ఎచ్చులకు పోతే ఎక్కిరింత, యామారం పోతే తన్ని తలగుడ్డ పెరుక్కున్నారట

This proverb describes a situation where someone asked for help or mediation is so overwhelmed by their own problems or greed that they try to take advantage of the situation for personal gain. It refers to an incompetent or biased person who, instead of solving a conflict, adds their own demands to the mix.

This proverb is used to describe a person who tries to show off or maintain a high social status they cannot afford, and in the process of pretending, they lose the basic necessities they already had. It serves as a warning against vanity and prioritizing false prestige over practical reality.

There are always people who are of superior abilities. One should try for the best in life, but after achieving a good position in life, one should not feel that one is at the top of the world; there are still higher peaks to reach.

This expression is used to describe something that is of an awkward size or quality—too little for a significant purpose but too much for a trivial one. It refers to a person or thing that is caught in the middle, being neither here nor there, and therefore practically useless or difficult to categorize.

This proverb describes a situation where a person's own actions, decisions, or words inadvertently lead to their own downfall, trouble, or restriction. It is used when someone creates the very tools or circumstances that others eventually use against them.

This proverb describes a situation where someone acts with excessive or foolish enthusiasm to please someone in authority, even at the cost of their own dignity or basic needs. It is used to mock people who provide overboard, illogical, or self-destructive hospitality/service just to show off their devotion.

This proverb is used to indicate that the internal truth, hidden secrets, or the real depth of a situation is known only to the person involved (or to God). It is often used when someone's outward appearance or claims contrast with their private reality, implying that only those 'on the inside' know the actual mess or mystery.

This expression is used to describe someone who finds a perverse or inappropriate reason to celebrate or feel renewed after a tragedy. It mocks a person who, instead of grieving a loss, treats it as an opportunity for a fresh start or acts with misplaced enthusiasm.

This proverb emphasizes the necessity of having someone in charge, even if they aren't the most qualified. It suggests that a group or organization cannot function without a head or leader (pedda tala), and in the absence of a wise elder, even a mediocre or symbolic leader is better than having no leadership at all to maintain order.

Better than nothing. When you can't get bread, oat cakes are not amiss. ( Spanish. )*

This proverb is used to mock someone who lacks competence or character but tries to make a grand display or travel to impress others. It implies that while the person thinks they are doing something significant, others (often wise or cynical observers) are actually ridiculing their incompetence behind their backs.