డబ్బులేని వానికి బోగముది తల్లి వరస
dabbuleni vaniki bogamudi talli varasa
A harlot is as a mother to a man without money. Something beyond the reach of a man's means.
This proverb highlights the cynical reality of materialism. It means that when a person has no money, even those who provide services for a fee (traditionally referring to courtesans) will show no romantic or sexual interest in them, treating them with the platonic distance of a relative. It is used to describe how financial status dictates social and personal relationships.
Related Phrases
ఊరికి ఒక భోగం అది, ఎవరి వద్ద ఆడును?
uriki oka bhogam adi, evari vadda adunu?
There is but one dancing girl in the village; before whom is she to dance ?
This proverb describes a situation where there is a single resource or individual available to serve many people, leading to a conflict of interest or impossibility of satisfying everyone simultaneously. It is used when one person is pulled in many different directions or when limited resources are expected to meet excessive demands.
ఉల్లి ఉంటే మల్లి వంటలక్కే
ulli unte malli vantalakke
When there are onions Malli is a fine cook. Onions make up for bad cooking.
This expression highlights the essential role of onions in cooking, suggesting that with the right key ingredients or resources, even someone with mediocre skills can produce great results. It is often used to emphasize that having the necessary tools or materials makes a task much easier to accomplish successfully.
దబ్బులేనివాడు డబ్బుకు కొరగాడు
dabbulenivadu dabbuku koragadu
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.
డబ్బులేనివాడికి బోగముది తల్లి వరుస
dabbulenivadiki bogamudi talli varusa
To a man with no money, a courtesan is like a mother.
This proverb is used to highlight how poverty changes one's perspective or how people treat those who cannot afford their services. In a literal sense, it implies that a person without wealth cannot pursue luxury or indulgence, as they are treated with the same distance or respect as a maternal figure by those who sell such services, simply because there is no transaction possible.
బిడ్డ లేని ముద్దు, వాన లేని వరద
bidda leni muddu, vana leni varada
Fondling without a child, a flood without rain.
This proverb is used to describe something that is meaningless, artificial, or lacks a foundation. Just as a flood cannot exist without rain and kissing has no purpose without a child (in a parental context), an action or situation without its core essence or cause is considered hollow or futile.
ఊరికంతా ఒక బోగముదైతే, ఆ బోగముది ఎవరి వద్ద ఆడును?
urikanta oka bogamudaite, a bogamudi evari vadda adunu?
If there is only one dancer for the whole village, before whom will she perform?
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a single resource, person, or service is shared by too many people, leading to conflict or impracticality. It highlights the impossibility of satisfying everyone's demands simultaneously when supply is extremely limited.
ఓపని వానికి వద్దన్నవారే తల్లిదండ్రులు
opani vaniki vaddannavare tallidandrulu
For a lazy person, those who say 'don't do it' are like parents.
This proverb is used to mock lazy people who are unwilling to work. Just as children love parents who don't force them to do chores, a lazy person considers anyone who discourages work or gives them an excuse to be idle as their greatest benefactor or well-wisher.
సంతు లేని తల్లి, చింత లేని పెళ్ళి
santu leni talli, chinta leni pelli
A mother without offspring, a wedding without worry.
This proverb is used ironically or sarcastically to describe a situation that is incomplete or lacks its fundamental purpose. Just as a woman cannot be a mother without children, a grand event like a wedding is rarely free of some level of worry or responsibility. It implies that certain roles or events naturally come with inherent burdens or characteristics, and without them, the situation is paradoxical or meaningless.
ఆడలేని బోగముది మద్దెల ఓడన్నట్లు (లేదా మద్దెలపై పడి కొట్టుకున్నట్లు)
adaleni bogamudi maddela odannatlu (leda maddelapai padi kottukunnatlu)
A dancer who cannot dance blames the drum (or beats the drum).
This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks skill or fails at a task and tries to shift the blame onto their tools, circumstances, or others. It is similar to the English proverb: 'A bad workman always quarrels with his tools.'
డబ్బులేనివాడి బడాయి చేతగాని బడాయి
dabbulenivadi badayi chetagani badayi
The boasting of a man without money is the boasting of an incompetent man.
This expression is used to mock someone who brags or talks big despite lacking the financial means or the actual capability to back up their claims. It suggests that empty boasting by someone without resources is meaningless and ineffective.