గొర్రె బలిస్తే గొల్లవానికే లాభం

gorre baliste gollavanike labham

Translation

If the sheep gets fat, the benefit is only for the shepherd.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe situations where one person's hard work or growth ultimately benefits their master or superior rather than themselves. It implies that an underling's prosperity often just increases the assets of the person who owns or manages them, suggesting a sense of exploitation or inevitable benefit to the authority figure.

Related Phrases

Churn the buttermilk, young shepherdess; wiggle your waist, old lady.

This is a rhythmic folk saying often used in songs or to describe the repetitive, rhythmic motions of domestic chores like churning buttermilk. It reflects the traditional rural lifestyle where different generations (young and old) participate in household activities in their own way, sometimes used playfully to tease someone's movements or to highlight the bustle of a household.

All of it is just a hole/gap

This expression is used to describe a situation where there is a total loss, or when something is completely hollow, empty, or useless despite appearances. It implies that everything has gone down the drain or that the entirety of a matter results in nothingness.

If the sheep gets fat, it is for the benefit of the shepherd. If the servant does in a huff more work than he is told, it is for the benefit of his master. The term translated gets fat also signifies "be- comes proud."

This proverb describes a situation where one person's growth or accumulation of wealth ultimately benefits someone else who controls or owns them. It is used to suggest that when a subordinate or an asset prospers, the ultimate gain goes to the master or the owner.

Despite playing romantically all night long, the same cowherd was born.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a lot of effort, drama, or elaborate processes are undertaken, but the end result is exactly the same as the starting point or as mediocre as before. It signifies a futile or redundant exercise that fails to bring about any real change or superior outcome.

A sneeze from behind results in a gain ahead.

This is a traditional Telugu superstition or belief. It suggests that if someone sneezes from behind you just as you are about to start a task or leave for work, it is considered a good omen that will lead to success or profit in the upcoming endeavor.

Distant hills look smooth.

This proverb is used to describe how things often seem more attractive or better from a distance than they actually are. It suggests that when you are far away from a situation or object, you don't see the flaws, challenges, or rough edges that become apparent only upon closer inspection or involvement.

For a burnt hut, whatever rafters can be pulled out are the only profit.

This proverb is used to describe a situation of total loss where one should be grateful for whatever little can be salvaged. It is similar to the English expression 'to make the best of a bad bargain' or 'saving what little remains.' It suggests that when a disaster occurs, even a small recovery is better than nothing.

A tanner's bargain is a profit for the cattle.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a bargain or deal is so poor or delayed that it ends up benefiting the subject rather than the parties involved. In the context of a cobbler (godari) bargaining for a dying animal, if the negotiation takes too long, the animal might die naturally or be spared, resulting in no deal. It refers to unproductive negotiations or stingy behavior that results in a loss of opportunity.

When she went to the jasmine-seller because her husband beat her, the jasmine-seller beat her all night long.

This proverb describes a situation where someone tries to escape a small problem or a specific hardship by seeking help from another person, only to find themselves in a much worse or more continuous predicament. It is similar to the expression 'out of the frying pan and into the fire.'

No matter how good a cowherd is, there will be a madness the size of a neem fruit.

This expression suggests that even the most intelligent or virtuous person will have at least one small eccentricity, flaw, or moment of foolishness. It is used to point out that perfection is impossible and everyone has their own small quirks or weaknesses.