person who starts with small dishonest acts or petty thefts will eventually gain the audacity to commit much larger crimes. It highlights how bad habits or greed escalate over time if not checked early.

Related Phrases

A person without courage is of no use even with money.

This proverb highlights that courage and self-confidence are more valuable than material wealth. It is used to describe a situation where a person, despite having financial resources, cannot achieve anything or defend themselves because they lack the necessary boldness or character.

The horns which came last are sharper than the ears which came first. Said of a new comer wishing to usurp authority over his seniors.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a newcomer, junior, or younger person surpasses their senior or predecessor in skill, power, or success. It highlights that experience (age) doesn't always guarantee superiority over late-blooming talent or sharp ambition.

The hand which touches bran, will touch money.

This expression means that a person's habits or character remain the same regardless of the value of the stakes. If someone is habituated to stealing or mishandling small, worthless things (like bran), they will not hesitate to do the same when it comes to valuable items like money or gold. It is often used to warn that small dishonesties lead to larger ones.

He that will steal a pin will steal a better thing.

When the river arrives, the rain stops.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a minor concern or source of relief is superseded by a larger event, or specifically, that once a major outcome is achieved (the river flowing), the preliminary signs (the rain) are no longer needed. It is often used to imply that after a long-awaited result occurs, the struggles leading up to it come to an end.

Have you come to eat or to visit the shrine ?

This expression is used to question a person's priorities or motives when they seem more interested in superficial benefits (like food) rather than the primary purpose or spiritual significance of an event (like receiving holy water at a temple). It is often used to chide someone who is distracted by secondary perks.

The ox that has come under the yoke, and the child who has come to hand.

This proverb highlights two stages of life where support is expected. Just as an ox is ready to share the burden of farm work once it fits the yoke, a child is expected to assist and support their parents once they grow up and become capable. It refers to the point when a person or animal becomes productive and helpful to the family.

When marriage comes, or vomiting, it cannot be stopped.

This proverb is used to indicate that certain events in life are inevitable and beyond human control once they are set in motion. Just as a physical urge like vomiting cannot be suppressed, significant life events like marriage will happen when the time is right, regardless of attempts to delay or stop them.

The hand that comes for bran will eventually come for wealth.

This proverb describes how habits formed while handling trivial or low-value items will persist when dealing with valuable things. It is often used to warn that someone who steals small things will eventually steal large amounts, or that discipline in small matters leads to discipline in large ones.

The hand which touches a Dabb, will touch a pagoda. A man who is dishonest in trifles will not be scrupulous in greater matters. He that will steal an egg will steal an ox.

This expression means that if someone develops a habit of stealing or greedily taking small amounts of money, they will eventually progress to committing much larger thefts. It is used as a warning that bad habits or petty crimes, if left unchecked, will inevitably lead to more serious consequences and greater greed.

If in a ditch she is a sister-in-law (younger); if on a mound she is a sister-in-law (elder).

This expression is used to describe opportunistic behavior. It refers to a person who changes their relationship or attitude towards someone based on the situation or their own convenience. In this context, calling someone 'maradalu' implies a more casual or lower-status relationship when things are difficult (ditch), while calling them 'vadina' implies a more respectful or distant relationship when things are better (mound). It characterizes a fair-weather friend or someone who is inconsistently respectful.