ఇంటింటా ఒక ఇటుక పొయ్యి, మా ఇంట ఒక మట్టి పొయ్యి

intinta oka ituka poyyi, ma inta oka matti poyyi

Translation

Every house has a brick stove, while our house has a clay stove.

Meaning

This proverb is used to highlight that despite outward appearances or slight differences, basic problems and human nature are universal. It implies that everyone faces similar struggles and that no one is truly unique in their suffering or circumstances.

Related Phrases

A father-in-law was once a son-in-law in another house, and a mother-in-law was once a daughter-in-law in another house.

This proverb is used to remind people in positions of authority or seniority to be empathetic and humble. It emphasizes that everyone starts from a subordinate position and has faced similar struggles, so one should treat their juniors or family members with the same kindness they once wished for themselves.

The new is a wonder, the old detestable.

Generally, people are attracted by the new (especially, fashions in dress and the like) and tend to dislike the old. It is similar to the saying in English: “familiarity breeds contempt.”

One quilt below, one quilt above; what worry do I have?

This proverb describes a state of complete contentment and self-sufficiency with minimal possessions. It is used to express that when a person's basic needs are met and they have a simple life, they are free from the anxieties and stresses that come with wealth or complex responsibilities.

Every house has an earthen fire-place.

This proverb means that certain problems, weaknesses, or secrets are universal and exist in every household or for every person, regardless of how they appear on the outside. It is used to convey that one is not alone in their struggles and that human nature or domestic issues are the same everywhere.

Every man has his faults.

If the whole village is one way, the stick is another way.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is eccentric or stubborn, always choosing to go against the consensus or common path. It highlights non-conformity, often in a negative or frustrating sense, where one person acts contrary to everyone else in a group.

The father-in-law is a son-in-law of another house, and the mother-in-law is a daughter-in-law of another house.

This proverb highlights the cyclical nature of family roles and the importance of empathy. It reminds elders (the mother-in-law and father-in-law) that they once held the same subordinate or new roles as their children-in-law. It is used to suggest that one should treat their daughter-in-law or son-in-law with kindness and understanding, remembering their own past experiences in those positions.

When the fire was lighted in the opposite house, he threw water on his own.

This expression describes the irrational and self-destructive nature of extreme jealousy. It refers to someone who is so consumed by envy of another person's success or prosperity that they sabotage their own progress or well-being out of spite or sheer frustration.

An envious man waxes lean with the fatness of his neighbour. Envy is its own torturer. ( Danish ? ) * Wer einen lobt in Praesentia und schimpft in Absentia, den hole die Pestilentia. † Avindayg er sin egen Böddel.

The old is a nuisance, the new is a wonder.

This proverb describes the human tendency to quickly get bored with old, familiar things and become easily fascinated by anything new. It is often used to comment on people who abandon traditions or long-term possessions in favor of the latest trends, or when someone loses interest in something they once valued.

The mother-in-law was once a daughter-in-law of a house, and the father-in-law was once a son-in-law of a house.

This proverb highlights that everyone in a position of authority once held a subordinate role. It is used to remind people (especially in-laws) to be empathetic and treat others with kindness, remembering that they were once in the same shoes. It emphasizes that life is a cycle and experiences are shared across generations.

Every house has an earthen fire-place, my house is still worse off. Acknowledging one's failings.

This proverb is used to convey that everyone has their own set of problems or flaws, and one's own situation is no exception—or perhaps even slightly more complicated. It highlights the universality of human struggles and domestic issues, suggesting that no household is perfectly free from trouble.