దొంగకు దొరికిందే చాలు.

dongaku dorikinde chalu.

Translation

Whatever a thief manages to get is enough.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is in a position of loss or risk, and they should be content with whatever they can recover or save. It also implies that for a person with bad intentions, even a small gain is a victory. It is often used to suggest that one should settle for whatever is available rather than risking everything for more.

Related Phrases

A thief has a thief's thoughts, a gentleman has a gentleman's thoughts.

This proverb means that a person's behavior and thinking are dictated by their character and inherent nature. A person with bad intentions will always act according to their devious nature, while a person of noble character will act with dignity and honor, regardless of the situation.

The fate of a thief caught in the hole (of a wall).

This expression describes a situation where someone is caught red-handed or trapped in a hopeless, compromising position with no possibility of escape or denial. It is used when a person's wrongdoing is exposed so clearly that they are left completely helpless and at the mercy of others.

The one who loots and gets away is a lord, the one who gets caught is a thief.

This proverb highlights the irony of social status and justice. It suggests that if a person commits a large-scale crime but manages to escape or hide it, they are often respected as a great person or leader. However, the one who gets caught, even for a minor offense, is branded a criminal. It is used to comment on the hypocrisy of society and the flaw in identifying criminals solely based on their capture.

A thief is a companion to another thief

This expression is used to describe how people with similar bad habits, questionable characters, or dishonest intentions tend to support and protect each other. It is equivalent to the English proverb 'Birds of a feather flock together' or 'Honor among thieves', often used in a negative context to highlight collusion between wrongdoers.

Even if the elephant dies, it is enough if the tusks are found.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where, despite a great loss or failure, something of significant value is still recovered. It highlights the idea that even in destruction, some inherent worth remains. It is often applied to wealthy people or great institutions that, even when ruined, still retain some of their former glory or assets.

A thief is content with what he gets.

This expression suggests that for someone who is gaining something through illicit means or luck rather than hard work, even a small amount is a bonus. It is used to describe situations where people should be satisfied with whatever they can get when they have no right to it in the first place.

Will he become a thief for the wealth he found?

This proverb is used to defend someone's character when they find something by chance rather than stealing it. It suggests that finding lost property accidentally does not make a person a criminal or a thief.

A companion to the thief, a witness for the lord.

This expression is used to describe a person who plays both sides or colludes in a crime. It refers to someone who assists a criminal (thief) in their act while simultaneously acting as a false witness to the authority (lord) to cover up the crime or mislead the investigation.

A thief has a thief's mentality, a gentleman has a gentleman's mentality.

This proverb states that a person's character and actions are determined by their innate nature or social standing. It is used to explain that individuals will consistently act according to their established traits or upbringing, whether those are dishonest or noble.

Does a man become a thief by finding property ?

This expression is used to defend someone's character when they find something by chance. It implies that discovering lost property does not make the finder a thief, or more broadly, that one shouldn't be blamed for a situation they didn't intentionally create.