డౌలు చూపితే, దరిద్రం పోతుందా?

daulu chupite, daridram potunda?

Translation

Will poverty vanish just by putting on a show of style?

Meaning

This expression is used to criticize someone who tries to maintain a high-status appearance or a stylish facade while lacking the actual financial means or substance to back it up. It implies that superficiality cannot solve deep-rooted problems.

Related Phrases

If shown, honor is lost; if not shown, life is lost.

This expression describes a critical dilemma or a 'catch-22' situation where every available option leads to a negative outcome. It is traditionally used in contexts like a medical emergency involving a modest person, or any situation where one must choose between a loss of dignity and a loss of life/safety.

There is no dearth of songs during the pounding of grain.

This expression describes a situation where there is an endless supply of something, often referring to talkativeness or irrelevant commentary. Just as people used to sing continuous, rhythmic folk songs to pass the time while manually pounding grain, it is used to describe someone who keeps talking or producing content without much effort or thought.

There is no poverty greater than wearing a loincloth.

This expression is used to describe a state of extreme or absolute poverty where one possesses nothing but the barest minimum of clothing (a loincloth). It highlights the lowest point of financial or material destitution.

If a dog shows the way to the village, a fox shows the way to the cemetery.

This proverb highlights that the outcome depends on the nature of the guide you follow. While a loyal companion (dog) leads you toward civilization and safety, a cunning or deceitful person (fox) will lead you toward ruin or danger. It is used as a warning to choose one's mentors and associates wisely.

A louse in the clothes is a sign of coming household broils, a louse in the head is a sign of coming poverty.

This proverb describes how misfortunes often come in clusters. Just as lice are found in the rags of the poor or in dirty hair, problems tend to multiply when a person is already in a vulnerable or difficult situation. It is used to express that 'troubles never come alone' or to describe the compounding effects of bad luck.

* Peccato confessato à mezzo perdonato.

If a blind man lead a blind man, both will fall into the pit.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who lacks knowledge or expertise tries to guide another person who is equally ignorant. It highlights the inevitable failure or disaster that occurs when leadership or advice is sought from incompetent sources. It is equivalent to the English expression 'the blind leading the blind'.

Greed and poverty are linked.

This proverb suggests that no matter how much wealth one possesses, if they have insatiable greed, they are effectively 'poor' because they are never satisfied. It is used to describe people who are never content with what they have and always crave more.

Excessive greed leads to worldly poverty.

This proverb warns that being overly greedy or ambitious often leads to losing even what one already possesses, resulting in total misery or lack. It is used to advise someone to be content and avoid the pitfalls of insatiable desire.

Extreme delicacy and utter poverty

This proverb is used to describe a person who is overly fastidious, delicate, or high-maintenance despite being in a state of extreme poverty. It highlights the irony and impracticality of having expensive tastes or a fragile temperament when one lacks the basic means to survive.

If the members of your family point their fingers at you, the outsiders will point their legs.

This proverb highlights that if family members disrespect or expose the weaknesses of their own kin, outsiders will feel emboldened to treat them with even greater contempt or cause more significant harm. It emphasizes the importance of family unity and loyalty in maintaining social standing.