దేవుడు చెరిపిన ఇల్లు దేవాంగి చెరుపుతాడు
devudu cheripina illu devangi cheruputadu
A house ruined by God will be further ruined by a spider.
This proverb describes a situation where someone who is already suffering from great misfortune or divine ill-fate is further troubled by a small, insignificant person or minor problem. It is used when a person in a weak position is bullied or exploited by someone even less powerful.
Related Phrases
ముగ్గురిని కూర్చెరా మూల దేవుడు
muggurini kurchera mula devudu
Alas! God has collected three of us. Said by one of a number of helpless people.
This expression refers to the divine trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) or more commonly in a social context, it refers to the destiny or 'unavoidable union' of people or events. It is often used to signify that certain relationships, groups, or life situations are orchestrated by a higher power or fate and cannot be easily undone.
చెవుడు చెవుడూ అంటే, తవుడు తవుడూ అంటాడు
chevudu chevudu ante, tavudu tavudu antadu
When they call out "Deaf man! Deaf man!" he answers "[ I've got ] Bran, Bran!"
This proverb is used to describe a complete lack of communication or a situation where two people are talking about entirely different things. It refers to a person who misunderstands what is being said due to a lack of attention or hearing, responding with something totally irrelevant. It is used in situations where there is no sync between a question and an answer.
The jingle of the Telugu words is similar to that of the English equivalents.
చెవుడు చెవుడూ అంటే, తవుడు తవుడూ అన్నట్లు
chevudu chevudu ante, tavudu tavudu annatlu
When one person says 'deafness, deafness', the other person says 'bran, bran'
This expression describes a situation where two people are talking at cross-purposes or failing to communicate effectively due to a misunderstanding or a lack of attention. It is used when one person's words are completely misinterpreted by another, leading to a nonsensical or irrelevant response, much like a deaf person mishearing a word and replying with something that sounds similar but has a different meaning.
కండ్లు చెరిపిన దేవుడు మతిని ఇచ్చినట్లు
kandlu cheripina devudu matini ichchinatlu
Like the God who took away eyesight but granted wisdom.
This expression is used when someone suffers a physical or material loss but gains intellectual clarity, wisdom, or a valuable life lesson in return. It highlights the concept of compensation or finding a silver lining where a disadvantage is balanced by a newly acquired mental strength or maturity.
మంచిచెడ్డలు దేవుని కుడి ఎడమ చేతులు.
manchicheddalu devuni kudi edama chetulu.
Good and bad are God's right and left hands.
This expression suggests that good and evil, or successes and failures, are two sides of the same coin and are both part of the divine order. It is used to console someone facing hardship, implying that just as one accepts the 'good' (right hand), they must also accept the 'bad' (left hand) as part of life's natural balance.
వనవాసం చేయలేరు, వంగి వంగి తిరుగలేరు
vanavasam cheyaleru, vangi vangi tirugaleru
They cannot live in the forest, and they cannot stoop down and move around.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely picky or demanding. It refers to someone who is unwilling to endure hardships (the forest life) but also refuses to humble themselves or work hard in a civilized society (bowing down). It characterizes someone who finds fault in every situation and lacks the flexibility to adapt.
కండ్లు చెరిపిన దేవుడు మతి యిచ్చినట్టు
kandlu cheripina devudu mati yichchinattu
The God who destroyed the eyes, gave understanding. When God deprives a man of sight, He increases his intellectual powers.
This expression is used when someone suffers a physical or material loss but gains intelligence, maturity, or common sense in return. It refers to a situation where a disadvantage is compensated by a different, often mental or spiritual, advantage.
చెరుకుకు చెరుపు శూలంగి
cherukuku cherupu shulangi
The 'shulangi' pest is the destruction of sugarcane.
This proverb refers to how a specific pest (shulangi) can ruin an entire sugarcane crop. Metaphorically, it is used to describe a situation where a single person or a small internal flaw can lead to the downfall or ruin of an entire family, group, or organization.
పగడం లేని ఇల్లు జగడం లేని ఇల్లు ఉండవు.
pagadam leni illu jagadam leni illu undavu.
A house without coral and a house without a quarrel do not exist.
This proverb highlights that conflict is an inevitable and natural part of family life. Just as it is impossible to find a household without any jewelry or valuables (symbolized by coral), it is equally impossible to find a home where there are no arguments or disagreements among family members. It is used to comfort people facing domestic disputes by reminding them that it is a universal experience.
మామిడికి మంచు చెరుపు, కొబ్బరికి కుడితి చెరుపు
mamidiki manchu cherupu, kobbariki kuditi cherupu
Dew harms mangoes, and kitchen wastewater harms coconut trees.
This is an agricultural proverb reflecting traditional wisdom. It means that excessive mist or dew during the flowering stage can ruin a mango crop by causing pests or fungal growth, while pouring salty or used kitchen water (kuditi) at the base of a coconut tree can hinder its growth or health.