కొత్త బిచ్చగాడు పొద్దు ఎరుగడు

kotta bichchagadu poddu erugadu

Translation

A new beggar doesn't know the time of day.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe someone who is new to a job or position and works with excessive, often misplaced, zeal or without understanding the practical constraints. Just as a new beggar might keep asking for alms at odd hours without realizing when people are likely to give, a novice often overdoes things or lacks the experience to judge the right timing and boundaries.

Related Phrases

The hardship is for the husband, while the joy is for the village.

This proverb describes a situation where one person does all the hard work or bears the suffering, while the benefits or celebrations are enjoyed by others who didn't contribute. It is used to highlight unfair distribution of labor and rewards.

A goiter is not a pillow, and a dream is not the truth.

This proverb is used to warn against relying on false hopes or deceptive appearances. Just as a swelling (goiter) on the neck cannot serve as a comfortable pillow despite its shape, a dream cannot be treated as reality. It emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between painful burdens and actual comforts, as well as between fantasy and facts.

A new farmer does not know the time of day.

This proverb describes a beginner's lack of experience and sense of timing. Just as a novice farmer might work at the wrong time or over-exert himself without knowing when to stop, it refers to any newcomer who lacks the seasoned judgment that comes with experience.

A lamp that flickers out is useless for the house, a rebellious wife is useless for the husband, and a child that refuses to sit is useless on the hip.

This proverb lists three things that fail to serve their intended purpose. It emphasizes that utility and harmony are essential in relationships and tools. If a lamp doesn't provide light, a spouse doesn't provide companionship, or a child is constantly unruly, they cannot fulfill their roles effectively.

Avarice knows not shame; sleep knows not comfort.

This proverb highlights the nature of human basic instincts. It means that when a person is consumed by greed or deep desire, they lose their sense of shame or self-respect to achieve it. Similarly, when a person is truly exhausted and needs sleep, they do not care about the quality of the bed or the comfort of the surroundings; they can sleep anywhere.

When sleep overpowers, comfort is not thought of.

A new beggar doesn't know when the sun sets

This proverb describes a person who is new to a job or position and works with excessive, often annoying, enthusiasm or over-diligence. It is used to mock someone who doesn't know the limits or the 'unwritten rules' of their new role, overdoing things because of their lack of experience.

The rice mortar feels not the famine.

This proverb is used to describe something that remains busy or functional regardless of the external situation. Just as a mortar is used to grind grain even during a famine (to process whatever little food is available), certain people or systems continue their routine or extraction despite the hardships around them.

Some grain or other is always pounded in it. Said of a person who is exempted by his position from the loss which falls upon others, or of one who escapes a general misfortune.

Hunger knows not taste, sleep knows not comfort, lust knows not shame.

This proverb highlights how basic human instincts and intense emotions override physical circumstances or social norms. When one is starving, the quality of food doesn't matter; when one is exhausted, the comfort of the bed is irrelevant; and when one is in love, they disregard social embarrassment or shyness.

Hunger is the best sauce.

The one who is liked by the heart is the husband, not just the one who ties the mangalsutra.

This expression emphasizes that true companionship and a husband's status are earned through love, mutual understanding, and emotional connection rather than through the mere ritual of marriage or tying a sacred thread. It is used to highlight that legal or ritualistic bonding is secondary to emotional compatibility.

A new beggar knows not the time [ to ask for alms ].

This proverb is used to describe a person who is new to a role, job, or status and overdoes things due to excess enthusiasm or lack of experience. It refers to someone who doesn't know when to stop or doesn't understand the boundaries of their new situation, similar to how a new beggar might keep asking for alms at inappropriate hours.