ఈడ్పుకాళ్ళవానికి ఇద్దరుభార్యలు, ఒకతె ఈడవ, ఇంకొకతె ఏడువ.
idpukallavaniki iddarubharyalu, okate idava, inkokate eduva.
A man who drags his feet has two wives; one to drag him and another to cry.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely lazy, incompetent, or dependent. It suggests that such a person is a burden to everyone around them—one person has to constantly push or pull them to do anything, while another is left to lament their hopeless state. It highlights the frustration of those who have to support someone who lacks initiative.
Related Phrases
ఇద్దరు పెద్దమనుషులు ఎదురుపడితే మూడు దారులు, ఒక పెద్దమనిషి ఇంకొక మూర్ఖుడు ఎదురుపడితే రెండు దార్లు, ఇద్దరూ మూర్ఖులైతే ఒకే దారి.
iddaru peddamanushulu edurupadite mudu darulu, oka peddamanishi inkoka murkhudu edurupadite rendu darlu, iddaru murkhulaite oke dari.
If two gentlemen meet, there are three paths; if a gentleman and a fool meet, there are two paths; if two fools meet, there is only one path.
This proverb highlights conflict resolution and ego. When two wise people meet, they find a middle ground or a new solution (3rd path). When a wise man meets a fool, the wise man steps aside, leaving his path and the fool's path (2 paths). When two fools meet, neither yields, resulting in a single-minded confrontation or collision on the same path (1 path).
ఇరుగుపొరుగు వ్యవసాయం, ఇద్దరు భార్యల సంసారం ఒకటే
iruguporugu vyavasayam, iddaru bharyala samsaram okate
Farming with a neighbor and a household with two wives are the same.
This proverb highlights that certain situations are inherently problematic and difficult to manage. Just as shared farming leads to disputes over labor and yield, having two wives in one household traditionally leads to constant domestic conflict and lack of peace.
తెల్లవారితే ఎల్లవారమ్మల బ్రతుకు ఒకటే
tellavarite ellavarammala bratuku okate
Once dawn breaks, the lives of all women are the same.
This expression suggests that regardless of individual differences, social status, or night-time worries, the daily grind and basic survival routines become a universal struggle for everyone once the day begins. It emphasizes the commonality of human labor and the shared reality of life's daily responsibilities.
ఈడ్పు కాళ్ళ వాడికి ఇద్దరు భార్యలు: ఒకటి ఈడవ, ఒకటి ఏడవ.
idpu kalla vadiki iddaru bharyalu: okati idava, okati edava.
A man who drags his feet has two wives: one to drag and one to weep.
This proverb describes a situation where an incompetent or troubled person's problems are multiplied by their associations. It is used to mock someone who, despite having their own significant flaws or disabilities, takes on extra burdens that only lead to more misery and chaos. It suggests that a person's inherent misfortune often attracts further complications that result in a perpetual state of struggle (dragging) and sorrow (weeping).
ఊబ నా మగడు ఉండీ ఒకటే లేకా ఒకటి
uba na magadu undi okate leka okati
My husband is a dummy; it's the same whether he is there or not.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is completely useless or ineffective. It implies that their presence provides no benefit, and their absence makes no difference, much like a decorative figure or a person with no initiative.
ఒకటి తరక, ఇంకొకటి తాలు.
okati taraka, inkokati talu.
One is a broken piece, and the other is a hollow husk.
This expression is used to describe two people or things that are equally useless, defective, or of poor quality. It highlights that there is no choice between them because neither has any value, often used when comparing two options that are both unsatisfactory.
ఈడ్పుకాళ్ళు, ఈడ్పుచేతులు ఇతడేనమ్మా ఇల్లిటపుటల్లుడు.
idpukallu, idpuchetulu itadenamma illitaputalludu.
Dragging feet and dragging hands, this is the resident son-in-law.
This proverb is a satire on a 'Illitapu Alludu' (a son-in-law who lives permanently in his wife's parental home). It implies that such a person is often lazy, lacks initiative, or is a burden, as depicted by the physical imagery of dragging feet and hands rather than working actively.
పొదుగులో ఉన్నా ఒకటే, దుత్తలో ఉన్నా ఒకటే
podugulo unna okate, duttalo unna okate
It is the same whether it is in the udder or in the pot.
This expression refers to a state of complacency or lack of urgency regarding a resource that is already secured or 'at hand'. It is used to describe a situation where one feels there is no difference between a resource being in its source (like milk in an udder) or collected (like milk in a pot), implying that since it belongs to them, they can access it whenever they want, often leading to laziness or delayed action.
మాదిగ మంచానికి తలవైపు, కాళ్ళవైపు ఒకటే
madiga manchaniki talavaipu, kallavaipu okate
For a cobbler's cot, the head-side and the foot-side are the same.
This expression refers to something that is uniform, poorly made, or lacks a specific orientation or distinction. It is often used to describe situations where there is no clear hierarchy, order, or difference between two ends of a matter, implying a state of indifference or lack of standards.
ఒకటొకటిగా నూరా, ఒకటేమారు నూరా?
okatokatiga nura, okatemaru nura?
One by one a hundred, or a hundred all at once?
This proverb is used to question whether someone prefers to face troubles or tasks incrementally or all together in one go. It is often used in the context of discipline or consequences, asking if a person wants to be corrected for every small mistake or face one large punishment for everything combined.