కట్టినవానికి ఒక ఇల్లు అయితే కట్టనివానికి వెయ్యి ఇళ్లు.

kattinavaniki oka illu ayite kattanivaniki veyyi illu.

Translation

A man that has built a house has one house, a man that has built no house has a thousand houses. A man without a house can change his residence as often as he pleases. He who has no house of his own is every where at home. (Spanish.)

Meaning

This proverb is used to highlight the freedom of choice and lack of burden that comes with not being tied down to a specific commitment or property. While a homeowner is restricted to their one house and its maintenance, a person who hasn't built or bought a home is free to live anywhere. It can also imply that someone without responsibilities has many options, whereas someone committed to a task is limited to that one path.

Related Phrases

The one who has nothing is daring, the one who has everything is stubborn.

This proverb highlights how people's attitudes are shaped by their circumstances. A person with no possessions or status often acts with great courage or recklessness because they have nothing to lose (tempu), whereas a wealthy or powerful person may become stubborn or obstinate (mondi) because of their ego or desire to protect what they have.

There is no gratitude for the one who gave a house or for the one who served buttermilk.

This proverb highlights the irony of human ingratitude. It suggests that people often fail to show appreciation or give credit even to those who have provided significant help (like a home) or basic hospitality (like buttermilk). It is used when someone's kindness is met with indifference or negativity.

Like handing a knife to a butcher

This expression is used when someone assists an already cruel or harmful person in their wrongdoings, thereby enabling more damage. It describes a situation where a dangerous person is provided with the exact tool or opportunity they need to cause further destruction.

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.

A 'kasu' for the one who gives excuses, and a 'duggani' for the one who thatched the house.

This proverb highlights unfairness in rewards or wages. It describes a situation where someone who does little work or offers only excuses receives more benefit (a kasu) than the person who performed the actual hard labor of roofing a house (who receives a lesser coin, a duggani). It is used to critique systems where talkers are valued more than doers.

For the one who built, there is one house; for the one who hasn't built, there are a thousand houses.

This proverb highlights the freedom and lack of responsibility that comes with not owning property or being tied down. While a homeowner is restricted to their one house and its maintenance, a traveler or a person without a permanent home can find shelter and hospitality in many places, effectively making the whole world their home.

A word to a good man, [ a blow with ] a sieve for an obsti- nate blockhead.

This proverb highlights the difference in receptiveness to advice. A wise or good-natured person understands and corrects their behavior with just a simple word of advice. However, an obstinate or foolish person will not learn unless they are punished or dealt with harshly (metaphorically represented by a 'cheta' or winnowing basket). It is used to suggest that different people require different levels of persuasion or discipline.

A blow with a sieve, a broom, or a slipper is very degrading.

If you bend even lower under someone who is already bent, your joints will be hit.

This proverb warns against excessive submissiveness or trying to be overly humble with someone who is already yielding. It implies that being too accommodating or sycophantic can lead to unnecessary trouble or physical/metaphorical injury. It is used to advise people to maintain their dignity and boundaries.

Younger brother to the one dying, elder brother to the one being born

This expression describes a person who is in a middle-aged or transitional stage of life. It is often used to refer to someone who is neither too young nor too old, bridging the gap between generations, or someone who is an experienced adult who has seen both the end of one era and the start of another.

What is it to him who has a thousand cows, if one will not be milked ?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a very wealthy or resourceful person experiences a negligible loss. It suggests that a minor setback does not affect those who possess abundance, or that a small sacrifice is insignificant in the context of a large collection.

Said by an impertinent beggar, when refused alms.