ఇప్పుడు వచ్చినవానికి ఇరస, అప్పుడు వచ్చినవానికి అడ్డెడు

ippudu vachchinavaniki irasa, appudu vachchinavaniki addedu

Translation

Two measures for the one who just arrived, and one measure for the one who arrived earlier.

Meaning

This proverb highlights unfairness or lack of appreciation for seniority and loyalty. It describes a situation where a newcomer is given greater rewards or importance than someone who has been present or working for a long time.

Related Phrases

The famine came in the very year that the cultivator came to the village. An unfortunate coincidence.

This proverb describes a situation of extreme bad luck or irony where success and disaster occur simultaneously. It is used when a long-awaited positive outcome or reward is immediately neutralized or ruined by an unexpected calamity, leaving no chance to enjoy the fruits of one's labor.

The time the cattle arrive and the time the bride arrives.

This expression refers to the auspiciousness and good fortune associated with bringing home a new cow or a new bride. It implies that certain events or arrivals bring luck, prosperity, and a change in the family's destiny. It is often used to emphasize the importance of timing and the positive vibes new members (livestock or family) bring to a household.

Have you come to eat or to visit the shrine ?

This expression is used to question a person's priorities or motives when they seem more interested in superficial benefits (like food) rather than the primary purpose or spiritual significance of an event (like receiving holy water at a temple). It is often used to chide someone who is distracted by secondary perks.

When marriage comes, or vomiting, it cannot be stopped.

This proverb is used to indicate that certain events in life are inevitable and beyond human control once they are set in motion. Just as a physical urge like vomiting cannot be suppressed, significant life events like marriage will happen when the time is right, regardless of attempts to delay or stop them.

Any quantity of presents must suffice at a dead man's marriage. When a marriage takes place, presents of cloths are sent to the bride and bridegroom by their relations. Return gifts of about equal value are made shortly after the marriage. Should the bridegroom, however, die during the ceremonies, no presents are returned, and no complaints are therefore made regarding the value of those received.

This expression is used to describe a situation where one should be content with whatever little benefit or payment they receive in a hopeless or lost situation. Since a dead man cannot marry, any dowry received is an unexpected bonus from a failed endeavor.

The one who gives is liked, the one who dies is free of debt.

This proverb reflects a pragmatic and somewhat cynical view of human nature. It suggests that people only like those who provide them with something or give them money. The second part implies that a person's debts are effectively canceled or their accounts are settled only when they pass away, often used to comment on the difficulty of recovering debts or the fleeting nature of social approval based on transactions.

The time the daughter-in-law arrived, the time the young bulls arrived.

This proverb is used to comment on coincidences, specifically when a new arrival in a family (like a daughter-in-law) is blamed or credited for significant events (like the birth of livestock or changes in fortune) that happen shortly after. It highlights how people often link luck or misfortune to a person's entry into the household.

Calumny is not removed even by death.

This expression is used to describe a deeply ingrained habit, trait, or skill that stays with a person throughout their lifetime. It suggests that once something is learned or becomes part of a person's nature, it is nearly impossible to change or get rid of it.

Slander leaves a slur. Give a dog an ill name, and you may as well hang him.

The over liberal man is ruined ; when a man dies, his debts go with him.

This proverb highlights two harsh realities of life: people only appreciate those who are generous or provide help, and once a person dies, their debts and obligations often perish with them, making it impossible to recover what was owed. It is used to describe the nature of gratitude and the finality of death regarding liabilities.

Even if you dream as if you are dead, you must wake up eventually.

This proverb is used to emphasize that no matter how deep an illusion, an escape, or a terrible situation may be, one must eventually return to reality and face the facts of life. It highlights the inevitability of facing the truth.