గడ్డం కాలి ఏడుస్తుంటే, చుట్టకు నిప్పిమ్మని వెంటపడ్డాడట

gaddam kali edustunte, chuttaku nippimmani ventapaddadata

Translation

While one's beard was on fire and they were crying, another person chased them for a light for their cigar.

Meaning

This proverb describes a situation where a person is incredibly insensitive or selfish, seeking a trivial favor from someone who is already in the midst of a major crisis or personal tragedy. It highlights a lack of empathy and the absurdity of prioritizing small needs over someone else's dire situation.

Related Phrases

When asked why you are crying before being hit, the reply is 'I am crying because you are about to hit me'

This expression refers to people who anticipate trouble or react to a situation before it even occurs. It is used to describe overly anxious behavior or someone who complains in advance to gain sympathy or avoid an impending consequence.

He followed like Nakshatraka.

This expression is used to describe someone who relentlessly pursues or pester others for something (usually a debt or a task) without giving them any peace. It originates from the story of King Harishchandra, where the disciple Nakshatraka relentlessly follows the king to collect a promised debt.

While one is struggling for their own survival, being chased by a lame-legged cat.

This proverb describes a situation where a person who is already overwhelmed with their own severe problems is suddenly burdened by another person's petty or additional demands. It is used when someone who can barely help themselves is asked for help by someone else, making a bad situation even more frustrating.

When someone is crying because their hair is on fire, another person asks them for a light for their cigar.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is insensitive or indifferent to another person's severe distress. It highlights the contrast between one person's major crisis and another person's trivial or selfish needs.

An over-eager groom followed the wedding guests.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is so impatient or overly excited to achieve a goal that they act foolishly or lose their sense of dignity. It satirizes someone who lacks self-control and behaves inappropriately due to their over-enthusiasm.

When one is crying because their stomach is burning (with hunger), someone asks what maintenance or alimony they will provide.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person is suffering from a fundamental, urgent need (like hunger or survival), but others offer irrelevant, long-term, or bureaucratic solutions that don't solve the immediate crisis. It highlights the disconnect between someone's desperate reality and the useless suggestions or terms offered by others.

While one person is crying because his beard is on fire, another is chasing him asking for a light for his cigar.

This proverb describes a situation where someone is incredibly insensitive or selfish, focusing on their own trivial needs while another person is facing a serious crisis or suffering. It is used to criticize people who lack empathy or timing.

Like asking for fire to light a cigar while the house is burning down and someone is crying.

This proverb describes a situation where someone is being extremely insensitive, selfish, or opportunistic during another person's tragedy. It is used when a person focuses on their own trivial needs or petty desires while ignoring a major crisis happening right in front of them.

When one man was crying out that his beard was on fire another followed him asking him for a light for his cigar. If my beard is burnt, others try to light their pipes at it. (Turkish.)

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is being extremely insensitive or selfish. It highlights the contrast between one person's serious crisis and another person's trivial, self-centered request, showing a complete lack of empathy for someone else's suffering.

When [someone] is crying because their stomach is burning [from hunger], she asked 'What maintenance/allowance will you give?'.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person is suffering from a fundamental or immediate crisis, but someone else offers an irrelevant, future, or secondary solution instead of addressing the urgent need. It highlights the disconnect between a person's basic needs and the superficial help being offered.