ఎద్దు దున్నగా పిణుజు వెక్కిరించినది.

eddu dunnaga pinuju vekkirinchinadi.

Translation

While the ox was plowing, the tick mocked it.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who is insignificant or contributes nothing mocks or criticizes someone who is doing all the hard work. It highlights the arrogance of people who feel superior despite their total dependence on others' labor.

Related Phrases

Like a cat that has tasted something delicious jumping onto the hanging pot.

This expression describes a situation where someone who has experienced a benefit or pleasure once will repeatedly try to get it again, even if it involves risk or effort. It is used to characterize persistent behavior driven by greed or a previous positive experience.

Whether you jump and pound or pound without jumping, the wages are the same.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where the end result or reward remains the same regardless of the amount of extra effort, unnecessary drama, or showmanship one puts in. It suggests that working smarter or more calmly is better than exerting unnecessary energy for no additional gain.

The ox died, but the branding mark was well-placed.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a lot of effort or a specific procedure was carried out perfectly, yet the ultimate goal or subject was lost. It highlights a bittersweet or ironic scenario where the operation was a success, but the patient died. It is often used to mock someone who focuses on technical perfection while failing to achieve the actual purpose.

By singing repeatedly, the melody improves; by eating repeatedly, even Neem tastes sweet.

This proverb emphasizes that practice makes perfect and that persistence can make even difficult or unpleasant tasks easier over time. Note: The user provided 'rogam' (disease), but the traditional proverb is 'vemu' (neem), implying that constant habituation changes one's perspective or skill.

Fallen teeth are like roasted grains

This expression is used to describe something that is permanently lost or damaged and cannot be restored to its original state. Just as roasted grains can never sprout again and fallen teeth cannot grow back, certain actions or losses in life are irreversible.

There is no distance longer than desire and no speed faster than interest.

This proverb highlights the boundless nature of human desire (greed) and the rapid, compounding nature of financial interest. It is used to caution people about how greed can lead one on an endless chase and how debts can quickly spiral out of control if not managed early.

Like the food offered to the dead on a corpse

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is so greedy or heartless that they try to extract benefit or profit from a tragic, miserable, or desperate situation. It reflects a state of utter exploitation or extreme pettiness in a moment of sorrow.

All her threats ended in making a hole in the molasses pot.

This proverb describes someone who makes empty threats or creates a big fuss without any actual courage or intelligence, but eventually ends up causing damage to something valuable (like a pot of jaggery) out of sheer clumsiness or frustration. It is used to mock people who act tough but only manage to ruin their own interests or perform counter-productive actions.

While the bullock was ploughing, the tick puffed and blew.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who is doing absolutely no work or contributing nothing mocks or criticizes someone who is working hard. It highlights the irony of an insignificant person (the tick) looking down upon the provider of labor (the ox).

Applied to a person who does little in assisting others but makes much of it. What a dust have I raised! quoth the fly upon the coach.

Like an egg heckling the young bird.

A young, inexperienced man ridiculing an elder one. It is better to learn to respect the elderly and experienced people, and, if possible, learn from their expertise gained over many years.