కడుపులో బిడ్డ కడుపులోనే ఉండగా, కొడుకు పేరు సోమలింగం

kadupulo bidda kadupulone undaga, koduku peru somalingam

Translation

While the child is still in the womb, the son is named Sômalingam.

Meaning

This proverb describes a situation where someone makes plans or celebrates an outcome before it has actually happened or before the necessary conditions are met. It is similar to the English expression 'Counting your chickens before they hatch.' It is used to caution against over-anticipation or premature planning.

Notes

Boil not the pap before the child is born. * Tre lo sanno, tutti lo sanno. † Secret de deux, secret de Dieu; secret de trois, secret de tous.

Related Phrases

If there is work in the hand, there will be food in the stomach

This expression emphasizes the importance of manual labor and employment. It conveys that as long as a person is hardworking and has a job, they will never have to go hungry. It is used to encourage self-reliance and the dignity of labor.

When someone said 'Somalingam, Somalingam', he asked, 'Is he Ramalingam's son?'

This proverb is used to describe a person who is completely out of touch with the context or topic of conversation. It signifies a person who asks an irrelevant or foolish question after listening to a whole explanation, showing they haven't understood a single word.

Without the buttermilk in the stomach even moving

This expression is used to describe a state of absolute comfort, ease, or luxury where a person doesn't have to perform any physical labor or face any hardships. It literally suggests a life so stable and smooth that even the liquid in one's stomach remains undisturbed.

The fire in the stomach is an invisible fire.

This expression refers to internal suffering, deep grief, or hidden jealousy that others cannot see. While physical fires are visible, the 'burning' one feels due to hunger, emotional pain, or envy is hidden from the world but deeply felt by the individual.

The baby in the pit and the baby in the womb.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person is taking care of or worrying about two critical things at once, typically referring to the heavy burden of responsibility or the multitasking required in parenting and household management. It can also imply a state of continuous struggle or being overwhelmed by multiple life demands.

We gave birth, but can we keep them inside the womb forever?

This proverb is used to express that parents, although they love their children deeply, must eventually let them go and allow them to lead their own lives. It is often used in the context of a daughter getting married and leaving her parental home, implying that one cannot hold onto their children indefinitely out of affection.

No wife and no pregnancy, but the child’s name is Somalingam.

Some people look for results even before the necessary tasks are performed. This indicates absurdity in wildly expecting something to happen.

We have no son and yet are giving him a namc. (Spanish.)* Count not your chickens before they are hatched. * Hijo no tenemos, y nombre le ponemos.

One who cannot keep his wife in control, can he control everyone else?

This proverb suggests that if a person cannot manage their own domestic affairs or immediate responsibilities, they are unlikely to be capable of leading or controlling a larger group of people. It is used to mock the leadership claims of those who lack discipline in their personal lives.

Sugar in the mouth, scissors in the stomach.

This expression is used to describe a hypocritical or deceitful person who speaks very sweetly and kindly to your face but harbors malicious intentions or plans to harm you behind your back. It is equivalent to the English idiom 'A wolf in sheep's clothing'.

Child on the hip, searching all over the village.

This expression is used to describe a situation where a person is searching for something that they already possess or is right in front of them. It highlights absent-mindedness or overlooking the obvious.