కన్నం వేసిన దొంగకు తేలు కుట్టినట్టు
kannam vesina dongaku telu kuttinattu
Like a thief getting stung by a scorpion while breaking into a house
This proverb describes a situation where a person performing an illegal or unethical act meets with an unexpected problem or pain, but cannot cry out for help or complain because doing so would reveal their own wrongdoing. It is used to describe a predicament where someone must suffer in silence due to their own secret faults.
Related Phrases
దొంగకు తేలు కుట్టినట్లు
dongaku telu kuttinatlu
Like a thief, stung by a scorpion.
This refers to some criminal who cannot even complain. If a person is doing something criminal, he cannot complain against a natural problem/discomfort he has to face. The moral is that it is better not to commit blunders one may find it difficult to get out of them.
దొంగను తేలు కుట్టినట్టు
donganu telu kuttinattu
Like a robber stung by a scorpion. A man does not cry out when he suffers from his own folly.
This expression describes a situation where someone is suffering or facing a problem but cannot complain or cry out for help because doing so would reveal their own wrongdoings or secrets. Just as a thief cannot scream when stung by a scorpion while stealing for fear of getting caught, it refers to a state of silent, helpless suffering.
కన్నంలో దొరికిన దొంగ గతి
kannamlo dorikina donga gati
The fate of a thief caught in the hole (of a wall).
This expression describes a situation where someone is caught red-handed or trapped in a hopeless, compromising position with no possibility of escape or denial. It is used when a person's wrongdoing is exposed so clearly that they are left completely helpless and at the mercy of others.
గంగకు, సొంగకు, పంగకు తప్పలేదు
gangaku, songaku, pangaku tappaledu
Ganga, saliva, and split legs are inevitable.
This is a traditional Telugu proverb used to describe the unavoidable physical transformations and loss of bodily control that come with extreme old age. 'Ganga' refers to the watering of eyes or nose, 'Songa' to drooling, and 'Panga' to the inability to walk straight (bowed legs). It is used to philosophize about the reality that no matter how great one is, the indignities of aging spare no one.
తేలుకుట్టిన దొంగవలె
telukuttina dongavale
Like a thief stung by a scorpion
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is suffering or in trouble but cannot cry out for help or complain because doing so would reveal their own wrongdoing or secret. Just as a thief cannot scream when stung by a scorpion while hiding, the person must endure their pain in silence.
కోతికి తేలు కుట్టినట్లు
kotiki telu kuttinatlu
Like a monkey bitten by a scorpion
This expression is used to describe a person who is naturally restless or mischievous, but becomes even more hyperactive, erratic, or uncontrollable due to a specific provocation or situation. It highlights a state of extreme agitation added to an already unstable personality.
దొంగకు దొంగ తోడు
dongaku donga todu
A thief is a companion to another thief
This expression is used to describe how people with similar bad habits, questionable characters, or dishonest intentions tend to support and protect each other. It is equivalent to the English proverb 'Birds of a feather flock together' or 'Honor among thieves', often used in a negative context to highlight collusion between wrongdoers.
హాస్యగాణ్ని తేలు కుట్టినట్టు
hasyaganni telu kuttinattu
Like a scorpion stinging a jester. No one believes it. One may cry " Wolf !" too often. క్ష.
This expression is used to describe a situation where a person who is usually funny or non-serious is genuinely suffering or in trouble, but others mistake it for a joke or part of an act. It refers to a tragedy that is perceived as comedy by observers, leading to a lack of sympathy or help when it is actually needed.
డబ్బిచ్చి తేలు కుట్టించుకున్నట్టు
dabbichchi telu kuttinchukunnattu
Like paying money to get stung by a scorpion.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone knowingly or unknowingly spends their resources (money, time, or effort) only to end up with trouble or self-inflicted harm. It is used when a person's own actions or investments lead to a negative outcome for themselves.
దొంగవాకిట మంచం వేసినట్లు
dongavakita mancham vesinatlu
Like placing a cot at a thief's entrance.
This expression describes a futile or counterproductive action. It refers to a situation where one tries to guard or protect something by being in a place where the danger is already present or inevitable. It implies that the effort is useless because the 'thief' (problem) is already right there or the setup is ill-conceived.